General Discussion

NashVegas

(28,957 posts)

86. 1996 Telecom Act Basically Gave Away the Public Airwaves In Return for Control

Sun Dec 11, 2011, 10:36 PM

Dec 2011

I don't mean FCC regulation control, I mean, control control.

Did you catch that national test last month, where the FCC took control of the nation's airwaves for 30-90 seconds or some such?

That was able to happen because of the agreement made for 1996. Prior to that, all radio stations had to have at least one person in the building at all times, in case of emergency.

Clear Channel and other radio corps wanted to be able to use syndicated programming without having to pay someone to babysit the board.

So we got EAS, a system where gov. agencies can automate an interrupt.

In 1995, alternative media begged the nation to care. No one did.

We get the government we deserve.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

108 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

We're still talking about him. [View all] milestogo Feb 2021 OP

This is an excellent action. Luminous Animal Dec 2011 #1

Thank you Luminous Animal. Tsiyu Dec 2011 #2

You're welcome! It would be great if the activism forum had a calendar with an alert function. Luminous Animal Dec 2011 #4

I agree Tsiyu Dec 2011 #9

I checked to see if you had also posted this in Activism and I'm glad that you did. Luminous Animal Dec 2011 #15

Yes, it provides a nice list of things to do Tsiyu Dec 2011 #17

Fortunately, Here in Fargo we have a good progressive AM station. Odin2005 Dec 2011 #3

I've heard KFGO The Genealogist Dec 2011 #6

Last winter was nasty and seemed to go on forever. Odin2005 Dec 2011 #11

It was a long one here, too, and many other places The Genealogist Dec 2011 #13

How lucky you are Tsiyu Dec 2011 #10

Folks around are far more Progessive than they thik they are. Odin2005 Dec 2011 #14

AM Radio The Genealogist Dec 2011 #5

I like your dream Tumbulu Dec 2011 #7

I still love WSM Tsiyu Dec 2011 #12

Now, with satellite radio for the big guys... hunter Dec 2011 #34

You'd think, huh Tsiyu Dec 2011 #35

Thanks for bringing this up Tumbulu Dec 2011 #8

Thank you for reading, Tumbulu Tsiyu Dec 2011 #16

Reading all this is like tuning a distant station, fading in and out, but urgently communicating NBachers Dec 2011 #18

You might like this link, too Tsiyu Dec 2011 #27

Yup, I was able to tune in Cousin Brucie and always enjoyed listening to WABC NBachers Dec 2011 #42

A snippet from the past: Chipper Chat Dec 2011 #19

I was doing that sort of thing all the time up until the mid 80s. Systematic Chaos Dec 2011 #20

Boy, that takes me back. Morning Dew Dec 2011 #22

When that moment struck Tsiyu Dec 2011 #29

I grew up on a small-town AM station that played the local top 100. No matter what. saras Dec 2011 #21

KEEP 1450 in Twin Falls, Idaho, was like that. Frank Cannon Dec 2011 #23

I know! Tsiyu Dec 2011 #30

Same Here ProfessorGAC Dec 2011 #100

well, if I had any idea how to rec this thread, I would. rurallib Dec 2011 #24

Well, it took me a minute to figure it out too Tsiyu Dec 2011 #25

thank you so much! rurallib Dec 2011 #48

I remember the hey dey of AM Radio, so well. KoKo Dec 2011 #26

Thank you KoKo Tsiyu Dec 2011 #31

I miss the real AM Radio RockaFowler Dec 2011 #28

I was Hendrie's Board Op/Producer on WSB for a while Tsiyu Dec 2011 #33

Is Hendrie a true believer or is he a Righty for the money? DeltaLitProf Dec 2011 #99

I am love AM beyond all reason. FredStembottom Dec 2011 #32

I agree about digital tuners Tsiyu Dec 2011 #36

Fun stuff! FredStembottom Dec 2011 #43

"Hey shut da door! Tsiyu Dec 2011 #92

When i was a little kid in the 90s I remember picking up a Winnipeg station. Odin2005 Dec 2011 #47

That's AM fun for you. FredStembottom Dec 2011 #102

The alternative station near me was purchased from Clear Channel NutmegYankee Dec 2011 #37

Some good news then Tsiyu Dec 2011 #38

I sure miss the old days. Now you hear Sean Insanity ever 10 Kcs. on the dial. BiggJawn Dec 2011 #39

Ahhhh, shortwave..... FredStembottom Dec 2011 #44

It has gotten pretty freaky. BiggJawn Dec 2011 #45

Yeah, you have to sift through garbage on shortwave as well Tsiyu Dec 2011 #51

Radio Moscow .... BOHICA12 Dec 2011 #55

Whenever I drive through Atlanta Tsiyu Dec 2011 #78

LOL! FredStembottom Dec 2011 #103

To Answer Your Question ProfessorGAC Dec 2011 #101

My first Rec on DU3. Great post. Stinky The Clown Dec 2011 #40

My first recommendation on DU3, too. :) n/t OneGrassRoot Dec 2011 #41

That rec means a lot Tsiyu Dec 2011 #49

Ahhh.... AM Radio. Interesting yet dying beast. mwooldri Dec 2011 #46

One of my Favorite Radio shows Tsiyu Dec 2011 #50

Thank you for this thread ! AM Radio DX'ing used to be my big hobby back in the '70's steve2470 Dec 2011 #52

I only wish I lived in those places Tsiyu Dec 2011 #62

Scream for progressive radio in your communities farmbo Dec 2011 #53

Someday maybe Tsiyu Dec 2011 #63

That's my dream..... FredStembottom Dec 2011 #104

it wont come by screaming- it's going to take actions like tsiyu is describing, and others, like certainot Dec 2011 #106

I remember going on vacation as a kid and seeing how far from L.A. we could still get KFI. trackfan Dec 2011 #54

A 50,000 Watter can reach incredibly far under the right conditions Tsiyu Dec 2011 #64

I contacted the FCC once cullen7282 Dec 2011 #56

The FCC no longer works for the people who pay for it Tsiyu Dec 2011 #65

Very interesting! n/t Mimosa Dec 2011 #57

Thanks! n/t Tsiyu Dec 2011 #66

Not to defend Clear Channel blaze Dec 2011 #58

The stations in TN that I can hear have none of these Tsiyu Dec 2011 #67

am 760 went prog before the 2006 elections and IMO was major in getting CO blue certainot Dec 2011 #105

Great post. stevedeshazer Dec 2011 #59

yeah, the winter is the best time to tune in Tsiyu Dec 2011 #68

I was thinking...that the "Plug could be pulled" on Twitter, Facebook and the Internet/Intertubes KoKo Dec 2011 #60

AM is almost like an "Organic Medium" Tsiyu Dec 2011 #69

This message was self-deleted by its author KoKo Dec 2011 #71

Oh yeah Tsiyu Dec 2011 #74

Fantastic post. wakemewhenitsover Dec 2011 #61

Thanks Tsiyu Dec 2011 #70

Many years ago xmas74 Dec 2011 #72

You would hate Coast to Coast now Tsiyu Dec 2011 #75

That's so disappointing. xmas74 Dec 2011 #77

They do re-broadcast some of Art's old shows Tsiyu Dec 2011 #79

I'll have to remember when I can't sleep. xmas74 Dec 2011 #80

Art was great. Noory really blows. Frank Cannon Dec 2011 #85

I wonder sometimes if Noory only plays dumb Tsiyu Dec 2011 #93

It was papa Bush and Bill Clinton who ended the duopoly restrictions that prohibited any one company WCGreen Dec 2011 #73

Can you believe that the FCC stated that the reason they Tsiyu Dec 2011 #76

Oh yea.... WCGreen Dec 2011 #83

Yes you are correct Tsiyu Dec 2011 #84

K&R drm604 Dec 2011 #81

Thank you drm604 Tsiyu Dec 2011 #82

1996 Telecom Act Basically Gave Away the Public Airwaves In Return for Control NashVegas Dec 2011 #86

People are starting to wise up Tsiyu Dec 2011 #89

more important than the monopoly, IMO, is the the coordinated unchallenged lying that loss of the certainot Dec 2011 #95

as a young kid.... unkachuck Dec 2011 #87

cool Tsiyu Dec 2011 #90

I love baseball games on AM radio! RB TexLa Dec 2011 #88

I think it's more enjoyable to listen to baseball on the radio Tsiyu Dec 2011 #91

i think sports on RW radio may be the biggest advantage RW radio has as far as ad revenue and certainot Dec 2011 #107

an organized challenge to RW radio will have a huge pos effect on next elections- good on all those certainot Dec 2011 #94

Great memories..... until Clear Channel sucked the life out of radio lib2DaBone Dec 2011 #96

AM like my Princess Phone burrowowl Dec 2011 #97

Its funny but... AsahinaKimi Dec 2011 #98

Lots of pro sports teams are broadcast on the most powerful AM radio stations ... JEFF9K Oct 2014 #108