Determined to derail the efforts of Federal Communications Commission chairman William Kennard, Congress has watered down his plan to create a new class of FM non-commercial radio stations for local organizations such as churches and schools.
The low-power FM provision was tacked onto a massive spending bill
approved Dec. 15 by the lame-duck Congress before it wrapped up business for the year and headed home.
Lawmakers had approved the FM rider earlier this fall, attaching it to a bill that was vetoed by President Clinton for a variety of other reasons. The president is expected to sign the appropriations measure
endorsed Dec. 15 by Congress.
Congress' plan would cut the number of new stations proposed by the FCC to about 200 from 1,000 by imposing strict interference guidelines. Legislation also directs the FCC to run tests in nine markets where stations are packed closer together on the channel dial to determine what interference is experienced.