Shamelessly lifted from the trade rag Radio & Records, this is not the work of beings in the reality-based community:
In a taped performance shown [Dec. 3] at the Federal Communications Bar Association FCC Chairman’s Dinner… [Mikey] Powell donned a wig that looked only slightly worse than [Donald Trump’s] actual hair and faced down Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, Media Bureau Chief Ken Ferree and Powell Chief of Staff Bryan Tramont at a large table in a spoof of the boardroom scenes from the NBC TV show The Apprentice. Dutifully filling in for real-life Trump assistants Carolyn and George were Commissioners Kathleen Abernathy and Michael Copps. Continue reading “FCC as Sketch Troupe”
Category: FCC
Revelation = Cyclical History
“Heyheyheyhey. Did you hear about the FCC wacking on a TV show with $1mil fine based on complaints from what basically boiled down to three people? It was all over the news like wildfire. I read about it in the New York Times. Freedom of speech is under attack, why aren’t you all over this?”
Ah, the tyranny of the few? It isn’t all that new:
“The FCC, an appointed body, not elected, answerable only to the President, decided on its own that radio and television were the only two parts of American life not protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. Why did they decide that? Because they got a letter from a Minister in Mississippi.” Continue reading “Revelation = Cyclical History”
FCC Approves BPL Deployment
It sounds like a great idea in theory: turn the electrical grid into a network for broadband data delivery. No new wires to run or jacks to install; the power plug becomes your express-ramp to the InfoMation SupaHiway.
There’s just one problem: because most of the power grid doesn’t use insulated wires, the data sent through Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems (as an RF signal that rides the wire) radiates into the surroundings – to the detriment of any user of HF radio frequencies within a half-mile to a mile of the power line cum data pipe. Continue reading “FCC Approves BPL Deployment”
FCC vs. Freak Radio: The Government's Evidence
Here is the 
civil forfeiture complaint filed to seize Free Radio Santa Cruz’s gear on September 29. It makes for interesting reading. Some points of note:
The FCC unmasked one of Freak Radio’s volunteers (Vinny Lombardo, aka “V-Man”) in 2000 with the help of a helpful Santa Cruz Police officer (Detective Sepulveda), who sent the FCC a 1996 news article containing Vinny’s picture. FCC field agent William Zears then looked at voter registration records to tie the V-Man to the station. Robert Duran (aka “Skidmark Bob”) was unmasked in a later article; both identities were further cross-checked using California DMV records.
However, the affidavit ties Vinny and Robert to the station during its early years (1995) – before the two had even met, and the document itself only covers the FCC’s investigation over the last four years. Continue reading “FCC vs. Freak Radio: The Government's Evidence”
FCC v. Denver Free Radio: Round 2
Hide-and-seek has its moments:
KCTS (Cactus Radio) in Denver made it through the weekend at least. Went up Thursday night and broadcast through [Tuesday evening].
Jon Sprague, our local FCC enforcement agent, again visited the newly installed STL site…delivered the usual speech and warning letter. The STL host told him that he thought it was ham radio rebroadcaster unit [a] friend of a friend asked him to let them set up at his house due to his location. Sprague asked to inspect the equipment, the host told him only with a warrant and the portly agent of the shadowy FCC enforcement branch wrote out the warning and left in a huff. Continue reading “FCC v. Denver Free Radio: Round 2”
FCC Developments on Multiple Fronts
First the enforcement tidbits. Global Radio, the company which operated several unlicensed FM transmitters at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium during the 2003 Super Bowl, has had its $12,000 fine reduced to $10,800. Global was caught broadcasting on six frequencies during the game when it only had authorization to use two (although the FCC initially prosecuted it for running three of the four pirate stations).
The company angled for a cancellation of its fine based on a couple of interesting arguments. The first was that Global went pirate on extra channels “to experiment with the boundaries of Part 15” broadcasting. This makes little sense as FCC staff on hand for the game collected ample evidence that the unlicensed transmitters were indeed way over Part 15 power levels (which couldn’t have covered the entire stadium). The second argument was more traditional: a $12,000 fine would put the company in serious financial straits. Unfortunately, Global neglected to provide the requisite three years of tax returns to back up a claim of inability to pay the penalty. Continue reading “FCC Developments on Multiple Fronts”
Update #2 – Free Radio Santa Cruz Raided
A team of Federal Marshals – some in riot gear – arrived at the station’s home during the 9 o’clock hour this morning. Residents there were rousted with the barrels of guns (including automatic weapons); nobody was in the studio at the time, however. Five FCC agents arrived after the show of force and confiscated everything.
When word got out between 100-150 people showed up on the spot to protest the raid. This included slashing the tires of the FCC and Federal Marshals’ vehicles, which stranded them at the scene for a time. Nobody was arrested and no fine has been issued against anyone. Continue reading “Update #2 – Free Radio Santa Cruz Raided”
Solomon Speaks on Enforcement Issues
Radio World talked with FCC Enforcement Bureau chief David Solomon this month and shutting down unlicensed broadcasters was at the top of the list of things Solomon thinks the FCC could stand to do better. The relevant excerpt below:
Solomon: One area that we continue to give a lot of attention to, and is a high priority, is pirate radio. I do think pirate radio continues to create some real challenges for us. We’re responding to the challenges in the sense that we continue to shut down numerous stations. Every year we probably shut down from 150 to 200 stations through various means. We’ve had a lot of success for one portion of the pirate radio problem – for those people or entities who are not really focused on the fact that there are licensing requirements; they’re small groups or individuals who go on very low powered and basically without a license, but provide some sort of local community service. (W)e go and we warn them; those people generally go off the air. And don’t do it again. But there’s a second aspect of the pirate problem where, it’s a continuing challenge; and that’s with what you might call the professional pirates. Continue reading “Solomon Speaks on Enforcement Issues”
Scene Reports: Colorado, California, Tennessee
Colorado: Denver Free Radio was busted this morning after a scant three days on the air. That’s a pretty quick turnaround for the FCC, although it certainly helps that there’s a field office right in town so they didn’t have to go very far to pay the station a visit.
The agents reportedly arrived in “a green SUV with a big white dome on it” and observers also noticed other trucks in the area bristling with antennas; it’s not clear whether this was legitimate backup or local broadcast engineers/amateur radio ops out for a joyride.
Apparently Denver Free Radio operates on a model similar to Boulder Free Radio (KBFR) in that it is “locationally-flexible” – this means there’s a decent chance of the station making a return. The FCC folks did ask those hosting DFR’s gear to willingly give it up; that request was (fortunately) denied. As a result FCC agents have reportedly staked out the transmitter location, ostensibly in an an attempt to pin a person down to the operation who can be punished. Continue reading “Scene Reports: Colorado, California, Tennessee”
FCC Raid on Knoxville First Amendment Radio
KFAR got hit by a team of FCC agents and three Federal Marshals at around 10 AM local time Wednesday. A news release from the station says the raid force “broke into” the trailer housing the station (with the help of a locksmith) and confiscated everything; this implies that the station was unmanned and automated at the time.
FCC paperwork left behind does not name any particular individual, so for the moment it would seem that KFAR’s most valuable asset – its volunteers – survive to fight another day. The local media also responded to the scene and several articles are already online, with coverage ranging from neutral to positive. Free Radio Santa Cruz’s Skidmark Bob got reaction from a couple of KFAR DJs. At least one station volunteer also videotaped the action. Continue reading “FCC Raid on Knoxville First Amendment Radio”