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School Radio
Station Fights For Survival
eSchool News, November 11, 2005
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A high school
radio station that has been broadcasting for more than 30 years
is in danger of being shut down. Reason: The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) last month awarded the station's
frequency to an upstart religious broadcaster based some 3,000
miles away.
WAVM (FM 91.7), run entirely by students of Maynard High School
in Maynard, Mass., says it will fight the FCC's decision to
reassign its frequency to California-based Living Proof
Broadcasting, a noncommercial broadcaster of Christian music and
Bible study.
WAVM-FM went on the air in the early 1970s, said Joseph Magno,
the station's faculty adviser. Since then, Maynard students have
reported on sports, news, and weather, broadcast Sunday church
services, and played music on the air.
"This isn't just a radio station. It's an actual, viable school
program. It's the most well-known, important, impressive part of
Maynard," said Magno. He said the station has received both
local and national recognition and has seen dozens of its alumni
go on to broadcasting careers.
Magno said the station ran into trouble when it tried to
increase its power signal from the meager 10 watts it has
broadcast for most of its existence to 250 watts, resulting in a
bid for its frequency by Living Proof, which reportedly plans to
build a facility in nearby Lunenburg, Mass.
According to FCC rules, when a radio station files a petition to
make a "major change," it opens the rights to its frequency to
be challenged.
Living Proof filed a competing claim on WAVM's frequency, and
Maynard school officials received a letter from the FCC dated
Oct. 6 saying it was granting the station's frequency to Living
Proof, pending the outcome of an appeal process.
Magno says he questions the agency's decision for two reasons:
One, it's ambiguous what is meant by a "major change," and in
this case, the rule shouldn't apply to the relatively modest
upgrade in WAVM's signal; and two, an out-of-town religious
organization shouldn't be given priority over a local school
with a well-established and highly successful program when it
comes to competing for a spot on the airwaves.
"The FCC doesn't do warm and fuzzy--the fact that we've got a
track record a mile long means nothing to them. All we are is
files and forms and numbers," said Magno, who added that the
rules favor "big business" and "big-money [players in]
Washington."
Officials at Living Proof declined to comment, and a call to the
FCC seeking comment was not immediately returned. But an FCC
spokeswoman told the Boston Globe the agency chose Living Proof
as part of a policy to promote noncommercial licenses in areas
with a limited number of noncommercial stations.
"They were the only applicant that showed they would be able to
provide [noncommercial radio] service to the largest number of
people in the community," the spokeswoman told the Globe. She
added that Living Proof has eight licenses or construction
permits across the country.
Living Proof's president, Daniel McClenaghan, is affiliated with
the Calvary Chapel ministry, the Globe reported. Calvary
operates the CSN Network, which reportedly owns more than 300
stations. Four years ago, Calvary founder Chuck Smith told the
Dallas Morning News that his staff has "great computers, and
they search constantly for open stations in an area and file on
those openings with the FCC."
Magno said Maynard has appealed the FCC's decision, with the
support of local government officials, who have sent a special
resolution to the agency. The school also has sought help from
Massachusetts Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, both
Democrats, as well as Rep. Marty Meehan, a Democrat from nearby
Lowell, Mass.
If the agency does not reverse its decision, WAVM likely would
shut down; there are no other available frequencies in the area.
Another option would be to broadcast entirely online--but that
would limit the station's reach to only those households with
internet access.
Losing the station would leave a big hole in the community,
Magno said. It's the main news outlet for the high school, which
doesn't have a student newspaper. Each December, the station
holds a 40-hour marathon broadcast that has raised thousands of
dollars for families in need.
And, of course, there are the educational benefits to the
180-plus students who are involved in the program.
"I consider this to be a school-within-a-school--they learn to
write well, speak well, interact with [professionals]. It just
broadens their horizons, regardless of whether they go into
communications," Magno said.
He concluded: "There's a lot at stake--it's not just a bunch of
kids on the radio."
Citizens wishing to send comments on this matter to the FCC can
find the appropriate forms on the WAVM web site.
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