Linfield University DigitalCommons@Linfield Faculty Publications Spring 2007 The Emergence of Community Radio in the United States: A Historical Examination of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, 1970 to 1990 Michael William Huntsberger Linfield College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/mscmfac_pubs Part of the Broadcast and Video Studies Commons, and the Mass Communication Commons DigitalCommons@Linfield Citation Huntsberger, Michael William, "The Emergence of Community Radio in the United States: A Historical Examination of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, 1970 to 1990" (2007). Faculty Publications. Article. Submission 13. https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/mscmfac_pubs/13 This Article is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It is brought to you for free via open access, courtesy of DigitalCommons@Linfield, with permission from the rights-holder(s). 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For more information, or if you have questions about permitted uses, please contact [email protected]. i THE EMERGENCE OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN THE UNITED STATES: A HISTORICAL EXAMINATION OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF COMMUNITY BROADCASTERS, 1970 TO 1990 by MICHAEL WILLIAM HUNTSBERGER A DISSERTATION Presented to the School of Journalism and Communication and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Spring 2007 ii “The Emergence of Community Radio in the United States: A Historical Examination of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, 1970 to 1990,” a dissertation prepared by Michael William Huntsberger in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the School of Journalism and Communication. This dissertation has been approved and accepted by: ________________________________________________________ Dr. Alan G. Stavitsky, Chair of the Examining Committee ____________________________________________ Date Committee in Charge: Dr. Alan G. Stavitsky, Chair Dr. Julianne Newton Dr. Daniel Pope Dr. Janet Wasko Accepted by: _________________________________________________________ Dean of the Graduate School iii © 2007 Michael William Huntsberger iv An Abstract of the Dissertation of Michael William Huntsberger for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Journalism and Communication to be taken June 2007 Title: THE EMERGENCE OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN THE UNITED STATES: A HISTORICAL EXAMINATION OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF COMMUNITY BROADCASTERS, 1970 TO 1990. Approved: __________________________________________ Dr. Alan G. Stavitsky The National Federation of Community Broadcasters is the oldest and largest organization of community-oriented, nonprofit radio stations in the United States. Nevertheless, only a handful of scholars have considered the NFCB and its place in the history of mass media in the U.S. In the years leading up to and following the establishment of the NFCB in 1975, the public policy environment that guided the activities noncommercial radio, and all of American mass media, changed dramatically. This study provides a historical account of the NFCB during these formative years, and examines the political, economic, and social forces that propelled the organization during this period. The study examines the conflicts of idealism and realism, intention and action that shaped the NFCB in its first years, and delineates the relationship of the NFCB to the v political economy of mass communications media in the U.S. The study explores the role of dissent in the prevailing political economy of communication, and demonstrates how issues of power unfolded in one sector of American broadcasting. The study relies on qualitative and historical methods, employing a combination of document analysis and in-depth interviews to gain a broad understanding of the origins and evolution of the NFCB. The study demonstrates the decisive power and control over the political economy of public broadcasting in the United States held by the U.S. Congress, and the efficacy of the open marketplace for public radio programming envisioned by the founders of the NFCB. The study addresses one of the significant historical controversies in American community radio, finding that contemporary Low Power FM radio services have benefited from the policies advocated by the NFCB in the 1980s. The study concludes that community broadcasters provided the talents, knowledge, skills, and abilities to push public radio in new directions, to become more open to change and more responsive to listeners. In the process, the National Federation of Community Broadcasters moved from the margins to the mainstream of public radio policymaking in the United States. vi CURRICULUM VITAE NAME OF AUTHOR: Michael William Huntsberger PLACE OF BIRTH: Palo Alto, CA DATE OF BIRTH: July 11, 1955 GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: University of Oregon The Evergreen State College University of Colorado DEGREES AWARDED: Doctor of Philosophy, Communication and Society, 2007, University of Oregon Bachelor of Arts, Music Technology emphasis, 1978, The Evergreen State College AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Media and Society Broadcasting History Media Technology Communication Ethics PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Instructor, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon, Eugene, 2003-2007 Graduate Teaching Fellow, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon, Eugene, 2002-2007. vii President/CEO, Media and Communications Consulting, Olympia, Washington and Eugene, Oregon, 2000-2006 General Manager, KAOS FM, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, 1981-2000 GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS Broadcast Education Association, Abe Voron Scholarship, 2006-07 University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, Glenn Starlin Fellowship in Telecommunications, 2005 University of Oregon, Foundation Scholarship, 2005 University of Oregon, Mary E. Russell scholarship, 2003 PUBLICATIONS Huntsberger, Michael and Alan G. Stavitsky (2007). “The new ‘podagogy’: Incorporating podcasting into journalism education.” Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, 61:4, 397-411. Huntsberger, Michael (2006). “Creativity, free expression, and professionalism: Value conflicts in U.S. community radio.” Southern Review, 39:2, 44-61. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my appreciation to the members of my committee, Dr. Julianne Newton, Dr. Daniel Pope, and Dr. Janet Wasko, for the guidance and encouragement they provided over the course of this project. I am especially grateful to my advisor, Dr. Alan G. Stavitsky, whose patient mentoring and enthusiastic support of my studies inspired me throughout my graduate career. To all my instructors, advisors, and colleagues at the University of Oregon, thank you for your contributions to my efforts. I want to express my gratitude to Carol Pierson and Ginny Berson at the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, who graciously allowed me to delve into the extensive records of the NFCB in Oakland, California. Thank you to Tom Connors and Karen King at the National Public Broadcasting Archive, who hosted my research at the University of Maryland and provided invaluable assistance in my search for documents. Thank you to John Crigler for his assistance with locating key historical evidence, and especially to Tom Thomas and Terry Clifford, who responded to dozens of requests for information and documentation from their personal records. To all of the people who consented to be interviewed for this project, thank you for the generous donation of your time, and your enthusiasm for my research. Without your participation, this project would not have been possible. This research was supported by several travel and research grants from the School of Journalism. Thank you to the members of the Graduate Affairs Committee for your ix support. I am particularly grateful for the award of the Glenn Starling Fellowship in Telecommunications, which allowed me to travel to Maryland and consult primary evidence that otherwise would not have been available to the project. Finally, I am grateful to my friends and family for their support of my work, and especially to my son Eric and my wife Karen for the love and care they shared with me on every step of this long, complicated, and often arduous journey. Thank you for making this dream come true. x TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1 The Alternative .............................................................................................................2 The Context of the NFCB .............................................................................................5 Significance of the Study ..............................................................................................9 Overview of the Study ................................................................................................11 Notes ...........................................................................................................................16 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ...................................................................18 Ownership and Control of Mass Media Assets