Consolidation in the radio industry has stifled independent voices and threatened public access to information. Locally produced content and discussion of local issues rarely makes it on the air these days. Many of our communities are simply not represented on the airwaves. Full-power community radio is our best hope to raise local and diverse voices around the country.

Local radio is becoming a thing of the past — especially on the FM dial. Due to consolidation in the industry the number of radio station owners has plummeted by 35 percent since 1996, when Congress eliminated long-standing caps on the number of stations one company could own. That year, the largest radio owners controlled fewer than 65 stations; today, radio giant Clear Channel alone owns more than 1,000.

Corporate radio owners gut local staff, and replace local producers and DJs with narrow playlists. In some cases, stations are replaced entirely by computers — leaving a local community with little more than a tower.

Corporate radio doesn't serve local communities: in exchange for their free and exclusive use of the public airwaves, broadcasters such as Clear Channel and Viacom are supposed to serve the public interest. Yet they frequently ignore important local issues, focus on sensational stories about crime and celebrities, offer biased coverage of political issues, and stifle diverse viewpoints.

Corporate radio ignores diversity: corporate radio conglomerates are more concerned with profits than responsible programming. Coverage of issues important to people of color, the working class and rural citizens is squelched or ignored because these people aren't considered the target audiences for advertisers.

The upcoming full-power window at the FCC is an opportunity for community voices to get back on the air and provide a powerful alternative to stale corporate radio.

Learn how you can secure a spot on the dial for your community.