Community Radio Stations

The “thousands of new, low-wattage FM stations the Federal Communications Commission began issuing licenses for last year” (editorial, May 24) do not exist. The FCC, though mandated to manage the airwaves as a public resource, is still only considering rule-making that would make such stations possible. Santa Monica, which is committed to making local public processes more accessible, has gone on record supporting the issuance of licenses for low-power FM. Carrying community meetings and bringing cultural, educational and other local events home to seniors, such local microradio stations would become indispensable community institutions. Unfortunately, low-power FM is still hotly opposed by many in the existing radio industry, particularly the National Assn. of Broadcasters.

KEVIN McKEOWN

City Councilman

Santa Monica

*

Now even The Times has editorialized in favor of canceling “Tibor Paul’s European Sunday Concert” on KPCC. I want to say how much I enjoy this show, even though I speak no German. On any given day in the Los Angeles area, the airwaves are full of Spanish, Armenian, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Thai and Vietnamese. Surely a little German on Sunday afternoons shouldn’t be a problem.

HAL ROUNDS

Torrance

*

How wonderful to see your editorial supporting KPCC. As a lifelong supporter of public radio, I think KPCC is the best station I have yet found. And Larry Mantle’s “Air Talk” is the icing on the cake!

LORA MALVANI

North Hills