The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the “Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act,” but does it actually have a chance at putting a dent in unlicensed broadcasting? We review the provisions of the the bill – called the PIRATE Act for short – and wonder if an uptick in the war on pirates […]
The long-running independent community radio news program Free Speech Radio News announced this week that its last edition will be broadcast on April 28. In a press release, the collective cites a decline in distribution and inability to find a “firm financial footing,” as causes for the closure. Born from the labor of freelance reporters […]
Like many of you in the U.S. and around the world, I’m still trying to make sense of the presidential election and its outcome. And, by “make sense,” I mean determine what actions I should and can take to help ensure the safety and security of people who have been targeted by the rhetoric of […]
It’s been too long since we’ve checked in with Free Speech Radio News. First things first: since returning to regular production a year ago, FSRN now creates daily news segments that are posted online and aired by community radio affiliate stations, and added a half-hour weekly edition last May. This is a good thing for […]
A little more than four months after ending production, the independent and non-profit daily Free Speech Radio News program is launching the first phase of its reboot with a new website and fresh updates on February 11. Administrative Coordinator Nell Abram said that the new site will feature daily updates, including audio segments ranging from […]
Community radio stations will continue to have an option for a daily half-hour news broadcast while they wait for a possible return of Free Speech Radio News. The Pacifica Network and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters have reached an agreement with Feature Story News to offer its 6 week-old daily news program FSN Reports […]
Many listeners and supporters were surprised to learn last week that a brand-new half-hour daily news program was ready to take the place of Free Speech Radio News on the Monday just after its final program aired. It was just the Saturday after FSRN’s last airing that Pacifica made the announcement that Feature Story News […]
With the closure of Free Speech Radio News this past Friday, Pacifica stations and some 100 community radio affiliates are left with a half-hour hole in their schedules. This weekend Pacifica announced that beginning today the network will be carrying a half-hour broadcast of Feature Story News where FSRN used to be. For some community […]
Since publishing my post on Free Speech Radio News’ closure I’ve heard some questions about why the organization is so dependent on Pacifica. It’s a good question, and the answer helps illuminate why folks across community radio care about Pacifica. To get a better handle on FSRN’s situation I had a follow-up phone call with […]
The independent, daily half-hour international news program Free Speech Radio News will air its last edition this Friday, September 27. According to a memo from the FSRN board of directors the organization is carrying just over $200,000 in accounts receivable, $198k of which is owed by the Pacifica Foundation. As of September 13 FSRN had […]
