Sirius XM "extremely disturbed" by FCC wireless non-interference proposals
Sirius XM satellite radio CEO Mel Karmazin warned the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday that the FCC’s proposed non-interference rules with a nearby wireless band won’t do. “We are extremely disturbed by the proposal,” Karmazin confided in a letter sent to the agency’s Chair, Julius Genachowski. “The proposed rules seem to bear little resemblance to […]
70th Annual IBS College Radio Conference Hits NYC
It seems that most folks have short-term memory when it comes to college radio, as there’s much nostalgia for the supposed college radio “heyday” in the 1980s. Many would be surprised (and even shocked) to know that student radio has a tradition going back for more than 70 years. In fact, some of the earliest […]
New Pew Internet and American Life Study's Take on Radio News Consumers
A study released this week from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals some interesting tidbits about how people in the United States are increasingly turning to the Internet as a major source for news. However, the report, “Understanding the Participatory News Consumer” (PDF) also highlights the fact that people continue to seek information […]
FCC may use "tribal priority" radio model to bring wireless to Indian country
Last month the Federal Communications Commission announced new rules that will give Native Americans “tribal priority” when it comes to applying for radio licenses. Now the agency may extend that principle to wireless licenses as well. Here’s what FCC Chair Julius Genachowski told the National Congress of Native Americans today: “The Commission recently adopted rules […]
Radio Survivor’s Top 5 Commercial Radio Stations: #1 WOXY
WOXY still exists, but it’s no longer a commercial broadcast station. Since 2004 WOXY has been an internet-only station streaming cutting edge indie rock with real live DJs. But the WOXY I’ve nominated for our top 5 commercial station countdown is the WOXY that once broadcast at 97.7 FM from the Ohio college town of […]
Will the FCC's National Broadband Plan resolve Sirius XM's little war with big wireless?
As Federal Communications Commission watchers everywhere know, a huge part of the agency’s strategy to build out the nation’s broadband infrastructure will be to get more spectrum licenses to the wireless industry. In fact, FCC Chair Julius Genachowski says the Commission’s National Broadband Plan will propose freeing up 500 MHz over the next decade. And […]
Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Warnings: Shortwave Radio Providing Emergency Info & Communications
In times of emergency shortwave radio, operated by both amateurs a/k/a hams and government agencies can provide an information lifeline when wired and cellular communications are disrupted. Right now shortwave is being used in the aftermath of the Chile earthquake this morning and in anticipation of tsunami waves in the Pacific. According to Communications Quarterly […]
Radio Survivor’s Top 5 Commercial Radio Stations: #2 Chicago's WXRT
I’ve only lived in Chicago for two years, but I’ve been listening to WXRT in brief spurts for the last sixteen years when visiting the city. Living in the Central Illinois college towns of Champaign-Urbana, I’d often heard about WXRT from friends and acquaintances from the Chicago area. Inevitably it was the one station that […]
Resources for Radio Scholars
Radio gets a bum rap in pretty much every arena that you could imagine: from pop culture, to literature, to news coverage. Academia is no exception, so radio scholars have had to organize and remind their colleagues that radio is worth studying. With that in mind, I wanted to share with you a few resources […]
Radio Survivor's Top 5 Commercial Radio Stations: #3 San Francisco's KQAK-FM
I am a college and community radio loyalist and these days I never listen to commercial radio unless someone else has put it on and I have no way to control the radio (during cab rides, in doctor’s office waiting rooms, and perhaps via cheesy hold button music, etc.). Since coming up with a list […]