Wednesday, January 31, 2001
Community Radio WEFT is holding a special meeting and teach-in on the ongoing travails at Pacifica this Thursday, Feb. 1, at 7:00 PM at the Illinois Disciples Foundation, at the Northwest corner of Springfield and Wright in Champaign (IL). The meeting is sponsored by the WEFT Associates, which is the democratic body of the station's volunteers, and the meeting's focus is the effect Pacifica's troubles have on the station and how the station might handle it. I will be speaking on the history of Pacifica, trying to give some insight into how the organization ended up in such turmoil. If I'm feeling ambitious, perhaps I'll try to encapsulate some of these thoughts here.
posted 1/31/2001 04:43:06 PM [link
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My e-mail has been all a-flutter today with details of the news that Juan Gonzalez, co-host of Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now, has resigned in protest of the crackdown by Pacifica management on free speech at the network's program and forced management changes at Pacifica's NYC station WBAI, where Democracy Now originates. Gonzalez tendered his resignation live on-air, apparently without any prior notice to the program's staff or to his co-host Amy Goodman. Explaining why he chose to resign in this manner, Gonzalez said, "And I know you can't say anything, Amy, because of the gag rule at this station as there are at many Pacifica stations right now and that's why I felt it important to resign as I make this statement."
The program airs live at many stations, although it has been reported that the feed of the program on Pacifica's Washington D.C. station WPFW was silenced as soon as Gonzalez made his announcement. Local community station WEFT airs the program on tape--the station's 4:00PM airing of the program contained the full resignation.
Media watchdogs Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) released a media advisory on the situation accompanied by the text of Gonzalez's resignation letter. Audio of the resignation is available in mp3 from radio4all and this transcipt of the resignation has been circulating.
posted 1/31/2001 04:34:56 PM [link
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A story that is representative of the massive consolidation and homogenization that is ongoing in the radio industry: the NY Times reports on the sale of commercial classical music station WNIB in Chicago to Bonneville Communications for $167million. Largely run as a labor of love, the station is likely to be changed to pop music or some other established radio format by the Mormon Church affiliated broadcast conglomerate. This is just one example of a story that is repeated across the country as classical music and other supposedly unprofitable formats are squeezed out of both the commerical and non-commercial FM bands.
What's interesting about many of these situations is that it is not as if the owners of these stations are losing money. Simply, they're just being offered obscene amounts of money to sell out to corporations who have little or no interest in carrying on or retaining their stations' loyal audiences.
posted 1/31/2001 02:09:14 PM [link
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Tuesday, January 30, 2001
To get an industry-centric view on the Time Warner/AOL merger, check out the Industry Standard's in-depth reporting they call "AOL TW's New World Order". I'll comment on it after I get a chance to digest it.
posted 1/30/2001 11:03:47 AM [link
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Monday, January 29, 2001
Salon has an absolutely hysterical interview with the strangely astutely observant Lloyd Kauffman, founder and president of Troma Films, the last of the real independent low-budget movie studios. I include this link because no matter what you think of Troma's films (and I think they're usually pretty funny and occasionally brilliant) I think you have to respect the sheer stubborn independence expressed by Kaufman and Troma. His struggle to get his films shown, distributed and into video stores are all too indicative of the coercive power of what Kaufman calls the "devil-worshiping international conglomerates" that control the film industry, especially given that much of mainstream Hollywood's output is far more base and truly exploitive (especially exploitive of children--how else can you view Pokemon, The Movie, which exorts children to "catch [buy] 'em all!")than anything Troma produces.
posted 1/29/2001 03:43:43 PM [link
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The January issue of Toward Freedom magazine features highlights and excerpts from the Building Independent Media conference, apparently held last year in Burlington, VT. Unfortunately, somehow I never even heard about this conference or knew it existed. It's too bad, 'cause it's exactly the sort of thing I'd like to go to.
posted 1/29/2001 02:00:06 PM [link
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Friday, January 26, 2001
I didn't want this mention to get lost in the mini-essay below -- The Media Alliance's Media-File that features Andrea Buffa's article also features a special section that asks the question: "What does media democracy look like?" This is a critical question for our time, both because of the problems in national civic democracy, but also because I believe, as Michael Albert of Z Magazine has advocated, that the structure and governance of our media institutions need to reflect and embrace our own democratic goals if the goal of democracy is to be furthered.
posted 1/26/2001 04:47:09 AM [link
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Contemplating the Progressive and Alternative Media:
Andrea Buffa, of the Media Alliance, has written a nice article attempting to formulate a way to assess the progressive media, entitled "National Progressive Media: Who's Left?" She explores the important point that the traditional media assessment tool of audience size is not necessarily useful or consistent for evaluating the impact of progressive media outlets, while looking forward at ideas and efforts, like the exploding Independent Media Center movement, that show promise for growing the reach and influence of progressive media.
Buffa quotes Don Hazen, a former editor at Mother Jones magazine and now director of the Independent Media Institute, who expresses the concern "that people who read The Nation and listen to Pacifica Radio stations like KPFA believe that the action of consuming progressive media in and of itself constitutes political activism." After being involved in community radio for seven years this same thing has worried me. In the myriad battles that happen in volunteer stations over the programming that gets aired, inevitably some argument arises over the merits of music vs. news/public affairs programming. Listeners and volunteers alike are able to passionately advocate for either (or both), but often I've found myself wondering what purpose the alternative news and information serves in many folks' lives. In many cases they cling almost desperately to this conduit, but at the same time I find it difficult to see how they put that information to use. As Hazen observes, it seems as if listening to the news becomes the end in itself--that simply knowing is a comfort.
Certainly, I do not wish to denigrate the power and importance of having information and news -- these are issues central to my own efforts. But it's also critical to remember that news and information are damn near useless if they don't somehow inform action. You are nonetheless a consumer when you consume alternative or progressive media. That state and relationship doesn't change until you do something about it.
posted 1/26/2001 04:37:44 AM [link
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Wednesday, January 24, 2001
Yet more on new FCC head Michael Powell:
Wired News has an article examining Powell's desire to limit the FCC's power. The article quotes Andrew Schwartzman, president of Media Access Project, who raises concerns with Powell's approach to mergers, in addition to his opposition to low-power FM. Schwartzman says that Powell "has a very crimped view of the FCC's public interest authority." However, the article also notes that some in the industry believe that Powell may alter his stance on LPFM, since his greatest supporter is Sen. McCain, who last year emerged as the most prominent republican--if not only republican--to support LPFM.
posted 1/24/2001 12:08:22 PM [link
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Tuesday, January 23, 2001
It's official, Michael Powell, son of Gen. Colin, is the new head of the FCC. (Click here for News.com article, Click here for NY Times article.) Powell is very much a free marketeer, and has generally opposed low-power FM. Yet, I'm hard pressed to see how opposing having more radio stations and creating more opportunity to broadcast is consistent with so-called free market principles. Siding with and helping the entrenched broadcast industry to stem competition sounds like protectionism to me.
Community Radio WORT in Madison, WI has posted a radio story analyzing the fate of community and grassroots broadcasting at the hands of the new Bush regime at the main Indymedia site.
posted 1/23/2001 10:48:16 AM [link
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The Lip Magazine Collective has an article up by my friend Ron Sakolsky, a scholar of music, revolution and radio, called "The LPFM Fiasco: Micropower Radio & the FCC's Low Power Trojan Horse."
Ron is also a member of the Springfield, IL Media Activist Coalition (MAC), which is working with others in Springfield to start their own Independent Media Center. Some folks from the Urbana-Champaign IMC are taking a field trip to Springfield on Wed. the 24th to speak with the MAC on our experiences in getting the U-C IMC off the ground. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Springfield Public Library in Downtown Springfield, starting at 7 PM. Click here to read an article on the Springfield IMC by Sheila Nopper that appeared in the Illinois Times.
posted 1/23/2001 09:45:48 AM [link
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Monday, January 22, 2001
Thanks to Slashdot, I found this informal essay on "What's Wrong With Content Protection" by John Gilmore of the Electronic Freedom Foundation. Beyond the clear problems, like the fact that content protection disallows legal copying of media that you own, Gilmore points out that content protections, like SDMI have a chilling effect on the creation and marketing of digital recording devices that consumers can use to create media themselves. Digital Audio Tape (DAT) is one example, where its introduction in the states during the 1980s was held up for years in litigation due to worries by the music industry that it would be used to make perfect copies of CDs. Specs for content protection in forthcoming digital recording technologies would, in fact, even disable recording of content that wasn't properly encrypted and accompanied by appropriate premission. In effect, this sort of content protection places significant restrictions on the ability of amateurs and independents to record and distribute their own media content outside the dominant entertainment and information industry.
What's most disturbing is that these content protection schemes prevent recording and copying that is absolutely legal. For example they are designed to prevent the recording of digitial television programs on a digital VCR without explicit permission, even if its just for timeshifting. Yet the right to record broadcast content freely for personal use has been securely protected by law since the so-called "Betamax" Supreme Court decision of the early 1980s.
It goes to show that we need to be vigilant and not take for granted that the technologies we use today to help us be free and independent will continue to be available to do so.
posted 1/22/2001 04:36:38 PM [link
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Sunday, January 21, 2001
The Urbana Independent Media Center Open House last night went amazingly well. Random spot check head counts indicated that at several points in the evening we had around 70-80 people on the premises, and since lots of people just filtered through (though many stayed for quite some time), the total attendance was surely close to double that. The core IMC crew did a fabulous job of getting the place decorated and prepared (I can't take any credit for that stuff). We had a nice list of speakers (I got to intro and kick things off), along with music by IMC-member Paul Kottheimerm and we posted some of our news stories around the buildnig and had listening and viewing stations for some of our media. I really hope this bodes well for the future of the UC-IMC as both a site of active citizen media production and as a welcoming community space.
posted 1/21/2001 01:04:29 AM [link
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Saturday, January 20, 2001
On Sunday's show (1/21), I'll have highlights from the Washington D.C. IMC's live streaming radio coverage of the inauguration and anti-inauguration protests on Saturday.
posted 1/20/2001 07:59:12 PM [link
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Friday, January 19, 2001
CNET News has an article on outgoing FCC chair William Kennard's "record of controversial compromise." It explores the way Kennard tried to walk the line between industry-friendly deregulation and the public interest. LPFM is an example of this type of compromise, where Kennard tried to recreate a service that would give community broadcasting a tiny inroad into the broadcast landscape while also attempting to stem the tide of unlicensed broadcating. But in the process he really pissed off the broadcast industry and public radio, who see LPFM as nothing but a threat to their bottom line, no matter how small a threat it is. The article notes that he failed to satisfy both the industry and public interest groups, neither of which felt he went far enough in their favor. Unfortunately this is indicative of the "winner takes all" nature of our contemporary political and economic systems, that is ultimately harmful to all citizens. I do think Kennard sincerely attempted some productive compromises during his tenure, but the system and the players are simply intolerant of meeting anything half-way. I do not mean to say that I support most of Kennard's efforts or decisions--since they mostly degraded the agency of citizens in their own media environment--but I do respect any effort to try and bring together disparate vested interests.
While revolution may be the rallying cry for many who desire real media reform, bringing sides together for compromise I think can ultimately be more constructive. But without willingness--and by far the broadcast industry is most unwilling--this can't even begin.
posted 1/19/2001 04:53:35 PM [link
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An article from the most recent Nation Magazine entitled "The Crackdown on Dissent" has been posted on the DC Indymedia site. While it primarily focuses on police surveillance and actions against protestors engaged in direct action, this chilling climate is also very significant to anyone doing or intending to do independent journalism. In the eyes of police agencies independent journalists, especially those affiliated with IMCs are not viewed as "legitimate" journalists and treated with the same prejudice and violence reserved for people they view as "only" activists. Without getting into a debate about whether or not independent journalists are actually activists (I'll let you decide that for yourself--I don't presume to tell anyone what they are or aren't), when police attack journalists in addition to citizens protesting station action and repression, then the last refuge for free information dissemination necessary for democratic redress of state repression breaks down.
Pardon me while I get off on a rant....
Indpendent journalists are one of the last conduits for unencumbered news and information about what really happens in the streets, on campuses and behind closed doors. The frequent lack of flash or polish simply reveals the rough and ugly nature of what really goes on outside the purview of the corporate media. When the corporate media self-censors to protect significant financial interests and indenendent journalists are attacked, maimed and arrested for expressing their First Amendment rights on issues and events the government and moneyed interests would prefer left uncovered, then the true totalitarian and fascistic aspects of our political-economic system become both more solidified and clearer.
The collusion between state police power and the interests of corporate capital have nothing to do with the free market and everything to do with controlling citizens by whatever means available. The mainstream media has become less of a market and more of a star chamber, where entry is closely controlled. When I cannot videotape and publish illegal police actions without fearing for my life, then there is no free market in media or speech. Any claim by corporate interests that there is such a free market is a bald faced lie.
posted 1/19/2001 04:23:24 PM [link
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Reminder: Tune in to the Internet for the REAL coronation... er, inaguration coverage!
I know I mentioned it before, but it's already getting pushed down the page: Microradio.net is hosting streaming audio and video coverage of the planned protests against the inaguration of George W. Bush on Saturday.
I'll actually be out videotaping local protests here in Urbana for the local Indymedia Center but will try to capture as much of the stream as I can while I'm out. Let's hope that it doesn't get bloody.
posted 1/19/2001 02:50:19 AM [link
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Tuesday, January 16, 2001
More Pacifica
First, Michael Albert, of Z Magazine, has written a thoughtful and insightful analysis toward "Resolving the Pacifica Crisis." What's refreshing is Albert's even-handed, yet unflinching approach to the conspiracy of factors that have influenced the situation that mires Pacifica. To whit:
"Given the bitter hostility within Pacifica's camps... those who seek a rejuvenated, redefined, and exemplary Pacifica, need to continue to educate and agitate, of course, but there needs to be a new wrinkle. Their positive aims have got to be made evident....
Instead of a 'Save Pacifica' battle being waged against each specific violation of progressive values by Pacifica's management, the battle for a renewed Pacifica needs to be waged under a rubric such as 'Make Our Movement Reflect Our Aspirations - Pacifica First,' and it needs to have clear principles and demands that would permit rank-and-file progressives all over the country to understand what's at stake and to say: 'Hold on, those principles make sense. Of course our organizations should reflect our aspirations rather than mimicking the structure of Time Magazine, NBC, the State Department, or General Motors. We should support the Pacifica struggle, and you know what, we should patiently and calmly and constructively address the inadequacies of other institutions, too.'
Albert takes the long view on this struggle and sees it as an institutional problem, among many, that derives from Pacifica foresaking progressive democratic governance from within. Which leads me to this question: how can any organization that refuses to embrace and use democracy within be able to promote, protect and enrich democracy in the world outside?
Second, there is a much more scathing discussion of the "ideological" reversals at Pacifica--the corporatization of the Pacifica National Board--at the Village Voice.
posted 1/16/2001 11:53:15 PM [link
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Monday, January 15, 2001
Talking About 'Zines
Had a few beers this evening with local 'zine publisher Jason Pankoke who does Micro-Film, the journal of personal cinema, who is helping me find resources for obtaining independent publications and 'zines to sell and stock in the Urbana-Champaign Indpendent Media Center library. Since 'zines are some of the most grassroots and independent media forms there is, I thought I'd pass on some info. Jason loaned me a copy of 'Zine Guide, published out of Evanston, IL (zineguide@interaccess.com), whose issue #3 has an excellent article on "Preserving Zines in the Library: Countering Marginalization & Extinction." He also lent me a copy of A Reader's Guide to the Underground Press, which is exactly what its name suggests. Their issue #13 has a series of articles on journalism and free speech.
Also present for a few brews were Bryan and Dann Tincher, who are self-publishing an art 'zine called The Ides of March. In their own words, they hope that "the Ides will become a forum for new and exciting artists to showcase their talent while still retaining the property rights to their work." It's a laudable idea, I think.
If you have an indpendent publication or other media outlet I'd love to hear about it and give it a mention here at mediageek.org. I might also want to put you on the radio. Send your e-mail to paul@mediageek.org
posted 1/15/2001 10:50:38 PM [link
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MicroRadio.net announces streaming audio and video coverage of the planned protests against the inaguration of George W. Bush on January 20. They're looking for community and unlicensed/micropower/pirate radio stations to pick up and rebroadcast the feed--tune your 'net to them on Saturday or contact your local station if this is something you want to hear.
posted 1/15/2001 06:07:21 PM [link
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Mediachannel.org has assembled an array of in depth reports on the public protests in the Czech Republic over recent attempts by the gov't to secure greater politcal control over Czech public television. They ask the question: "Is it just an ongoing political battle or is it a media reform movement taking shape?"
posted 1/15/2001 05:57:42 PM [link
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Sunday, January 14, 2001
The New York Times has an interesting article on the rejuvenation of short films--long thought dead in mainstream Hollywood--due to Internet and digital video technology.It's fairly even-handed, noting that a few creators of some popular shorts posted to the Internet have gotten opportunities in Hollywood, but that this becomes more difficult as the number of films on-line grows exponentially. The article also gives recognition to the fact that a job in mainstream filmmaking is not and should not necessarily be the goal of making independent shorts, and having such an orientation results in a lot of copy-cat films hopping on the successful trend of the moment.
posted 1/14/2001 11:29:45 PM [link
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Saturday, January 13, 2001
As it has been widely reported, FCC chair William Kennard has resigned, in expectation for a change of direction at the FCC being brought on by president-elect Bush. Kenndard announced that he plans to join the Aspen Institute, where he will become Senior Fellow of the Communications and Society Program.
As it's turned out, Kenndard was one of the more progressive FCC chairs in quite some time--although that's not saying too much since he followed a series of Reagan and Bush (Sr.) appointees who were far more interested in deregulation than in trying to equalize the overwhelming pro-industry, anti-citizen bias of the FCC. While many unlicensed broadcasters were busted on his watch, he will nonetheless be remembered for attempting to make low-power FM a reality again, along with other efforts, like improving phone service on Indian reservations.
With free market-happy Michael Powell on the horizon as FCC chair, for those of use interested in having a truly free media, the night only looks to be getting darker. At least the enemy shows itself more clearly and thereby becomes a better target.
posted 1/13/2001 03:23:11 AM [link
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Thursday, January 11, 2001
The Houston Press tells the story of Rice University's radio station KTRU, which narrowly escaped an administration plan to seize total control of the station away from the students who have been running it for the last 25 years. The article skillfully places this event in the larger context of the corporatizing of universities, whereby programs and activities that do not appear to directly service the school's bottom line--most notably, those that don't earn corporate dollars/donations--are being cut back in favor of big money research and programs that simply train students for corporate life.
Unfortunately the tale of KTRU is all too familiar, save for its more positive outcome. Until the 90s it seemed most university administrations ignored their stations, which didn't cost much to run, as long as they didn't get into trouble. But especially since the Telecom Act of 1996, which spurred broadcast industry consolidation and spike in the value of established radio stations in large markets like Houston, Universities are increasingly looking to these stations as cash cows, either as an outright sale on the open market (see these articles in the public broadcasting journal Current for examples of stations in Iowa and Detroit that schools are trying to sell) or as PR machines and public radio outlets, which can be money makers if they produce programming that is successful in syndication. WXPN at the University of Pennsylvania is an example of the latter phenomenon (for more on 'XPN, check out this article which relates it to KPFA).
To learn more about the political economy of student broadcasting as it relates to public broadcasting, a very good book is Ralph Engelman's Public Radio and Television in America: a Political History. (And, no, I don't get any kickbacks for the recommendation -- this is academic press, for pete's sake).
posted 1/11/2001 04:50:29 PM [link
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Wednesday, January 10, 2001
In case you missed it, the Urbana-Champaign (IL) Independent Media Center website is now on-line and ready for your interaction. As you'll read on the site, the U-C IMC has leased a storefront in Downtown Urbana to house its operations and to be a sort of high-tech media community center. If you live anywhere in the Central Illinois area, we invite you to come to the UC-IMC Open House, celebrating our new space and website, on Friday, Jan. 19 at 8:00pm. The Center is located at 218 W. Main St. in Urbana. The UC-IMC will have open hours very soon after the open house, so even if you can't make it to the event, please still come by, check things out and say hello.
posted 1/10/2001 11:45:27 PM [link
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Radio Free Conscience will be relocating soon to a new domain. I want to consolidate RFC's grassroots media emphasis with information and articles on grassroots media, (diy) electronics, culture jamming and other related stuff. The new domain is mediageek.org, because I am a certifiable media geek, and will be the new host as of Mon. Jan. 15. Please update your bookmarks, although this address will forward there for the foreseeable future. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy and find the new site useful!
posted 1/10/2001 11:37:51 PM [link
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Tuesday, January 09, 2001
The music industry from a musician's standpoint: Rock and Rap Confidential has put up a page asking the question Why Do We Need the Music Industry?"
My answer: we don't, except for the fact that not everyone can download music from the Internet and the big box CD stores won't carry anything that doesn't come from the major music industry. Now, if we can find a way for musicians to bring their music directly to all people--not just middle class folks with computers and broadband connections--then the music industry becomes much less necessary and effective. Indy labels (like Dischord or Urbana's own Hand Made Records) and distribution (like Parasol, which also just happens to be in Urbana) are two solutions, but really don't yet have the reach of a Best Buy or Sam Greedy. But there is one answer: you, the Internet user, can easily buy your music from independents and, when you're not on the 'net, you can expose yourself to the other 9/10 of the music missed by commercial radio and eMpTV by listening to your local college or community radio station.
posted 1/9/2001 04:10:50 PM [link
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Looking to jumpstart the snail-like pace of Digitial / Hi-Definition TV, USA Today reports that the FCC is likely to begin requiring TV manufacturers to put digital receivers in their sets. The electronics industry complains that this will add $1000 to the cost of a TV, while Sinclair broadcasting counters that once production ramps up the cost is more like $20.
This looks like one of the last acts for current FCC chair Kennard, who will resign after the FCC approves the AOL/TimeWarner deal. Given that Michael Powell, the likely new FCC chair, has espoused laissez faire as his approach to regulation, I wonder if this requirement would have a chance were Powell chair, or if it is likely to be killed once Powell becomes chair. Further, one rationale for stepping up the pace on DTV is to free up the spectrum currently hogged by having both digital and analog TV signals--something the industry would love to hold on to as long as they can.
posted 1/9/2001 02:15:34 PM [link
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Monday, January 08, 2001
This is some astonishing news: According to an article posted to the Rocky Mountain IMC site, Free Speech TV, a progressive public-access and satellite based TV network will not be carried on the cable system's access channel in its home town of Boulder, CO, even though they can provide a free satellite receiver to the cable company just for this purpose. FSTV provided 35 hours of alternative convention coverage this past Summer in conjunction with the Pacifica Radio newsprogram Democracy Now, and the article also notes that FSTV is in talks to broadcast a TV version of that award-winning program.
posted 1/8/2001 07:27:23 PM [link
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Partytown Radio has established a Corporate Media Portal, with links to sites, information and article about the corporate media, with particular attention paid to issues regarding Low-Power FM. The whole Partytown site has grown quite a bit in the last few months, from just having a live streaming radio station. They've even included a stream of nothing but LPFM news and information on their radio page.
Partytown also posted a nice summary of the LPFM situation on the main Indymedia site, quite cogently encapsulating the events of the past year and where LPFM currently stands.
posted 1/8/2001 07:14:01 PM [link
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More on the new likely head of the FCC, Michael Powell: A Wired News story says that Powell "told an audience at the Consumer Electronics Show that the FCC should take a back seat to industry and Congress in monitoring the market.
Or does he mean that the FCC should take it in the back seat from industry? Hasn't the commission already been doing that for years (especially over LPFM in 2000?)
posted 1/8/2001 01:23:16 PM [link
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More mainstream press coverage of the WBAI fracas. This time it's a column in New York Newsday titled "Why WBAI Should Be 'Left' Alone by Pacifica."
posted 1/8/2001 01:11:55 PM [link
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Sunday, January 07, 2001
Today's show -- a year-end wrap up with guest John Anderson of the Pirate/Free Radio Page at About.com -- is now available for listening on-line. It requires Real Player to listen.
Click here to listen to this week's show.
posted 1/7/2001 07:20:40 PM [link
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The New York Times reports on Saturday's protest against Pacifica outside the studios of NYC station WBAI. "A few hundred" protestors showed up to speak out against what has been called the "Christmas Coup" at WBAI, where Pacifica management fired the station's manager, program director, and other staff, with no formal statement of reason. For more on the "coup" see the Dec. 24th post.
posted 1/7/2001 07:17:00 PM [link
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Friday, January 05, 2001
Reuters reports that the FCC wants to reallocate some gov't only spectrum space for new wireless devices.How come the FCC can get mobilized behind getting us wireless video on a wristwatch, but teeth have to be pulled to free up or create just a little more space for plain ol' radio broadcasting? Oh, right, there aren't millions to be made with low-power FM, and opening up new broadcast space would only devalue the active market in commercial broadcast licenses. But the industry is more than happy to devalue those licenses if they can sell you a whole panoply of new receivers to receive these new signals.I've got to try not to forget who the FCC actually works for.
posted 1/5/2001 02:27:41 PM [link
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Tuesday, January 02, 2001
There is a new unlicensed low-power radio station in Springfield, IL according to the State Journal-Register. The station, calling itself WY2K, is operating at 100 mw on 1690 AM, so that, theoretically, it is within the part 15 range not requiring a license.
However, it will be interesting to see if the FCC chooses to agree that the station does not need to be licensed. The operator appears to view this less as an act of civil disobedience, so I'll be curious to see how long it stays in operation.If anyone from Springfield has heard this station, I'd like to hear from you.
posted 1/2/2001 12:57:58 PM [link
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Wired News reports that Michael Powell, Gen. Colin Powell's son, is the likely new head of the FCC. Powell has said he favors a "hands-off" approach to regulation, and disfavors the FCC getting involved in corporate mergers like AOL/Time-Warner.
Powell's approach will likely be a turnaround from that of current chair William Kennard, who, while an industry veteran, has been somewhat vocal about curtailing the effects of industry consolidation on diversity on the airwaves. Most prominently Kennard championed the establishment of the low-power FM service that was recently assaulted by Congress. In his statement on the creation of the LPFM service, Powell concurred with the notion of creating more broadcast opportunities and with "the extent improvements have been made to address some of the unresolved technical issues." Interestingly he dissented over concerns over the effect of lpfm on "small broadcast stations." But, four years after the Telecomm Act of 1996, I have to ask where these "small stations" are. Most independently owned small stations have now been bought up by larger groups, generally having their staffs combined with other local stations owned by the same group. It would appear, then, that any remaining independent small stations are most threatened by these groups of commonly owned stations, which due to lower overhead can underprice their advertising rates, not low-power FM. Incidentally, low-power stations would be unable to compete directly with small commercial stations, anyway, since they are strictly non-commercial.
posted 1/2/2001 11:11:22 AM [link
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On Sunday's Show (1/7/00): John Anderson of the pirate/free radio page at About.com will be my guest for a wrap-up on the year in free radio, low power FM, and the movement for greater media democracy. You can tune in live on the 'net at 10:00 am CST at the WEFT website, or check back next week to hear a RealAudio archive of the program.
posted 1/2/2001 10:33:06 AM [link
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