Final answer:
The Local Community Radio Act was signed into law in 2010, allowing the FCC to license low-powered community stations, offering an alternative to commercial media and serving diverse local interests.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Local Community Radio Act was signed into law in 2010. This act was introduced in response to the domination of the airwaves by large media corporations and authorized the Federal .
Communications Commission (FCC) to issue licenses to low-powered community radio stations. The Radio Act of 1927 was the first regulatory attempt by Congress to organize radio frequencies and ensure the public interest was served.
Over time, the FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 to oversee radio and later television, enforcing rules and preventing monopolies.
Community radio has been a platform for diverse and locally relevant content, providing an alternative to commercial radio programming and serving local and minority communities.
The significance of the Local Community Radio Act is highlighted by examples, such as KMRD in Madrid, New Mexico, which started broadcasting in 2015 post the act's enforcement.
These community stations offer programming that is informational, educational, and representative of local culture and social issues, fostering a more inclusive public sphere than commercial media.