Liberating the airwaves--events & strategies

Liberating the airwaves--events & strategies
Stephen Dunifer, Radio Free Berkeley
March 1998

The 5 year old micropower station Radio Free Berkeley has challenged the FCC's rules which make it virtually impossible for people's radio stations to get a licence to broadcast. Here's news from them on the micropower radio front:

At some point Judge Claudia Wilken will be making a final ruling in our case, most likely in our favor, and setting a date for trial. When that occurs the FCC is expected to file an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals depriving us of the opportunity of a trial at that time. Our plan is to announce that since the FCC is denying us our day in court and attempting to hide behind legal maneuvers we will hold our own peoples' tribunal of the FCC and corporate broadcast media. Most likely it will be a two-day event with expert testimony, witnesses, evidence, etc.

Legal strategies and support are essential to this movement. At this time we do not have the resources and funding for the creation of a national legal defense center, which we severely need. With more FCC actions against micropower broadcasters likely, we need to really pull the legal resources together.

Coinciding with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Convention in Las Vegas, the forces of micropower broadcasting will gather there to confront megapower corporate broadcasters. Workshops, planning sessions, direct actions at the NAB convention, etc. will highlight April 6, 7 & 8. The gathering spot will be the Unitarian Church at 3616 E. Lake Mead Blvd. Free Radio Berkeley's attorney, Luke Hiken, will be on a National Association of Broadcasters convention panel opposite the general counsel for the FCC on Tuesday morning. At a noon lunch Tuesday the NAB is scheduled to induct Rush Limbaugh into their hall of fame (!).

For more information, contact Free Radio Berkeley,
frbspd@crl.com (510) 464-3041 www.freeradio.org

Free Radio Gainesville Schedule
Sundays:
5-8pm: "Night & Day" with Hyper X. Pop, folk, acoustic, hardcore, local bands and da-da w/ "Making Contact", a half-hour progressive news show at 6pm (see below)
8-9pm: Radical News Hour w/ Ernesto and Riff-Raff the Radio Rat 9-10pm: DIY/Hardcore Hour w/ Monica
10pm-midnight: "Midnight Expressions w/ DJ Blaq and the Kid"

Wednesdays:
6-7pm: Radical News Hour w/ Ernesto and Riff-Raff the Radio Rat
7-8pm: "Sing It Sista!" - women's music of all different kinds.
8-9pm: The Necessary T - queer issues and music
9-10:15pm: "Urgent Divergence" - experimental and international music
10:15-11pm: "Pillars to the Culture of Our Third Revolution" - political hip-hop hour with Rich Parker.

Making Contact on Free Radio Gainesville (Sundays at 6pm):

March 22nd - The Public Interest and Nuclear Priorities

March 29th - Nuclear Fronts: Atomic Business & the U.S. Government.