Native Public Media wanted to obtain a regulatory change that would facilitate radio service to tribal lands. NPM needed to build a record to assess the impact of various regulatory changes and eventually support a proposal to the Federal Communications Commission.
Cheryl undertook a confidential academic-quality research report identifying the impact, on tribal applicants for radio licenses, of Section 307(b) of the Communications Act (which requires a fair distribution of service throughout the United States). Cheryl developed a survey instrument, combed FCC databases for relevant data, and prepared a detailed policy memo to explain the impact of this provision on the regulatory process of assigning new radio licenses. She compiled detailed data and charts and quantitative evaluations for 38 applicants and 61 applications.
Loris Taylor, Executive Director of NPM, said, “Working with Cheryl was a satisfying and collaborative endeavor. Her report was exceptionally thorough and answered the questions we needed addressed. She stuck with the project even as the FCC’s glacial pace slowed our ability to acquire needed data.”