Longest-Standing Pirate Radio Station Free Radio Santa Cruz Shut Down by F

[CHIMO]

Yesterday morning at 9:20 in Santa Cruz, California, two dozen armed federal agents with automatic weapons and riot gear raided pirate radio station Radio Free Santa Cruz. The station had just finished airing its regular broadcast of Democracy Now! when the agents arrived on the scene. Moments after the initial raid, 5 agents from the Federal Communications Commission arrived on the scene.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/30/1411235

http://www.freakradio.org/

[HEyHEY]

1. Where did the letter "F" get that authority?

We give him sesame street and he wants the world!

[SemperEadem]

96. wow.. I was just up in Santa Cruz about a month ago

Aptos, to be exact.

I simply love that place!!!! And they have great music... better than down in LA, that's for sure...

and it seems that the feds have a hard-on for fucking with the citizens of that town...

there are so many wonderful people who live in Santa Cruz--they actually restored my belief in the goodness of human beings... 14 years of living in Smell-A all but crushed that notion in me.

[saigon68]

2. Sounds like Budapest 1956

Jack Booted Thugs

I wonder if they "roughed up" the staff

[Bo]

131. How right you are Saigon

Guns drawn for pirate radio a necessity?

[stevedeshazer]

3. It will be a great day

When the FCC raids Fox News in riot gear. :eyes:

[saigon68]

4. THIS IS THE WORK OF BABY BOWEL

Colon Bowel's son, the one who is allowing the NeoCons and their various corporations to consolidate their monopoly on the free spread of news and information in Amerika

[WillyT]

5. Achtung Baby, Heil Amerika !!!

On Wednesday September 29th at 9:20 AM armed federal marshalls and FCC agents served a warrant at the studio of Free Radio Santa Cruz. They have confiscated equipment and shut down the broadcast.

We HAVE to win this election!!!

:mad::nuke::grr:

[Tsiyu]

102. And they needed guns for a Speech/Broadcast Issue?

But they don't have enough agents to patrol our sea ports or keep our airports safe?

Good going, Guys! Another photo to put in the history books, next to all the other pictures illustrating why we had to defeat * and his evil cabal.

And this week, Federal marshalls in Chattanooga shot a guy named Michael Kyle, a tragedy begun ostensibly over some cans of car paint?

Yeah. America the beautiful.....

[lostnfound]

6. The station had wholehearted support of Santa Cruz mayor & council.

So how about some state's rights? Why do the Feds need to regulate pirate radio? If they need a license, it ought to be simple checkboxes -- are you interfering with other stations, for example.

Radio licensing is messed up and anti-free-speech.

[Pale_Rider]

7. From the local Santa Cruz Senile ....

Pirate radio station unplugged

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2004/September/30/local/stories/01local.htm

SANTA CRUZ — Federal agents armed with weapons and a court order seized the broadcasting equipment of Free Radio Santa Cruz on Wednesday morning, silencing the pirate radio station.

With station members, supporters and city officials looking on, about a dozen U.S. marshals and Federal Communications Commission agents raided Free Radio’s home in a two-story Victorian building on Laurel Street, felled the station’s antenna tower and carted off several boxes of transmitters and other equipment.

Tires on five of the agents’ vehicles were slashed. No arrests were made.

"It’s a sad day for free speech," said Free Radio’s Robert "Skidmark Bob" Duran. "But we’ll get it back. We’ll get more donations."

Free Radio, which counts on contributions to air its broadcasts featuring music, poetry and political views, proudly proclaims on its Web site that its commercial-free broadcasts are "in defiance of federal regulations."

They'll be back ...

[Cha]

39. The "tires of the agents were slashed"?

That was immediate gratification for someone!

I read the caption of the thread and my blood went cold..

[Pale_Rider]

70. Pictures of slashed tires ...

http://santacruz.indymedia.org/newswire/display/11666/index.php

[napi21]

8. I assume this wa because they didn't have a license?

I'm not oking what the feds did, but why didn't they just get a license?

Maybe I'm just uninformed, but isn't this like me knowing how to drive, and driving within all the laws, but just not getting a license to do so? Then getting made at the cop for giving me a ticket.

[pinniped]

52. If they got a license then they won't be pirates.

Just a guess????

I also don't think this a coincidence that they were shut down close to the (s)election. Someone in the * camp planned this out.

[sendero]

99. It is virtually impossible....

... to get such a license. Here is a condensed explanation.

Most people who wish to broadcast want to use the standard FM band (88-108 MHz) or occassionally the AM band (550-1600 KHz).

Licenses for using these bands are based on "channels", which on the FM band are 200 KHz apart, so there are approximately 100 channels available. To get a license on a channel, you have to avoid interfering with anyone else on that channel. I forget the exact distance, and it probably varies by station transmit power which also varies, but you are looking at about 50-60 miles apart.

Commercial interests really love these channels because they make big bucks using them. They "theoretically" operate in the "public interest" because we all own the airwaves, but the reality is that in the last 20 years or so - the concept of "operating in the public interest" has been so watered down as to be meaningless.

The FCC generally grants a certain number of licenses to "public radio" and college stations. The rest go to private business concerns. Virtually everywhere in the US, all possible channels utilized at full capacity. If you want a license, you have to buy it from someone who owns one.

The whole system sucks and like damn near everything else in our great country has been co-opted by greedy commercial interests.

(Of course, I have been an Amateur Radio operator for more years than I'd care to admit, that's why I know this stuff :))

[ladjf]

9. Same thing to a station in Knoxville a couple of days ago,

30 minutes after a program that was critical of the administration.

[WillyT]

10. Can You Find A Link For That ???

Please?

:hi:

[CHIMO]

11. http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/30/1411235

AMY GOODMAN: we also want to just point out that this follows what happened in Knoxville, Tennessee, with the F.C.C. moving in on, raiding KFAR. Ironically enough, KFAR stands for First Amendment Radio. So, this is the second raid in just about one or two weeks.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/30/1411235

Fifth paragraph from the bottom of the transcript.

[WillyT]

14. Thank You !!!

:yourock:

[Zorra]

12. It has begun. The finishing touches of fascism in America are being

put into place.

The fascist Michael Powell headed FCC raids an anti-Bu$h radio station one month before the election.

Just another remarkable "fascist coincidence".

[ladjf]

13. Also, HAM radio operators are under siege. That could well

be part of the administration's plans to disallow any forms of communication that they don't control. The INTERNET will be next.

[ThreeCatNight]

17. Do you have any info on this?

I have a border-line RW friend that is a big ham operator. This may bring him out of the dark side into the light.

[ladjf]

111. It's been in the news off and on for a few months.

There was an article in the USA Today from Wednesday. It looks like that are trying to sqeeze the HAMS of of action.

[LTR]

113. Ham radio is safe

They operate on their own frequencies.

You do need to have a ham operator's license, though. I believe they are easy to obtain.

[Briarius]

130. Uhh Powell's puttin the squeeze on us hams too

they're tring to push Broadband over Power Lines thru, which will pretty much kill the usability of many of the Hams bands. Also, there's been many rules changes and it seems like there's no one in the FCC that is interested in Ham Radio

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. Was it just a coincidence that they didn't have a license to broadcast?

It's kind of like driving down the interstate the wrong way with a a giant anti-Bush sign on your truck and then complaining when you are arrested for reckless driving.

[WillyT]

16. Picture... Meet Big !!!

:wtf:

[Zorra]

18. IMO, this is not a valid analogy.

This radio station was in operation for 10 years without a license. One month before the election, they are raided by a republican controlled FCC.

2 minutes of driving down the interstate the wrong way will get you arrested, with or without a Bu$h/Cheney sign.

It seems obvious that they were raided as part of the ongoing effort by republican fascists to take every possible step to insure that Bu$h is re-selected in November.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. So they should be exempt from the laws until after the election?

They should be happy that they have gotten away with it for this long.

[Zorra]

22. Yuh. OK. I'm sure they are thrilled.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. A pirate radio station operating out of Santa Cruz has been silenced.

Yesterday, about a dozen U-S Marshals and agents with the Federal Communications Commission raided the station that called itself "Free Radio Santa Cruz."

Even the mayor of Santa Cruz was on the scene, reminding the crowd that the City Council had passed a resolution supporting the station.

While it was operating, Free Radio Santa Cruz broadcast music, poetry and political views.

http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=2369589

Our media is almost fully controlled by wealthy fascists who make FCC rules, and the FCC is controlled by fascists that they have installed in order to enforce the rules that they make.

Michael Powell and the FCC: Giving Away the Marketplace of Ideas
Published on Monday, June 2, 2003 by the Washington Post
by Tom Shales

Unless something dramatic and unexpected occurs to stop it, this is what will happen today in Washington: The Republican chairman of the Republican-dominated Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and his Republican majority will revise long-standing rules on media ownership in ways that will hugely benefit, among others, rich Republicans.

Revising and relaxing the rules that prohibit a single entity from controlling too large a percentage of American media will allow corporations that are already too big to become much, much bigger. Also much more powerful and much more oblivious to the common good.

The proposed changes are such a threat to First Amendment freedoms that even some Republicans on Capitol Hill have been brave enough to oppose them. And yet, a fat lot of good it does. FCC Chairman Michael Powell wants to plow ahead with his deregulation scheme no matter what. It appears he is trying to do more damage than any other chairman in FCC history.

Never mind that a diversity of voices -- voices with the ability to be heard -- is integral to the health and maintenance of a democracy. While Powell and his supporters claim that the existence of dozens, even hundreds, of channels on cable and satellite systems proves there's diversity unbound, Powell's critics note that the diversity is a mere illusion if only five fat companies own all those channels.

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0602-03.htm

I'm sure that the Jews in Nazi Germany were also thrilled that they got away with being Jewish for so long until the Nazis finally rounded them up.

Just because something is a law does not make it right.

[Freddie Stubbs]

27. Why hasn't Pacifica Radio been shut down?

http://www.pacifica.org/

:shrug:

[not systems]

31. Fortunately you don't always get your way.

[Freddie Stubbs]

38. I happy that they are playing by the rules and broadcasting legally

Aren't you? :shrug:

[not systems]

42. Yes. The law should have been reformed and almost was...

except for the intervention of the right wing media industry,
and the complicity of DLC Democrats with the right wing agenda.

[Freddie Stubbs]

56. Our party's nominee is a 'DLC Democrat'

Does he have a right wing agenda?

[not systems]

60. Center right.

He gets my vote because Bush is far right.

So what of it?

[el_gato]

32. Don't worry they will soon enough

First they came for the ....

Well you know the rest but apparently you haven't learned anything from history.

They weren't hurting anybody but they were telling the truth and that is why they got shut down.

Don't you understand that the game is rigged?

[The_Casual_Observer]

36. Pacifica stations are some of the oldest FM stations in the US

They have had licenses just as long. The point seems to be if these people were operation this for 10 years without a license and nobody bothered them, then it almost falls under a benign neglect kind of thing, where it's too late to change it since it has been going on so long with a sort of implied consent. The fact that they choose to broadcast what right wingers might consider subversive makes the deal seem more controversial.

[el_gato]

51. 10 years of broadcasting, so why can't they just be given a license?

Instead of having a bunch of nazi's with guns a blazin' stealing their equipment.

[Freddie Stubbs]

63. Perhaps because they have a history of violating the law

:shrug:

[el_gato]

64. Or perhaps they are not sucking up to Michael Powell

Bingo!

If the airwaves belong to the public then what the fuck are armed federal agents doing smashing a small community radio station?

[Freddie Stubbs]

68. The highways belong to the public too

But they will arrest you if you try to drive on them without a driver's license.

[el_gato]

71. Almost anybody can get a drivers license

But the FCC makes it very very difficult to get a License to use OUR OWN airwaves even when you are not stepping on the frequency of another channel. Maybe you ought to ask yourself why?

[el_gato]

24. I guess your happy independent voices are being stamped out

the FCC licensing regime is bogus and you know it.

The FCC is purely political in its operation and the
barriers to obtaining a license are intentionally high
and complicated.

[Freddie Stubbs]

26. Air America Radio manages to play by the rules

Why can't everyone else?

[el_gato]

28. Your obsession with rules that are designed to prevent independent voices

amazes me. Do you know how much money it took to get AA of the ground. This is a small independent community based radio station that was part of the community and you are making excuses for jackbooted fascist destorying this voice in the wilderness.

Sucking up to a rigged system is why the left always loses.

[Freddie Stubbs]

35. These rules are necessary

to keep the airwaves usable. The broadcast spectrum is finite. If any chucklehead with a transmitter could broadcast all of the signals would drown each other out.

[not systems]

40. Usable to sell crap and broadacast right wing propaganda.

What about usable for discusions of local issues and
the democratic discourse on ideas and culture.

You value law over the reasonable use of a public resource.

This is especialy aggregious because the law was bought and
payed for by the very forces that seek to silence open discusion,
fascist corporations like clear channel.

[Freddie Stubbs]

43. So there is no discussion of local issues on the radio today?

:shrug:

[not systems]

45. Certainly less than yesterday. Right?

[Freddie Stubbs]

53. Seems to be the same amount to me

[el_gato]

55. That's because you obviously don't care about independent voices

I guess you like the current wasteland that is on the air now.

[not systems]

59. So you can't stand independant voices not beholden to...

state and corporate power.

Good for you.

Keep guzz steppin' hut 1,2,3

[Freddie Stubbs]

73. I have no problem with Pacifia Radio

Are they beholden to state and corporate power?

[not systems]

76. Yes.

They need to get funding from CPB so are constrained by it's rules.

It is a big issue for Pacifica finance and something many hope to end.

[Freddie Stubbs]

90. Then why does Pacifica have the same programming (Democracy Now)

as the pirate station. They don't sound very constrained to me.

[el_gato]

93. There is no Pacifica in Santa Cruz

so don't try to pass that off as duplicated content

[Freddie Stubbs]

118. I am proving that CPB does not preclude criticism of Bush

Democracy Now! is a pretty left leaning program. The pirate radio station in Santa Cruz carried it, and so does Pacifica radio. Yet not only does Pacifica not get shut down, they recieve funding from the CPB.

[CHIMO]

122. Left - Right

Guess that this article must just be downright commie.

Daughter of Soldier Contaminated with Depleted Uranium in Iraq Born with Deformities

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/30/1411222

[Freddie Stubbs]

128. So you agree the CPB funding does not precule criticism of BushCo?

:shrug:

[el_gato]

77. Your obsession with rules that are rigged for corprate control

is amazing.

[Freddie Stubbs]

81. Air America Radio, Pacifica Radio, and every college station have managed

to operate under these 'rigged rules.' But some think that they are abve the law.

[el_gato]

87. Well I guess you are happy now that one more voice is gone

You should be proud that some jackbooted assholes smashed a locally run radio station.

NOw we are safe to wallow in the corprate wasteland undistracted by independent voices.

All HAIL THE MIGHTY FCC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Now poor little clear channel can go on spreading Mike Savage without someone daring to challenge the nazi message.

BTW Pacifica in Houston was bombed 3 times when they originally went on the air and the feds refused to do anything about it until a massive campaign forced them into it.

[el_gato]

91. Abolish the FCC and localize administration of the Airwaves

Federal thugs have no business in Santa Cruz dismantling a community based station.

There must be room for small voices in this country.

[Freddie Stubbs]

124. Radio signals cross municipal, county, and state lines

[Freddie Stubbs]

123. So, when did the FCC close down Pacifica in Houston?

:shrug:

[el_gato]

46. Not unless it is corporate asswhipes doing it

And we know how much they love our communities.

Sheesh

[Freddie Stubbs]

50. There are no talk radio programs that take phone calls in your area?

:shrug:

[el_gato]

69. Who is the victim here freddie?

Lets see, they weren't bothering any other radio station.
But they were out there telling the truth about the bush administration.

[Freddie Stubbs]

78. How about the stations that have been paying for their licenses all these

years while these freeloaders haven't.

[el_gato]

82. Exactly how? Oh poor poor Clear Channel

Tell me exactly how this little radio station hurt these victims of yours.

Cry me a river for Clear Channel.

The airwaves belong to the community but you gotta ask right wing nut job Michael Powel for a license.

The city of Santa Cruz could do a better job of this than the FCC.

[Freddie Stubbs]

83. How about college radio stations

which are funded by student tuition and fees? Is it fair that they have had to pay and abide by the rules when other have not?

[el_gato]

88. Fair????

Is it FAIR that Michael Powell and your beloved FCC is systematically paving the way for Clear Channel to take over as many stations as they want to in any given market?

Is it fair that the obstacles put in the way to obtain a license are designed so as to need a team of lawyers that this little station would never be able to afford?

Do you not see how the system is designed?

And by the way, these college radio stations are legacy from a time when
it was much easier to get on the air. If they were trying to do this today it would be virtually impossible.

[Freddie Stubbs]

121. How many college radio stations or public stations have Clear Channel

taken over in the past few years?

[not systems]

84. The "freeloaders" are supported by local citizens donations...

and the station paying are supported by ads for weight loss
scams and chain stores.

The citizens voice is not heard above the screaming of Savage and Rush
and the constant praise of the Leader.

This station had the support of the city and should be able to
get a public interest waver of any fees based on the rights of
the people to use their own property.

[Freddie Stubbs]

85. I guess you have never heard of college radio or public radio

:shrug:

[not systems]

86. Got me there. What are they?

They should also have the fees waved under public access rules.

[Freddie Stubbs]

120. Sounds like a reasonable idea

Perhaps they can also be funded by fines levyed on those who have broadcasted without licenses over the past ten years.

[el_gato]

44. You obviously don't understand how this works

You see the rules are designed to prevent independent voices.
This radio station was not stepping on anybody and in the world
of radio there is a tremendous amount of repect given to fellow
stations in terms of trying to prevent stepping on frequencies.

So this raid was not about frequency invasion in any way shape or form.

This action was about destroying a voice of the community.

Wake UP!

[Zorra]

61. The broadcast spectrum is finite, and RW fascists control 99.9%

of this spectrum.

And as of today, they just got another little slice of the pie.

[Freddie Stubbs]

65. Do you have a source to back up that figure?

:shrug:

[el_gato]

67. Turn on your radio Freddie!

[Freddie Stubbs]

72. My radio is on right now

I am listening to a college station. They had to pay for their license. So should everyone else.

[el_gato]

74. That's not the question you asked

The statement was made that the airwaves are dominated by corporate forces and I said all you have to do is turn on your radio.

Scan the dial, how many corporate stations are there for that one little college radio station? That's right.

The rules are rigged in favor of those who seek to control the public's perceptions of what is going on with our world and they are using that control to destroy this country. If that is fine with you then we are done talking.

The people who write the rules are the very same people who don't want people publicly questioning the powers that be.

[Freddie Stubbs]

89. Most of the stations are 'controlling public perceptions'

They play music.

[el_gato]

94. Brittany Spears, oh yeah baby, gimme some of that corporate Trash

[Freddie Stubbs]

119. If people didn't like it

They wouldn't buy her CDs and they would listen to a differnt station.

[el_gato]

66. The FCC needs to be abolished

[Freddie Stubbs]

75. Then who will stop the conservatives from jamming the signals

of Air America Radio or Pacifica radio?

[not systems]

79. A law against jamming.

:shrug:

And a civil court case.

[Freddie Stubbs]

125. How do we determine who has the right to broadcast at a certain frequency?

Hence the need for licensing.

[el_gato]

80. Take a look at what the FCC is really doing freddie

They are in the process of dismantling barriers that have been put into place to prevent the monopolization of the airwaves. Originally these airwaves were used to serve community interests but they are being slowly but systematically taken over by a growing corporate behemoth.

This little radio station was not hurting anybody but they were telling the truth and that is why they got shut down.

[Freddie Stubbs]

126. What in the world does this have to do with operating w/o a licence?

:shrug:

[0007]

112. One can always depend on Freddie Stubbs for his knee jerk reactions, 'eh

Freddie?

[Freddie Stubbs]

127. Only when I am right

;)

[el_gato]

23. Fuck the FCC, they are trying to prevent independent voices

And no it is nothing like what you compare it to Freddie. How many people would die due to listening to this radio station?
Your anaology is bogus.

[Freddie Stubbs]

92. Yet they haven't shut down one licensed station playing Air America

or Pacifica Radio. Funny how that works.

[el_gato]

100. Massive efforts costing millions, this was a small easy target

Can you understand the difference?

Doh!

[ladjf]

114. A station in Knoxville was closed yesterday. They had a license

The FCC claimed they were using more power than they were authorized to use. The closing came 30 minutes after a broadcast critical to the administration.

[Freddie Stubbs]

116. Can you back that up?

You're not talking about that unlicensed station in Knoxville that was shut down, are you?

FCC raids pirate radio station in Knoxville

September 15, 2004

KNOXVILLE (AP) -- Agents from the Federal Communications Commission raided a pirate radio station Wednesday in Knoxville.

The three FCC officials were accompanied by three U.S. marshals when they closed down the station called Knoxville First Amendment Radio and confiscated all its equipment.

Officials said the station did not have a broadcasting license or any official management. It operated in a secluded area of Knox Country out of a trailer that once served as a crack house.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=2306235

[Freddie Stubbs]

129. Can anyone back that claim up?

:shrug:

[w4rma]

117. A)The mayor supported them. B) IF the FCC would sell them a license they'd

buy one.

Now, you tell me why the FCC won't sell bandwidth to folks like this, Freddie Stubbs.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

19. As Steve Earle so concisely said...

F the CC!

[Character Assassin]

21. Not the sharpest pencils on the desk, I see.

So, they're pirate. They fear this tewwible, monstwous empire of evil that Bush and his cronies have created.

And they don't have enough brains amongst them to put the station onboard a boat and take it out into coastal waters to make it that much harder to bust.

Ok.

[el_gato]

25. Uh, whatever CA

not OK.

[Character Assassin]

30. One more slice of the airwares in my immediate area freed up

for the rebirth of KNAC.

[el_gato]

34. Amazing what some people will do to lick fascist boots

Hey, now you can go back to attacking Al Sharpton.

I'm sure Mr. Powell will be happy to make sure your voice is heard.

:eyes:

[Character Assassin]

37. Amazing how those with no arguments resort to non-sequitors

I see no boots being licked here, and I see no fascists, but I do see that, once again in a long litany, you have no idea what you're braying about.

Don't go changin', hmmmmm?

[el_gato]

47. whatever

Maybe you should go join Michael Powell. He'll let you dress up in black leather.

[not systems]

49. If the boot must be licked the boot must be licked.

Don't whine that it has been pointed out.

[el_gato]

54. yep

[Character Assassin]

98. Yeah. I remember my first beer.

Hope freshman year turn out well for you.

[not systems]

101. funny.

I'm old and calling it like it is is not childish at all.

People with authoritarian personalties often identify with
authority no matter how it is misused.

[el_gato]

104. Your name suits you, I am glad you picked it

[Character Assassin]

106. I'm sure glad that you're glad.

When you can actually bring up points not associated with whatever faction holds the reigns of the equivalent of the "People's Daily", let me know.

Suckers walk, realists don't.

Neither do those who don't equate the Feds (and, yes, I know them quite well) with the SS.

[not systems]

107. Wow you know the feds!!

You are very very cool man.

Strong realistic and very very tuff.

Maybe you could take a second off from polishing
your boots to consider that people who have donated
and built a community resource have had it stolen
by macho men enforcing the rules of right wing
bureaucrats bought and payed for by anti-democratic
corporate interests.

Now back to the boots and holster big guy.

[Name removed]

108. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[not systems]

109. Right a "sympathetic ear" ...

you took great joy that they were shutdown in your earlier post.

As for the people who busted the station I know that for
the most part they are just paying the bills however at
some point people need to examine what they are doing by
getting 15 people together with riot gear and stealing
from people to enforce a law bought from grafted polititans.

Why do you think they deserve more sympathy than the people
wronged by them doing their job?

At some point in the chain of causation is a politicly
motivated attack on free speach.

I think it was wrong.

You think it was right.

So be it.

[Name removed]

110. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[not systems]

115. glad to hear it. n/t

[not systems]

29. Why should the public have to go off shore to use our airwaves?

Just because you aren't the tallest jack boot in the free corps
doesn't make it OK.

[Character Assassin]

33. No one said they had to. It would have been smarter to.

It's a 'pirate' radio station, remember? Rules are a little different.

[CornField]

41. Someone tell me how they are considered to be "public" airwaves?

Seriously. If they were truly "public" airwaves, wouldn't they be within the "public" domain and accessiblle to all?

[el_gato]

48. They belong to the public

Nevermind the fact that corporate pigs have taken them over. Technically the airwaves belong to the American people.

[LeftHander]

57. What if that was a Christian Pritate Radio Station...

I'll bet it would still be on the air...

[el_gato]

58. That's right

[KamaAina]

95. Ultra-right Rev. Carl McIntire had one

in fact, he had his on a ship, off Cape May, N.J.

The authorities shut it down after two weeks.

Then again, this was 1973, when things like Watergate weren't tolerated, either...

[Pale_Rider]

62. Santa Cruz's Indymedia has more info ...

http://santacruz.indymedia.org/



Here's something chilling ...

Agents videoed community members who lined the street and crowded onto the sidewalk in front of the house in support of the station. Residents were not allowed to bring cameras into their home, nor were they allowed entrance without first having their bags searched.

[KamaAina]

97. Remember when they were going to license low-power FM stations?

so as to give groups just such as this a chance to broadcast community radio legally and fully licensed.

Weeeeeellllllll......

The selfsame FCC responsible for the Santa Cruz fiasco dragged its feet as long as it could, egged on by commercial licen$ee$ ostensibly concerned about adjacent-channel interference. Then it restricted the pool of potential licensees to established community groups (churches good, progressives like RFSC bad).

So what do you expect these guys to do?

[not systems]

103. This was a tragic failure ...

had the reforms went through many more people would
have a voice today.

Instead consolidation continues.

[KamaAina]

105. Another thing: Fundies want unused frequencies for "translators"

Translator stations are supposed to be low-power repeater stations that bring a station's signal into areas that ordianrily would be within its coverage area but have poor reception due to mountainous terrain, etc.

Supposed to be. A fundie outfit based in Twin Falls, Ida. has set up "translators" for its station "The Effect" (Christian rock, ewwwwwwwwww) as far away as Honolulu! This is all perfectly okey-dokey with the Friendly Candy Company, apparently.

If they'd gone ahead and licensed the community-based low-power stations like they were supposed to, the fundies wouldn't have had any place on the dial to put these "translators" of theirs. :nopity: