A weak piece in the Palm Beach Post celebrates the fact that the only thing standing between local whoop-ass and unlicensed broadcasters is the pen of Governor Jeb Bush. Florida Association of Broadcasters president C. Patrick Roberts gloats over the nearly-complete rout:
“Now the sheriff’s office, working with state attorneys, can also move to protect the airwaves, protect the emergency messages that go out, and protect the airplanes flying across Florida.” Continue reading “Pirate Radio in Florida: Nothing Left But the Gnashing of Teeth”
Category: Media Policy
Criminalization of Pirate Radio in Florida Nearly Complete
Somewhat whimsical articles in various Florida outlets celebrate the state Senate’s 30-8 passage Thursday of a bill making unlicensed broadcasting a felonious crime. Amendments to lower the penalty to something more reasonable failed. This is likely to be law by the end of the week or weekend; the bill is already engrossed in the state House.
Interestingly enough, this legislation initially began as an effort to set up a state prosecutorial agency for organized crime, to which the anti-pirate radio police role was tacked on. The final version of the bill only criminalizes pirate radio – everything else disappeared. Continue reading “Criminalization of Pirate Radio in Florida Nearly Complete”
Florida State Senate Begins Debate on Anti-Pirate Bill
Interesting developments on the drive to criminalize pirate radio in Florida. Amendments have been filed to the legislation pending in the state Senate that would reduce the severity of the “crime” of unlicensed broadcasting from a third-degree felony to a first-degree misdemeanor. One version failed on second reading yesterday. Another (pending) amendment would punish first-time pirates with misdemeanors and treat repeat offenders as felons.
Still no news from those whose job it is to report it, save a little blurb in the Tampa Tribune. It should be noted that this bill is not solely about pirate radio stations: it actually creates something called the “Office of Statewide Prosecution,” whose primary job will be to go after organized crime in general. The mandate to hunt pirate radio stations is tacked on – as all good special-interest favors usually are.
Making Contact With Your Congresscritter
The Amherst Alliance is circulating 
this friendly reminder that with Representatives and Senators ostensibly home for a week-long break it might not be a bad idea to refresh their memories about pending efforts to expand community radio (both FM and AM).
Four years ago it was election-year shenanigans which allowed the National Association of Broadcasters and National Public Radio to curtail LPFM by legislative fiat. With media issues generally enjoying a higher profile on Capitol Hill there may be an opportunity here – but LPFM/LPAM is now competing with other media interests and issues (like indecency) which have more political flair at the moment.
Florida Moves to Criminalize Pirate Radio; Jammers Hit Clear Channel?
SB 2714 has been introduced in the Florida State Senate. This legislation would allow state authorities loose on the hunt for pirate stations; the act itself would be treated as a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. Presently it is a crime in Florida to intentionally interfere with radio signals – a misdemeanor.
SB 2714 cleared the Senate’s Committee on Communication and Public Utilities last month on a 7-1 vote and awaits similar endorsement by the Criminal Justice Committee. A companion bill in the state House has already been endorsed by its Committees on Business Regulation (28-8) and Appropriations (37-5). Continue reading “Florida Moves to Criminalize Pirate Radio; Jammers Hit Clear Channel?”
Regulatory Tidbits of Note
A long-delayed bookmarks-cleaning brought my attention to these interesting bits of (relatively) recent note:
1) A joint task force of the FCC and National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) devoted to “spectrum reform” will close its public comment period March 18 on a somewhat nebulous charge to:
(a) foster economic growth;
(b) ensure our national and homeland security;
(c) maintain U.S. global leadership in communications technology development and services; and
(d) satisfy other vital U.S. needs in areas such as public safety, scientific research, Federal transportation infrastructure, and law enforcement. Continue reading “Regulatory Tidbits of Note”
The WNFC Manifesto
“WNFC” (draft) PROPOSAL
by Tom Ness, Michigan Music is World Class Campaign
For a Measured Act of Civil Disobedience,
Regarding our Nation’s Public Airwaves
& the City of Ferndale, Michigan.
I. Background: History of the Michigan Music Campaign and the national movement to legalize community radio.
II. Why Ferndale needs our own radio station.
III. The FCC’s role.
IV. The problem.
a. Existing legal options.
b. Our efforts to reform the system.
V. Civil disobedience.
VI. Our plan to demonstrate the potential of Ferndale radio via a temporary unlicensed station.
a. The basics.
b. Support and participation.
c. How it will unfold.
d. When it’s over.
VII. The risks.
VIII. The future: What a permanent Ferndale radio station might be like
and who might run it. Continue reading “The WNFC Manifesto”
Packed House in San Antonio
A couple of clarifications from an observer on the scene at the microradio protest outside Clear Channel’s corporate headquarters: the transmitter used by “KRRR” was ~10 watts and could be heard for at least a couple of miles. More power to ya!
Also, the station reappeared during the FCC’s Localism Task force meeting yesterday and operated completely unmolested, despite mainstream media reports to the contrary. Houston IMC now has photos of the pirate crew (and their clever subvertising) outside CCHQ.
As for the hearing itself, “to call [it] a zoo would probably be too kind,” reports one LPFM broadcaster who stood in line for more than three hours just to get 60 seconds at the mic.
Scene Reports: Washington, Texas, Vermont
Two reports from Free Radio Olympia confirm a male/female team of agents from the FCC’s Seattle office were first caught snooping on the property around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. Confronted by someone, the agents finally identified themselves and were repeatedly denied entry to inspect the station.
After more than 20 minutes of getting nowhere the agents retreated to their “mini-van/suv type” vehicle, where reportedly “the female fcc agent called into the studio with a cell phone.” Don’t know if the call was broadcast, or if anything was taped, but the FCC went away after that. Continue reading “Scene Reports: Washington, Texas, Vermont”
Florida Broadcasters Prepare Next Offensive on Pirates
Last August an NPR affiliate got the Broward County Sheriff’s office to raid two unlicensed FM stations, using building code violations to gain entry.
C. Patrick Roberts, president of the Florida Association of Broadcasters, was overjoyed with the success of the local raid, which did the job the FCC failed to do.
The push is now on to formalize this tactic as law: the FAB (ha!) is now working with sympathetic state lawmakers to criminalize pirate radio in the state of Florida. ”I believe it’s better to use a Mack truck than a flyswatter,” said Roberts. Continue reading “Florida Broadcasters Prepare Next Offensive on Pirates”