Greetings,

For those of you in the US - an urgent note from the Prometheus Radio
Organisation asking for calls to Senators this week...


NEWSFLASH!  FORWARD WIDELY!

The expansion of low power FM (LPFM) radio -- one hundred watt community
radio stations used by churches, schools, and community groups around
the United States -- has taken a dramatic, important turn. Senator John
McCain, Republican of Arizona, is sponsoring an amendment onto Senate
Bill 2686, a big telecommunications bill that covers everything from who
controls your local cable company to how fast and open your access to
the internet is.

You can read this amendment here:
http://www.prometheusradio.org/media/mccain_amendment_stevens_bill.pdf

What would this amendement do?  This amendment would remove the
artificial restriction that the FCC was forced to put on our airwaves in
2000, keeping low power FM radio from America's cities and thousands of
our towns.  Hundreds, if not thousands, of new radio frequencies would
be opened up to communities across the country.

What's our goal?  Senate Bill 2686 will have over 100 amendments offered
onto it, and the expansion of low power FM radio is just one.  Even
though we all might have to come together later this year to defeat this
bill (we're not trading low power FM for public access TV -- no way!),
this is an important chance to show support for LPFM on the floor of the
senate, on this bill, and in all future legislation.  If this amendment
is voted down on the floor, we'll have to start over at square one to
expand LPFM to our communities.

ACT NOW!

What can you do?  You can call your Senator -today- and ask them to
support low power FM radio on Senate Bill 2686 -- the Communications,
Consumer's Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006.  We aren't
crying wolf -- we need you to call -immediately- as this bill will start
getting debated this week.

Get your Senator's phone number here:

http://www.freepress.net/washington or
http://www.prometheusradio.org/lpfm

And when the staffer picks up, say something like:

"Hi, my name is _____, and I'm your consituent, Senator.  I support, and
my community supports, the language in Senate Bill 2686 that would
expand low power FM across our state and across this country. In an era
of natural disasters, and few opportunities for churches, schools, and
community groups to make their voices heard, we need more local radio
stations in our cities and towns.  Please support low power FM in Senate
Bill 2686."

Then drop us a line at [log in to unmask], or call us at
215-727-9620, to let us know you called!

We have been fighting against many of the provisions of the larger bill.
And if they do not fix the provisions that give away the control of the
internet to Comcast and Verizon or limit public access television, we
will oppose its ultimate passage.

But it is very important that you help make the amendment is a success,
to show the broad support for the positive things legislators can do for
communications, like Low Power FM.  It's time to expand low power FM
from Opelousas, Louisiana to New Orleans, from Spokane, Washington to
Seattle, and across this country.  Stand together for the community
radio we need to take back our airwaves and our democracy!

In Solidarity,
The Organizers at
the Prometheus Radio Project

PS -- Want to learn more about low power FM radio stations serving their
communities?  Scroll down to the bottom of this page --
http://prometheusradio.org/lpfm -- and read about a station near you
here -- http://www.prometheusradio.org/library/news_archive/

PPS -- Low power FM stations saved lives and provided essential
communications infrastructure after last year's hurricanes and continue
to do so today.  This spring, one Mississippi station was honored for
its service by none other than President George Bush.  Learn about one
of those stations here --
http://www.prometheusradio.org/WQRZ_honored_by_president_bush

PPPS -- Get involved with the fight to protect our access to the media
by visiting our allies at http://saveaccess.org and
http://savetheinternet.com!


--
-----

hannah sassaman
prometheusradioproject

building radio stations = awesome
http://www.prometheusradio.org
215-727-9620