Indiana University student radio might be forced off the air before January if the FCC approves a building permit for WYGB Korn Country, a radio station out of Columbus.
Campus-based WIUX has been broadcasting for 11 months as a Low Power FM (LPFM) station. FCC regulations give priority to Class A commercial radio stations like WYGB over non-commercial, LPFM stations like WIUX.
"It's called 'displacement,' that's the FCC term, which I guess is the eminent domain of radio," said Zach Pollakoff, WIUX station manager. "The FCC will clear a Class A station, even if it interferes with a LPFM station, which it does."
WYGB is asking the FCC to approve a permit to build an antenna in Edinburgh to expand its broadcast area, which is smaller than that served by WIUX. If the permit is approved, construction can begin as early as Nov. 27, and Korn Country's tower and signal can be established within a month of that.
If the station does broadcast on 100.3 from Edinburgh, which is less than 45 miles from Bloomington, WIUX will be off the air before Christmas.
"In this case, basically, the FCC rules," said Pollakoff. "They haven't even considered the LPFM station."
Pollakoff first heard that WIUX's frequency was in jeopardy from a phone call from an alumnus and former WIUX employee.
"In order to be aware of what happens at the FCC committees, you have to kind of be engrossed in their message boards," said Pollakoff. "And as a college student that's something that, a), I didn't know, and, b), I just wouldn't do."
Pollakoff has never been notified officially from anyone at the FCC about either WYGB's permit request or WIUX's consequent vulnerability.
After being alerted by Pollakoff and WIUX graduate student advisor Casey Cox, Dean of Student Affairs Richard McKaig wrote and submitted a petition for reconsideration to the FCC, hoping to stall the Nov. 27 decision.
The petition asks that the station's frequency be kept because of the "non-commercial aims, educational, cultural and technological benefits" it offers to 200 student members, disc jockeys, directors, station manager and graduate advisor.
The petition also says WIUX provides these benefits to the 70,000-population Bloomington community, which includes roughly 40,000 IU students and faculty.
In early November, Sens. Evan Bayh and Richard Lugar submitted a letter to the FCC asking that WIUX remain where it is.
"They've sent their own petitions to the FCC, and so far they're the only voices heard," said Pollakoff.
"It's pretty much an ingenious idea," said Pollakoff. "It allows closer proximity between radio stations, which opens up the dial to many more stations."
LPFM licenses are free and make it possible for small communities to have multiple local radio stations. In the 40 years of IU student radio, this was the first time WIUX had broadcast on FM.
"I do prefer 100.3 to any other frequency," said Pollakoff. "It's right in the middle of the dial, it's really easy to remember."
The FCC considers a licensed FM station moving to another FM frequency a "minor modification."
"It's technically simple, but of course there's a lot of red tape," according to Pollakoff.
The station may also consider AM frequency options, Internet based broadcasts, or even reverting to the 1963 version of IU radio, carrier current, in which a radio signal is delivered through wire.
The first choice for Pollakoff is that WIUX continue to broadcast on the same frequency.
"The reason I'm so adamant about staying on 100.3 as opposed to any other place on the dial is because we would sort of be standing up for LPFM nationwide," Pollakoff said. "I think because LPFM is relatively new, there are few rules protecting it."
Currently, the FCC does not consider LPFM stations to be full status, and this makes them more susceptible to the usurpation of larger radio stations.
"Even if we don't get 100.3 and take one of those other options, I'm still going to, for the remainder of my senior year, work as hard as I can to get LPFM full status," said Pollakoff. "I'll probably fight this frequency thing until the end of the year and then graduate, and hopefully the work we've done here will take affect down the road.
"The reality is that rules of this caliber don't really happen in a year. But I think that we have a case where our station is being discriminated against. So I hope that with our efforts, as well as these organizations, we can effect some change."
Elizabeth Dilts can be reached at edilts@indiana.edu.