On January 24th the transmitter for FCC Free Radio, the San Francisco Bay Area’s newest micro powered, community radio station, started broadcasting at 107.3 FM. You can also listen to FCC Free Radio live online.
According to the FCC Free Radio website Title 47 Section 73.3542 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations currently allows them to legally broadcast with out a formal license from the FCC.
FCC Free Radio is run by veteran non-commercial and micro radio DJs including our good friend John Hell, who is Program Director of Talk Programming and will be on the air Monday nights with his show “Season in Hell”.
Here Are A Few Related Posts You Might Enjoy:
- John Hell Returns to Radio Tonight on Pirate Cat Radio
- San Francisco Liberation Radio
- A Season In Hell on Pirate Cat Radio
- Pirate Cat Radio Antenna Needs a Home
- Shouting Fire, Online Radio Inspired by Burning Man
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Why thanks Scott. This was early an unexpected. We’re looking for a studio at the moment, and all programming is just streaming music, but we are gathering a very experienced staff of radio vets.
I have 20 years of radio experience in SF, spending 9 at KFJC, 5 as program director of Radio Free Burning Man, 3 at San Francisco Liberation Radio and 1 at Pirate Cat. There were others, but these are the one’s that stand out.
Be on the lookout for fundraisers (we are a micro station, you know?).
We also have some needs, including auto-start turntables, five mic booms, cables, etc. If you want more info, please email me at mrjohnhell@yahoo.com
Also, I started a Facebook page, so find us there too.
BTW, Scott Beale has always been very supportive of Bay Area Micro Radio. I’ll be sure to have him document our rise.
Community radio is all about listening to and broadcasting for the community.
Oh dear. Well, I suppose I’ll need to accelerate my plans to update ye olde pig-ugly website.
Please explain to me how you think this qualifies as serving the public interest in times of emergency or war pursuant to 47 CFR 73.3542? Even if it did, something tells me you didn’t submit your “informal application” to the FCC or get it approved, did you? Good luck with that.
Just sayin.
J,
Who are you? It helps when you go online to criticize, that you actually be a transparent as possible.
“73.3542 – Application for emergency authorization.
(a) Authority may be granted, on a temporary basis, in extraordinary circumstances requiring emergency operation to serve the public interest. such situations include: emergencies involving danger to life and property; a national emergency proclaimed by the President or the Congress of the U.S.A and; the continuance of any war in which the United States is engaged, and where such action is necessary for the national defense or security or otherwise in furtherance of the war effort.”
We are at war. And being at war the community deserves to have as many voices as possible within communities underrepresented by commercial, mainstream media. And the FCC allows for this.
Once we have scheduled programming, then the show hosts are to have guests, that represent the community. We already have an anti-gang task force (wouldn’t hear that on KMEL), a nightly news program, and are already inviting politicians, artists, activists, musicians, writers, and more to come to the station, to represent their communities.
Perhaps you would like to come on as well. Who are you J, and how do you wish to make your community better?
We’re participating in our community; working on making it a better, more livable, and less hate-filled, scary place to be. Hmm, that’s something commercial, mainstream media doesn’t pay much attention to.
Just sayin’.
John,
I’m a former San Franciscan who reads the Squid a lot. As an attorney, I am familiar with the CFR, although I have no direct interest or involvement with the FCC or any governmental agency. And I too believe in transparency.
As for being at war, you are correct, but that isn’t the issue. I would argue that the only reasonable interpretation of Section 73.3542 is one where temporary authority to broadcast is given only in times of war AND “where such action is necessary for the national defense or security or otherwise in furtherance of the war effort.” I fail to see how your station supports this effort. Moreover, from your post, it appears you have not received any such approval from the FCC on the basis of that section. I am just pointing out that, again, in my opinion, you do not appear to qualify under 73.3542.
I am a big supporter of and believer in independent media, so I wanted to point out that you may have a hard time defending your operation on a claim of approval under that CFR section.
Good luck,
J
Though I admit your general rule,
that every station should be a tool,
Pirate Cat may serve to show it,
that ev’ry listener needn’t know it.
FCC Free Radio is going to use the same reasoning that’s worked well for the other local low-powered station, Pirate Cat. Matter of fact, right now they are using the same word-for-word justification on their website *cough*. The hope is that the FCC will accept our professional-sounding PSAs as readily as they do Pirate Cat’s index-card-based freestylin’. Seems only fair. Fingers crossed.