a day late and 7,000 dollars short

I’m generally not one who rallies against the establishment, the Man. But in this case, I think the Man has a serious problem.

The Man, being the FCC.

In this morning’s Journal Gazette Kelly Soderlund reported that the FCC is coming down on  local Columbia City High School radio station for letting their license expire. The FCC first reprimanded Columbia City High School in 2007. When CCHS asked for the $7,000 fine to be waived because it was a first offense, the FCC waited a good 31 months to deny the request. The FCC is now asking for the money again; school officials say they will appeal again.

I think the FCC needs to back off and find some bigger fish to fry, like SNL and their s-bombs. This is an educational opportunity for students to learn how to broadcast and run a radio station. I can see where the FCC has all the right to rain down on profitable, large radio stations for operating without a legitimate license. People should play by the rules.

But this little, but successful high school radio station isn’t and should not be a threat to the FCC. They don’t run commericals. They aren’t owned by a media conglomorate. Instead, they are the first high school radio station to broadcast live on the internet. If anything, the FCC should be praising the students and teachers for ensuring learning outside of a textbook.

I understand the reason for the fine. Sure, FCC, you want to make a point that people can’t have unregistered radio stations. I get it. Go ahead and fine the school. But seven thousand dollars? Seven thousand dollars for an expired license? Send them a $100 fine or something. It is a struggling public school corporation that needs every last dollar to feed the students on free and reduced lunch, to provide the students with teachers who know what they are doing, to make sure the bathrooms are useable and they have textbooks that have been written after 1995. The FCC has no reason to deny an appeal against a seven thousand dollar fine for an educational instituion.

Let the kids learn how to be responsible journalists and broadcasters now. It’ll save you later, FCC.

~ by monifree on October 6, 2009.