What is lost when a small-town FM radio station suddenly disappears?

• Advertising that local businesses can afford.
• A 'round-the-clock voice for local public safety and government organizations.
• Radio coverage of local news and events.
• Live broadcasts of high school sports.
• Public service announcements for youth groups, civic clubs, and churches.
• Agricultural market news.
• An on-air venue for local music and musicians.
• Radio swap shops.
• ... and, perhaps worst, an old reliable friend.

What would your community lose?

When a new FM radio station pops up in an urban area, everyone in the area benefits, don't they? Not necessarily! There are several reasons why a new urban "programming choice" may not bring much net benefit -- at least not to anyone other than the licensee, whose station's value increases many times over. Here are three ways move-ins can decrease programming diversity and public service in their new urban home.

• Knock innovative, non-commercial, locally-based Low-Power FM stations off the air or diminish their coverage.
• Shut down or reduce coverage of FM translators that extend the reach of distant stations with a local audience.
• Reduce urban radio diversity by increasing station ownership consolidation and increasing competitive pressures on independent stations that still originate locally-produced programing "the old-fashioned way."

If you want to understand these impacts, read on ...

Most FM move-ins are theoretically "in the public interest" because they (or a related move-in) provide "first local transmission service" to some small municipality in or near an urban area. So even if a move-in causes the harm described above, at least it benefits its new community of license, right? That's what the licensee's lawyer writes in the "307(b) showing" that justifies the move. And that's what the FCC claims when it grants the "first local service" preference that takes the station away from another community.

So what benefits can the new community of license expect?

• Programming originating from a studio in the community?
• A voice available 7x24 to local public safety and government agencies?
• Advertising that community businesses want and can afford?
• Coverage of community news and events?
• Public service announcements focused on the community's clubs, churches, and volunteer groups?

If this were 20 years ago, at least four answers would be, "Yes!" But after more than 15 years of radio deregulation, all the answers now come up "No" for most move-ins.