Last week, the FCC officially proposed making low-power FM stations a legal part of the radio dial. The statement in itself doesn’t give too many details as to what this broadcast service will look like, except in the most general of forms. When the official text becomes available, expect notice here.
In a nutshell, these are the basics of legal LPFM as currently envisioned: Continue reading “It's Only Just Begun”
1998=1984?
An interesting little email has cropped up among microradio activists recently.
It stems from the recent bust and arrest of the operators of Black Cat Radio in Memphis, TN. The station ops weren’t arrested for the actual act of unlicensed broadcasting, but rather for jacking into the University of Memphis‘ electrical system to to power their transmitter as they broadcast from a parking garage on campus.
The email allegedly came from the U.S. Department of Justice, and it’s reproduced in its entirety below: Continue reading “1998=1984?”
Greasing the Wheel
The following is a report from scouts at the National Lawyer’s Guild’s Committee on Democratic Communications; they went to Washington recently to gauge support for a low power radio legalization effort.
Call To Action
We now have an historic opportunity (ok, its a cheap political phrase) to influence communications policy in the U.S. The window of opportunity is NOW! Believe me– I have talked with a number of people in D.C.– we need to BOMBARD the FCC RIGHT NOW with a massive show of support. We need to show them that the unlicensed micros are serious about wanting a legalized system and we need to show that it has Congressional support. Continue reading “Greasing the Wheel”
Controversy in Michigan
Support for low-power broadcasting is growing and gaining some political ground.
The following is a move in the right direction – Michigan’s legislature is considering resolutions in both houses advocating the legalization of a low-power broadcast service. Not surprisingly, the state’s broadcasting association jumped on the defensive. Here’s the texts from everyone involved.
Michigan State House Resolution No. 379
Reps. Freeman, Baade, Ciaramitaro, Kelly, Tesanovich, Profit, Dobronski, Prusi, Gubow, Kukuk, Bodem, Godchaux, Leland, Olshove, Harder, Hale, Brater, Parks, Anthony, Scranton, Schermesser, Martinez, Kilpatrick, Bogardus, Jelinek, Scott, DeHart, Basham, Willard, Baird, Murphy, Birkholz, Richner, LaForge, Quarles, Hanley, Cherry and Varga Continue reading “Controversy in Michigan”
Risks and Strategies
By Ted M. Coopman
Rogue Communication
Disclaimer: Broadcasting without a license is a violation of Federal law. Those convicted of illegally broadcasting may face fines of more than $10,000 and up to one year in jail per incident. The author does not encourage any illegal activity nor does he accept any liability for the consequences of the use of the information contained in this article. The reader uses this information at her/his own risk. For more information concerning the penalties for unlicensed broadcasting contact the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
So, You Want to Free the Airwaves?
If you have gotten this far and found this article, I am assuming you know about the Micro Broadcasting Movement and are seriously considering participating. If not, you will want to check out Radio4all for links and detailed information about the Free Communications Movement and micro radio. For deeper background, you may wish to access my master’s thesis on micro radio. This article does not encourage participating in micro radio (although I am on record as supporting the goals of the Free Communications Movement); it simply provides information gathered through researching the Micro Radio Movement and the FCC. I wrote this article to help individuals considering participating in micro radio make informed decisions. Continue reading “Risks and Strategies”
Working the System
There are many that say it’s no use to try to change something from the inside. Maybe it’s because they’re not sure how. Once again, legal experts in the microradio movement have a bright idea for tactics – use the FCC’s regulatory system as a tool! Written by Peter Franck, a member of the legal team defending Stephen Dunifer and Free Radio Berkeley.
This is a report, a proposal, and poses questions to the micro community. Please share this with groups that are not on line.
In the Dunifer case, Dunifer’s primary defense against the U. S. government’s request for a court injunction to stop him from broadcasting was that FCC Regulations barring low-power stations from getting a license were unconstitutional. The Court ruled that Dunifer did not have “standing” to raise this defense because he had not applied and asked for a waiver of the licensing provisions. In other words, the Court refused to consider the constitutionality of the regulations because Dunifer had not asked the FCC to waive those requirements which seem to make it impossible for a low-power broadcaster to get a license to broadcast lawfully. (The same Judge, early in the case, had expressed great doubt about the constitutionality of the FCC regulations. In this ruling she was refusing to consider the issue.) While we think the Judge’s reasoning is terribly wrong, the fact is that the FCC has been filing this Judge’s decision in other Courts around the country with some success. Continue reading “Working the System”
Call for Direct Action
There’s a lot of good ideas expressed here by Lorenzo Komboa Ervin, founder of Black Liberation Radio (Tennessee). The list of options is expanding, including the possible addition of acts of “Electronic Civil Disobedience.”
A CALL FOR A DIRECT ACTION CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE FCC AND THE NAB
There is no more current pressing matter than to deter the FCC and its master, the National Association of Broadcasters, along by various political agencies egged on by them, from harassing existing free radio stations in North America. These raids have included the especially punitive raid on Black Liberation Radio in Decatur, Illinois where the children of the station operators have been seized and the operators charged with bogus criminal charges to make them stop broadcasting. It also includes the recent raids of L. D. Brewer’s “Party Pirate 102 FM” and the criminal indictment and conviction of Lonnie Kobres in Florida. In all, over 162 stations have been harassed and shut down (even if only temporarily) over the last 18 months according to the FCC. Continue reading “Call for Direct Action”
Those Opposed
Philip Tymon’s been a busy man (again). He’s part of the National Lawyer’s Guild Committee on Democratic Communications, and he’s going through all of the comments filed so far during the FCC’s ongoing LPFM rulemaking machinations. While this list in no way is meant to be a complete overview of who’s saying what, it is a good snapshot in how the two sides are arguing their case.
Last week, we heard from our friends. Now the foes sound off – judge for yourself whether the arguments are worthy.
I have summarized about 100 of the comments received by the FCC in the microradio proceeding. I believe there are about 150-160 total. While I went through them fairly randomly, I think I got more of the in favor than opposing. Therefore, when I post the complete summaries, there will probably be a lot more in opposition. I am posting a partial list for those who might want to start looking it over now. I have decided to group them by state. Continue reading “Those Opposed”
Those in Favor
Philip Tymon’s been a busy man. He’s part of the National Lawyer’s Guild Committee on Democratic Communications, and he’s going through all of the comments filed so far during the FCC’s ongoing LPFM rulemaking machinations. While this list in no way is meant to be a complete overview of who’s saying what, it is a good snapshot in how the two sides are arguing their case. Next week, we’ll hear from the opposition.
I have summarized about 100 of the comments received by the FCC in the microradio proceeding. I believe there are about 150-160 total. While I went through them fairly randomly, I think I got more of the in favor than opposing. Therefore, when I post the complete summaries, there will probably be a lot more in opposition. I am posting a partial list for those who might want to start looking it over now. I have decided to group them by state.
(* preceding a name indicates one of about a dozen identical one-page comments submitted, apparently, by a Pentecostal organization.) Continue reading “Those in Favor”
Body Blows
It hasn’t been a good few weeks for microradio.
During the first days of June, the head of the FCC’s Compliance and Information Bureau, Richard Lee, made numerous postings to various free radio discussion areas on the Internet claiming that his department had a done a state-by-state audit of all free radio stations in operation. According to Mr. Lee, the number of stations operating nationwide is less than 200. Lee also said that the stations identified will be dealt with. His messages were met with curious silence.
In mid-month, apparently out of the blue, the California federal judge that granted Free Radio Berkeley a temporary injunction keeping the FCC at bay reversed her decision. Judge Claudia Wilken said that Free Radio Berkeley’s argument – that the FCC’s issuance and allocation of station licenses restricted free speech rights – didn’t hold water because FRB never attempted to get its own license. The FRB folks have promised to appeal. Continue reading “Body Blows”