October 8, 2009

USCCB Commends Advance Of Community Radio Act

WASHINGTON (USCCB) The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) commends the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet for marking up H.R. 1147, the Community Radio Act of 2009, and moving this important bill forward.

H.R. 1147 will create hundreds of new low power radio stations. These small radio stations offer Catholic programmers and Catholic dioceses and parishes (including the institutions they support, such as schools, health care entities, community development projects and refugee resettlement programs) a practical method of reaching their community with information and discussion of local issues.

“Creating more low power FM radio stations will offer a place for non-commercial religious programming and public service announcements, which face an uphill struggle for airtime on commercial full-power radio and television stations,” stated Helen Osman, Secretary of Communications for the USCCB. “H.R. 1147 is a valuable opportunity for Congress to offer a platform for religious organizations, schools and community organizations to serve their communities with local radio programming.”

The USCCB has supported the widest deployment of the low power FM service possible since its inception more than a decade ago.

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