The Federal Communications Commission has opened up a new conversation on net neutrality in light of an Appeals Court’s mid-January strikedown of some of the agency’s Open Internet rules. “We establish a new docket within which to consider how the Commission should proceed in light of the court’s guidance in the Verizon v. FCC opinion,” […]
There’s been quite a bit about unlicensed radio in the news lately. So it’s time for a pirate radio round-up: NY Times reports on Syrian opposition stations; Protest grow in Ireland over jailed peace and radio activist; FCC’s 2013 enforcement tallied up; When pirate radio ruled an English seaside town. NY Times Reports on Syrian […]
I talked with attorney Michael Couzens about the case of Pirate Cat Radio and his client, Daniel Roberts. This week the FCC released an order rejecting Roberts’ petition for reconsideration of a $10,000 fine the Commission levied against him for unlicensed broadcasting. Couzens brought to my attention a footnote (32) in the Commission’s order (PDF) […]
Today the FCC released an order upholding a $10,000 fine against Dan Roberts, former manager of Pirate Cat Radio, for unlicensed broadcasting. The fine was originally issued in 2011. Pirate Cat Radio began as an audacious and prominent unlicensed station operating out of a San Francisco cafe, headed up by charismatic leader Dan Roberts who […]
In this week’s podcasting news: PRX launches podcast network focused on sustaining the medium Podcasts continue to dominate Stitcher Awards Podcasting veteran Rob Greenlee joins PodcastOne Patent troll demands “Save Podcasting” campaign donor info. PRX Launches Podcast Network I’ve been writing quite a bit about how podcasting and independent radio can become sustainable. This week […]
It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed what’s news in pirate radio. Here’s what’s up, including: 22 year-old N. London pirate stays true to drum & bass; Welsh nationalists were pirate radio pioneers in 1959; protest broadcasts in Minnesota, and more. Quietus writer John Doran pays a visit to long-running North London pirate station Rude […]
At last, felines and canines are getting into broadcasting. The Federal Communications Commission has approved Low Power FM licenses to two animal advocacy groups: Flash Cats Animal Advocacy of Iuka, Mississippi and Cause 4 Paws of Bedford, Indiana. From Flash Cats’ application statement: “Individuals are advised of the importance of neutering their pets to minimize […]
Last week the FCC began granting new LPFM applications and so far, it has granted several applications for new LPFM college, high school, and middle school radio stations. I profiled two of the college stations, Washington College and York Technical College, in College Radio Survivor on Friday and in this post I will run through […]
This week there were some interesting developments on the LPFM front. Most notably, the FCC began to grant LPFM applications yesterday and by day’s end there were 107 non-profit groups that were one step closer to getting on the air with a new licensed radio station. These singleton applicants faced no competition for their frequencies, […]
Reading today’s New York Times story about National Security Agency USB hack gadgets that radio computer data back home, I immediately thought to myself: are these authorized by the Federal Communications Commission as Part 15 unlicensed broadcast/radiation devices? Or even, gulp, licensed? The Times reports that the NSA gadgets get plugged into foreign host computers […]
