Statement Of Commissioner Ajit Pai On The Media Bureau’s Presentation On The Status Of The LPFM Proceeding

In my home state of Kansas, for instance, no fewer than five new Spanish-language LPFM stations have already been approved during this window. These stations will serve communities big and small, from Topeka, the state capital, to Ulysses, a small town of about 6,000 people in southwest Kansas named after our nation’s 18th President.

A new Chinese-language LPFM station has also been approved to serve Lawrence, Kansas. These unique offerings are exactly what Congress intended when it passed the Local Community Radio Act in 2010. Given the static facing the AM band, we can’t afford to delay. Let’s set the end of October as the deadline for action and prioritize opening an FM translator window for AM broadcasters.