Having been served a $17,000 threat just prior to Independence Day, San Francisco Liberation Radio was given 10 days to respond to the FCC’s visit. The station’s official correspondence from its lawyer, National Lawyers Guild Center for Democratic Communications director Peter Franck, sounds more than happy to meet ’em in court:
“It is the position of the parties addressed that operation of the radio station cannot be interfered with by the government at this time. In order to respond within the 10 days requested in your Notice, the grounds for this position are stated here in overview form. This statement will be supplemented by a more detailed explanation of each of the points in a timely fashion.” Continue reading “San Francisco Liberation Radio Strikes Back”
Category: Microradio
Free Radio San Diego on Tee-Vee
In late June, KSTV Channel 10 (San Diego’s ABC affiliate) covered Free Radio San Diego’s recent run-ins with the FCC. The angle of the story on the station’s web site carried the headline, “Local Pirate Radio Station Outsmarts FCC,” but the 
video piece (:48, 4.1 MB) is much more bland, although DJ Bob Ugly does get some (masked) face-time.
San Francisco Liberation Radio Gets FCC Visit, $17,000 Threat
From SF Indymedia:
“In what may portend a US Marshal-backed raid and seizure, San Francisco Liberation Radio received a courtesy call by FCC agents, who requested permission to inspect the premises and see a broadcast permit, on 7/2. Unlike its East Bay microradio cousins, San Francisco Liberation Radio (93.7 FM) has filed several FCC license applications, which may provide the legal clout to mount a vigorous First Amendment defense. More importantly, SFLR will be relying on the support of its community, including local politicos, as it wages a campaign to safeguard our right to community microradio. SFLR was given a letter warning against unauthorized broadcasting and threatened with jail time and $17,000 in fines…”
The station reportedly has 10 days to respond; it has attempted to apply for a license more than once (for both a regular FM station license and an LPFM one, although there are none available in San Francisco). SFLR has been (mostly) broadcasting for 10 years now, and this is not the first visit the FCC has paid to the station, but it sounds like the enforcement ball is finally rolling on its case. The Enforcement Action Database will be updated later tonight. Continue reading “San Francisco Liberation Radio Gets FCC Visit, $17,000 Threat”
Radio Free Brattleboro: A True Community Resource
Brattleboro, Vermont had its annual Fourth of July parade today, and although it is off the air, Radio Free Brattleboro had a float in the festivities. The station’s always been strongly focused on the community it served – it got its start as a project of the local teen center – and in many ways it transcended that goal. Some examples:
The Brattleboro Public Library, in need of space, was forced to get rid of its entire record collection. This included the LP library of the Chelsea House Folklore Center – an incredible collection of folk music, bluegrass and 1930s/40s-era blues/R&B. The library wanted to keep the entire collection together and wanted it to remain publicly available. There’s no better way to do that than to air it, so the music was donated to Radio Free Brattleboro. When the town of Newfane, VT’s public library had to give up its LP collection it also found a new home at RFB. This doesn’t count the individual record collections donated by several listeners over the years. Continue reading “Radio Free Brattleboro: A True Community Resource”
FCC Strikes Again in Vermont, Florida
More reports of microradio enforcement activity stretch the FCC’s efforts this month from coast to coast. Radio Free Brattleboro, a Vermont microradio station that got its start in a teen center some five years ago, got a nasty visit from two FCC agents Tuesday. Video was recorded of the incident (which we hope to get) and although the agents had no search warrant a list containing contact information for many of RFB’s volunteers is missing from the station. Radio Free Brattleboro’s web site went down at approximately the same time as the visit.
From RFB’s official announcement: “It’s a real shame because in addition to providing entertainment and information to the community, we have trained hundreds of local citizens of all ages in the art of radio broadcasting.” DJ trainer Steven Twiss emailed with more pointed reaction: “The community here is building up a nice case of outrage.” Continue reading “FCC Strikes Again in Vermont, Florida”
Free Radio San Diego Gets Second FCC Visit; Other CA Pirates on Alert
The dynamic duo who visited Free Radio San Diego last month were caught sniffing around the premises again on Monday; video was reportedly shot of the not-quite-encounter but has not yet been released. Recent reports have also confirmed that FCC agents have been found lurking around at least one other California microradio station, whose location will remain nameless to protect the identity of sources (the FCC reads this site, too).
Historically speaking FCC enforcement activities against unlicensed broadcasters spikes in July. The activity pattern is nationwide.
I’m not sure why this happens: my personal theory is that FCC field agents are like lizards – cold-blooded creatures that must warm to the task of getting feisty. Plus, who wouldn’t want to get out of the office more during summer?
Verbal Skirmish w/FCC in San Diego
Free Radio San Diego got a visit from the FCC on Friday; part of the encounter was caught on tape.
Listen to the encounter (MP3, 1:56, 912K)
The FRSD folk seem pretty feisty! Continue reading “Verbal Skirmish w/FCC in San Diego”
Dunifer Publishes New Version of Micropower Broadcasting: A Technical Primer
Free Radio Berkeley founder Stephen Dunifer updates his easy-to-read handbook with information on digital audio production and webcasting and the new realities of operating a microradio station in post-millenial America. Download it here (632K, .pdf format).
Its 25 pages are packed with useful information that thoroughly describes what you need to operate your basic microradio station and the general science behind FM broadcasting. It also includes schematics and circuit board layouts for most major components.
After moving his workshop last year, Dunifer is now also offering the use of his facilities for anyone interested in building their own rigs. It sounds like the 3-5 day project is a more detailed version of the transmitter-building workshops Dunifer and his crew have frequently run in the past.
Unexpected Trip to San Francisco
Work on re-starting regular content updates remains suspended, as I still don’t have online access from home yet. Additionally, I’ll be away from home for most of the weekend, on the campus of Stanford University for a one-day conference Saturday on broadband, digital media technologies, and the future control of it all.
If you happen to attend, I’ll be speaking on two panels: the morning one will involve labor and the media, while the afternoon panel involves “wireless, wi-fi and microradio,” and will also feature members of Berkeley Liberation Radio and San Francisco Liberation Radio. Continue reading “Unexpected Trip to San Francisco”
Last-minute Props and Good Luck to Microbroadcaster-turned-candidate
Kelly “Kombat” Benjamin, founder of the “original” 87X pirate radio station in Tampa, Florida, is running for a seat on the Tampa City Council. The election is tomorrow.
Benjamin, along with Doug Brewer and Lonnie Kobres, fell victim to the law on November 19, 1997, when agents from the FCC and Federal Marshals executed three coordinated SWAT-style raids on microradio stations in Florida. Continue reading “Last-minute Props and Good Luck to Microbroadcaster-turned-candidate”