Like most communities across the country, residents of Dallas, the Dalles and Madras, Oregon, have virtually no locally-controlled, non-commercial programming on their FM dial. The FCC has opened a brief window in which community groups in select communities across the country can apply for licenses to start new non-commercial FM radio stations. For one week in February, 2010, three Oregon communities will have the chance to apply for radio stations: Dallas, the Dalles and Madras.

Ideally, this process will lead to the creation of locally-controlled stations that are driven by the voices of people who live and work in the community. But if no community groups submit strong applications, these radio licenses will likely go to national radio networks. These networks will drop in satellite radio programming without a connection to the local community.

MRG Foundation has awarded a $2,000 Critical Response grant to the Community Media Assistance Project to assist social justice organizations in these three rural communities with their applications for these FM allocations. The FCC license application process is lengthy and involved, but new FCC guidelines will give community groups a competitive advantage over national media networks -- if they can complete the rigorous application process in time.

The Community Media Assistance Project will inform local social justice groups about this opportunity, "translate" FCC guidelines into everyday language, and help marshall the groups and individuals who can help craft strong proposals for these communities by early February. They will connect local communities with grassroots media resources in other parts of the country such as the Prometheus Radio Project and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters to help local communities take full advantage of the power of local radio.

To learn more about this opportunity for these Oregon communities, visit the Community Media Assistance Project website.

You can learn more about MRG's Critical Response grants by visiting the Critical Response Grants page on our website.