Congressman Jack Kingston was a co-sponsor of this legislation, which was introduced by Rep. Oxley. Existing broadcasters, including those in Georgia, were understandably opposed to this major decision. By its own admission, the FCC would have to significantly weaken existing interference protections in order to wedge these new stations into the already congested FM band.
Radio is the 'bread and butter' of American communication.
This issue demands taking a closer look, with attention to detail. Kingston believes that the matter requires additional study, including congressional hearings before any final decisions are made. Georgia's radio broadcasters are also concerned that the proposal jeopardizes the conversion to digital radio. At a minimum, adding a large number of low power stations to crowded FM band will make the transition to digital more problematic.