From: Paul Griffin [ampb@global.california.com] Sent: Saturday, March 13, 1999 9:42 PM To: ampb@california.com Subject: AMPB REPORT #29 Dear Readers, Here we are at the fork in the road. To the left, the path we know, with lots of unauthorized radio stations getting busted and shut down. To the right, a new path with lots of unknowns, the path toward legalized low power community radio. For some of us, this new path is something we've been struggling to reach, for others, the path is full of traps and barriers. Now is the time to make our voices heard on the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. We need to make sure this new scheme for low power FM radio stations doesn't become some sort of corporate sell-out. Read the message from Peter Franck in this newsletter on what the NLG / CDC is doing to promote community radio. Contact the FCC and tell them what you would like to hear on your radio. Visit the FCC website at www.fcc.gov or write them a letter to: Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street N.W. , Washington, DC 20554 Here's the important part-make sure you get your comments in before April 12. That is the deadline! -Paul Griffin STATION ALERT From: Joan D'ark, petuniajoan@hotmail.com Constructive Interference Microbroadcasting Conference in Memphis TN April9-11 With the opening session "What's Been Going On" and the closing session "What We Will Do if We Don't Get What We Want," the Constructive Intereference Collective (Free Radio Memphis & Black Cat Radio) along with the Women's Action Coalition is sponsoring a timely microbroadcasting conference, open to all around the globe. Come to Memphis this spring as we get together and figure out how to structure a unified movement at the end of the FCC's comment period regarding the proposed low-power service. What has been going on as thousands of antennas bloomed? People have utilized so many different paths to fight for our right to broadcast, our right to speak, the Collective & W.A.C. want to create the space for a giant brain storm. What do we want, and what are we going to do to get it? Let's get together and figure it out! Come to Memphis April 9-11 for the C.I. Microbroadcasting Conference! Please register ahead of time and we are also looking for workshop facilitators, so if you're interested, let us know! cic_frm@hotmail.com P.O. Box 102, 111 South Highland, Memphis TN 38111 Tentative Schedule Friday, April 9 noon-5pm - registration, 5-6pm - dinner 7-9:30pm - opening-what's been going on and what might happen next, evening socializing Saturday, April 10, 7-9am - breakfast/ registration 9-10:30am - WORKSHOPS: basic technical-how it works and troubleshooting; NPRM and comments; defining community and community outreach; and dynamics of single format stations and networking 10:45-12:15pm WORKSHOPS: somewhat advanced technical - how to build it and what to do with it once it works; what licensing might look like, the folks who've done it; operating a non-commercial low-power station and not paying for all of it; and internet radio & development of communications/ new media forms 12:15-2:15pm LUNCH 2:15-3:45pm WORKSHOPS: advanced technical, city council resolutions campaign; ethics of commercial low-power community stations; and public access TV/ communtiy technology centers 4-5:30pm WORKSHOPS: digital conversion/ IBOC/ Eureka, legal battles across the nation; organizational dynamics after shutdown; and radio is my bomb- the international movement 6-7:30pm - DINNER - time for caucuses ? evening entertainment provided by local artists/poets/musicians Sunday, April 11, 7-9am breakfast, 9-10:30am - caucuses 11-1pm closing-what we will do if we don't get what we want 6pm how women are silenced, a Women's Action Coalition event in conjunction with conference From:Joe Ptak, Headsup@haysco.net Hi folks, No, uKind San Marcos is not a commercial station, nor will we ever be. Sorry for the confusion with our name (not call letters) but we are a non-commercial public access press which is controlled by the Hays County Guardian. The Hays County Guardian won a United States Supreme Court case when Southwest Texas State University banned its free distribution on campus. To make a long story short, HCG won and the Court ruled that "pamphlets and leaflets have been historic weapons in the defense of liberty, as the pamphlets of Thomas Paine and others in our history attest...the Guardian is not commercial speech. It is speech about matters of highest public concern--political and economic reform and the local and international environment". After hearing about Steven Dunifer's experience with FRB, the HCG decided to get into "electronic pamphleteering" on March 26, 1997, and have been broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week pretty much since. We have been trading letters with the FCC since March 19, 1997, receiving a notice of hearing in April, 1998 and even had the FCC post a Cease and Decease Order and $11,000 fine on their internet site against me July 6, 1998, but they never served it legally so they have defaulted and we think that the FCC has bought our argument and that we are currently in alternative dispute resolution mode. Our case is further complicated by the fact that our original frequency 105.9 has been pirated from us by Capstar-Chancellor and our new frequency 103.9, is only second channel adjacent to 103.5, which is the San Marcos licensed station owned by Clear Channel Communication. We are currently working on an unfair competition and anti-trust case against those folks. We are currently broadcasting at 5 watts on 105.9 and 45 watts on 103.9FM and have had thousands of residents on the air. We invite everyone to listen in on realaudio at www.mediadesign.net to the over 75 local programs we have, a new one roughly every 2 hours, and hear for yourself what our version of LPFM sounds like. I hope that clears up any questions about uKind San Marcos. Joe Ptak kind Radio From:San Francisco Liberation Radio, sflr@slip.net Hi all, We're still on the air, although the FCC did stop by our place for a little chat last night around 6:30. No S.W.A.T. team, just two unarmed agents. It was all pretty polite. We'll have a full report on it up on our web site hopefully by the end of the day today--which brings me to my next point: we have a new feature on our web site. It's called "Diary of Resistance." Basically it's just that--a daily journal of events here at our station in which we'll be recording, among other things, attacks from the government. The location is: http://www.slip.net/~dove/diary.html At the top of the page we have a quote from Edward Abbey, which I think people might find especially meaningful. Richard Edmondson - San Francisco Liberation Radio From:Peter Franck, pfranck@culturelaw.com The CDC is working on our comments to be filed in the NPRM. As in the preliminary Inquiry, we plan to have it finished and up on our web page (www.nlgcdc.org) well before the filing deadline of April 12, so that micros and other organizations and individuals can sign onto it, if they agree, adding their own brief comments). We will be building the comment on line. Here is the introduction and outline of points. Respecting that there are other points of view, we are firmly committed to the non-commercial model, and know that folks wanting micros to be small businesses will be filing their own comments. Other than that we are open to feedback and suggestions, esp. re the issues in Section 5. There are a number of views, and CDC does not want to impose its views on anyone, and everyone is free, of course, to file their own comments. That said, given the FCC's leaning toward the commercial model, those of us who are non-commercial and community oriented will have the greatest impact if we can come together on some of these questions and present a united front. Lets see how it goes! Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 MM Docket No. 99-25 In the Matter of Creation of a Low Power Radio Service [DRAFT] COMMENT OF NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD COMMITTEE ON DEMOCRATIC COMMUNICATIONS, FILED ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND THE BELOW LISTED MICRO BROADCASTERS AND CONCERNED ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS STATEMENT OF INTEREST The Committee on Democratic Communications of the National Lawyers Guild (CDC) on behalf of itself and the undersigned organizations and individuals, submits this response to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.. The Committee on Democratic Communications focuses on the right of all peoples to a world-wide system of media and communications based upon the principle of cultural and informational self-determination. The Committee was formed in 1987 to work for the First Amendment and for the Right To Communicate as an international human right. The Committee supports independent media organizations and forms of communication, such as micro-radio, public access television, and grass roots cyberspace resources, and works to ensure that they can function free from government or big business control. The Committee offers legal advice and representation to groups and individuals seeking to establish and sustain such forms of communication. Since 1989 the CDC has actively worked to support the micro-radio movement and has provided legal support to Free Radio Berkeley as well as other micro-radio broadcasters, trained lawyers in the issues involved in the representation of micro broadcasters, worked to ensure that micro broadcasters can find legal representation when challenged by the FCC, and is now committed to making sure that when the FCC adopts low power FM it will be a real change and addition of new voices, ideas, and culture to the radio spectrum. [OUTLINE/DRAFT] INTRODUCTION 1. Low Power FM Needed 2. The Importance Of Opening Up The Airwaves 3. Major Shortcomings Of The Present NPRM Proposal 4. Specific Issues Addressed [on which there is now consensus] a. 1000 watts is too much- takes too much spectrum b. secondary status for micro stations is totally unacceptable c. must be non-commercial d. need for requirement of local ownership e. need for requirement of local origination of programming f. amnesty for civil disobedience pioneers essential g. ignores need to study long term allocation of new spectrum as radio goes digital, must include commitment to study increasing the spectrum space in the transition to digital; h. event broadcasting is an important use of micro and is excluded from this NPRM. 5. [The tougher questions, but we need to be specific and build consensus:] a. How should licenses be issued: the FCC's lottery proposal is bad: problem is to agree on alternatives. A registration system with regional self-regulation (whether this could really happen is a question in some people's minds) should be given a six months trial. In regions where no self regulating association is set up in that time there should be a point system (as discussed in the Pending NPRM on licensing Full Power Non-Commercial stations, which see ); In cities (or combinations of adjacent cities where there is not spectrum space for at least five stations there should be one access model station created, run on the model of cable access channels by a library, school, or specifically set up non-profit. b. Duration of licenses, given that under current technology, even without 2d and 3d adjacent channel protection most big cities will have room for only a very few, maybe as little as two or three, where that is the case licenses should be good for five years, eligible for renewal, but on an equal footing with new community groups which want to come in. c. Transferability of licenses. Non-transferable. d. The FM spectrum should be extended down to include the frequencies just below the present band, now occupied by TV channel 6 in some parts of the country to make more space available. New space reserved for micros. From: WFLR89fm7@webtv.net Sometime today the FEDs came and broke in my house and took the station. We almost made it three years. (April) Estimated cost of equipment for the station was $2500. Also taken was test equipment from my repair shop, $2000. It seems the FCC has been sitting on this warrant since November 6 1998, as that was the last date stated in the warrant. Three complaints were filed with the FCC, all from a Gregory Jablonski. I'm not sure yet, but I believe he is the owner of WHMI 93.5 fm in Howell. -Ron Gutzeit From: NCNWU@aol.com Contact: Furious George, Free Radio Asheville (828) 253-4665 Southeastern Micro Radio Broadcasters Rally for Free Speech Asheville- Following a two day conference with delegates from 8 regional cities, The SOUTHEAST ASSOCIATION OF MICROBROADCASTERS, SEAM, was chartered Sunday adding to the growing list of entities supporting FREEDOM OF SPEECH and FAIR REPRESENTATION OF CULTURAL VALUES in the fight for our nation's airwaves. Micro Radio stations included: Free Radio Asheville, Free Radio Memphis, Black Liberation Radio (TN), Richmond Free Radio (VA), Free Radio Gainesville (FL), Free Mountain Radio (NC), Free Radio Tampa, Greenville Free Radio (SC) and New Orleans Free Radio. Representatives of the FREE RADIO MOVEMENT, BLACK LIBERATION RADIO, and radio hobbyists formed the coalition partly in response to a recent FCC proposal, which would provide for a low power FM broadcast service nationwide. SEAM hopes that, barring undue corporate media interference, the proposal will pass, thereby creating a diverse new form of media wherein under- and un-represented cultural and community voices and values might thrive. SEAM further believes that any failure by the FCC and Congress to pass such a proposal would lead to an escalation in the battle for free speech, spawning a new pirate radio revolution and bringing chaos to the airwaves. In this spirit, the SOUTHEAST ASSOCIATION OF MICROBROADCASTERS urges all concerned parties to participate in the public comment process and calls for an open and honest dialog with the FCC, the NAB, and the ARRL. SEAM will hold a Day of Action on April 16, 1999 at the FCC field offices throughout the Southeast to protest the federal government's raids, seizures and harassment of microradio stations and operators. The operators have vowed to continue operating despite the FCC's call for microradio operators to cease broadcasting after the release of the Notice of Proposed Rule-Making (NPRM). For a copy of SEAM's response to FCC's NPRM, go to http://members.rotfl.com/SEAM/ From: Canyon Lake Radio, huffhill@gvtc.com Hello Everybody, David has been working day & night on getting our station back up and running. We have had much positive media coverage (TV, radio, adn newspapers) Many of our DJ's are manning the phones. One benifit is already organized at Canyon Lake Beach club on St Pattys day. The folks at Microkind have let us use their airtime to talk about our cause. We have an attorney looking over the paperwork as I type. We are also in contact with the ACLU and are awaiting a call from them about representation. I have updated the CLR Web page and have added some interesting news and links. Check out Vermont free radio. We are going to order new equipment and have had some anonymous donations but we still need more. Canyon Lake Radio Thanks to you all for the support. Lisa & David Huff and all the programmers. From: shiriki unganisha, shiriki@gvi.net Hotep, Greetins', hope everyone is strong & well in the struggle. We here at Kansas City Black Liberation Radio(KCBLR)91.1FM is movin'into our 2nd birthday on June 1. We have not been contacted by the fcc since we have graced the air-waves with our presence in 1997. We operate 24-hours a day seven days a week, we record all of our shows, therefore, we can replay tapes of our broadcast without actually bein' at the station. We also play r&b(oldies)jazz & a little rapp. In Struggle, sista shiriki/brotha sauti - KCBLR 91.1FM From: Shawn Ewald, shawn@wilshire.net A site that calls itself "The Subculture Search Engine" www.disinfo.com has an entry for Pirate Radio, which has a bunch of good links to other sites. Check it out at: /www.disinfo.com/prop/diss/prop_diss_pirateradio.html From: Fred Pierce, cincpac@earthlink.net Its not an accident that USers support community radio in "developing nations" while employing jack-booted thugs to stamp it out at home. In the Cambodian model, USer controlled and range restricted FM followed close on the heals of US installed AM community radio. At the same time they were passing out free FM radios they were quietly dismantling the country's SW and AM operations and isolating the rural stations. Today, there is nothing else on the air. In this country, wattage is not the important thing that distinguishes us from NAB clones, and the ascendant USers are not having any of what we offer. Kennerly's quacking about low-power licenses is likely just so much "lay down your transmitters and we'll talk peace," more rope-a-dope technique from a one-dimensional administration. If such a license should actually become available, you can bet that in a relatively short time they will all be owned or controlled by NAB interests, hidden or otherwise. The USer system is increasingly brittle towards dissent, an inevitable outgrowth of its now unrestricted global power. In protest, in sacrifice, in war it is always necessary to separate and protect the non-combatants from those willing to go the whole distance. It isn't illegal to produce or participate in programs, and strong programming is what drives broadcasting. More people will participate in production than will risk propagation. Perhaps more important, a strategy promoting production is more politically inclusive and involves a broader support base. Still, programs must air for such a strategy to be effective. The small stations cannot continue running single transmitter fixed-base operations, losing their equipment and having their technicians intimidated or jailed. Mobil or frequently moved operations offer usually very temporary protection so far. That could change with a shift from our present "passive" tactic to more aggressive monitoring of the FCC field operatives. Our technical expertise may need to be expanded to include intelligence activities (local and shared), surveillance and electronic diversion and counter-measures. Certainly such an approach would improve the odds for on-the-move station operation and it would take years for the USers to put in place a civil response. - Guerrilla Radio, still on the run. From: Capt. Ironbeard Finally, the Heartland Free Radio Network is back with not just one but two programs. The first program is a very interesting presentation given by Robert Hastings, a long time UFO researcher. Using government documentation he gives compelling evidence that something out of the ordinary is out there in the sky. The second program covers the speech given by the Oklahoma director for the ACLU at the Drug Policy of Oklahoma Forum meeting held Feb. 10th. Find out what a brave, fine lady the director is for wanting anything to do with the ACLU after the hellish terror she went through in the past. And if you think California is bad for misjustice relating to the drug war, find out how bad it gets in Oklahoma. For example, misjustice must be getting pretty bad when the U.S. Army has sought assistance from the ACLU for an awful attack by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol upon one of its Black innocent men. For filler you will hear what the Jim Hightower Radio Review sounds like every week on the Phantom 101FM. And finally, for an escape from all this seriousness it's the rude, crude and lewd obscene comedy of Mr. Ginger Lamar taped while performing at the Copa club in Oklahoma City. Caution is advised here since this is an obscene as it dare gets on the Phantom 101FM. It will be interesting if the plans for LPFM are allowed to be finalized and put into effect. Actually, don't know if it will mean, if I will be able to get a license since I don't think there's really all that many vacant frequencies here. If things go to a bidding process, I doubt if I would have a chance if the opposing bidder is say a church with a 1000 members. I don't want more secular and religious right discussion on the radio. There's already more than enough of that around here. Because of that, I am motivated to try for a license, nevertheless, should the opportunity arise, so I can put on the licensed air other voices that don't get heard from around here such as Jim HIghtower along with the other voices heard on such programs as Making Contact, Counterspin and Alternative Radio. From: RADIOSF@aol.com RadioSF is developing a proposal for the FCC that calls for two tests of micropower FM. The first is for a fixed radio transmission site and the second is for a roving station. Each station would be temporarily licensed and regulated for two years, during which time they would broadcast and collect information that would lead to FCC policy formulation and standards for microbroadcasting. The fixed site would be located at a non-profit education-oriented institution like San Francisco's Exploratorium. The site would allow visitors to broadcast, and it would provide other public interest programming during visitor off-hours. It would gather visitor and listener responses about their programming interests and access issues. The roving site would be test short-term, multiple location applications for microbroadcasting at sites like schools, museums or festivals. Interested parties are welcome to contact radiosf@aol.com for further information. From: robert J. Shuman, norton@prtcnet.org this is the kentucky broadcasters association and there motto is "bringing community service home". It seems that they are sending 40 members to washington hotels paid for on march 9-10 to lobby against low power to the kentucky congressional delegation. i will keep you all informed. The reason i am becoming a member is the old rule keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I did give the pres. my views on micro and he was unimpressed but friendly. He was aware of my starting a station here in owsley county, so the word is out like i want it. Today i did some painting of antenna structure pieces. From: Wireless Virus, thewirelessvirus@yahoo.com Warm Midwestern Greetings from 104.5 FM The Wireless Virus! Our little station has been off and on the air here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin since February 1st, 1997. We've moved, switched frequencies, etc., and now we have been constantly on the air since Sept. 1998. We get considerable coverage of our neighborhood using only 5 Watts and a Comet antenna. Our engineers are in the process of building another linear RF amplifier so we can microcast at 50 Watts. Everything seems to be coming together for us lately. We have an average of 12 hours of live programming 7 days a week provided by over 30 djs. Our programming is a diverse selection of music, shows on political issues, and Making Contact tapes. Apathy and fear are huge obstacles for us in our community. It is a general fear of doing something you aren't 'supposed' to do. Milwaukeeans seem slow to grasp the idea of becoming the media, but the more open minded activist types are coming out of the woodwork and realizing the power of radio as their tool. At the end of March we will be giving a seminar on micropower radio in Madison, Wisconsin for Madbash '99, a regional co-operative living conference. Hopefully this will spark microradio in the Madison area. We here at the Wireless Virus plan will continue microcasting in spite of the LPFM NPRM. We deny the authority of the FCC and do not see their regulation of our natural resource (the airwaves) as constitutional or valid in any way. We need community NOW! We refuse to wait until buracracy catches up with society! We have reserves of equipment and broadcast locations, should we need to outsmart the Fascist Communications Commission. Solidarity, Miss Elaine Eos AMPB REPORT ASSOCIATION OF MICRO-POWER BROADCASTERS 2018 SHATTUCK AVE. #22 BERKELEY, CA 94704 (510) 848-1455 E-MAIL: ampb@california.com FOR THE WEEK ENDING: 3/13/99 # TITLE - ARTIST - LABEL 1 UP UP UP UP UP UP ANI DIFRANCO RIGHTEOUS BABE 2 STEAL THIS ALBUM THE COUP DOGDAY 3 BELEZA TROPICAL 2 VARIOUS ARTISTS LUAKA BOP 4 COLORS OF THE WORLD VARIOUS ARTISTS ALLEGRO 5 INNA CITY PRESSURE DR. ISRAEL MUTANT SOUND 6 TOGETHER AS ONE VARIOUS ARTISTS MOONSHINE 7 CLANDESTINO MANU CHAO ARK 21 8 A TODA CUBA LE GUSTA AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS WORLD CIRCUIT 9 BROTHER'S GONNA WORK IT OUT CHEMICAL BROS ASTRALWERKS 10 MALI TO MEMPHIS VARIOUS ARTISTS PUTUMAYO 11 CUE'S HIPHOP SHOP VARIOUS ARTISTS DOGDAY 12 DUBTRONIC MAD PROFESSOR RAS 13 SONGS THAT MADE AMERICA FAMOUS PATRICK SKY GENE'S 14 THE NOVEMBER COALITION VARIOUS ARTISTS T.N.C. 15 D TARIKA XENOPHILE 16 TECHNICS CHAINSAW MASSACRE VARIOUS BOMB HIPHOP 17 SURFACING SARAH McLACHLAN ARISTA 18 METAMORPHOSIS SAMBA NGO COMPASS 19 STRICTLY THE BEST 21 VARIOUS ARTISTS V P RECORDS 20 LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST HENDRIX MCA 21 SPELLBOUND SHARON SHANNON GREEN LINNET 22 MIXED EMOTIONAL FEATURES MOCEAN WORKER PALM PICTURES 23 STRAIGHT FROM YARD YARDBEAT BEATVILLE 24 HUMAN BEINGS SEAL WARNER 25 THINGS FALL APART THE ROOTS MCA 26 ASPHODELIC VARIOUS ARTISTS ASPHODEL 27 YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY FATBOY SLIM ASTRALWERKS 28 REGGATTA MONDATA II VARIOUS ARTISTS ARK 21 29 WORLD WOR II WITHOUT REZERVATION WITHOUT REZ 30 BIG DIRTY BEATS VARIOUS ARTISTS MOONSHINE 31 BLAST FROM THE PAST VARIOUS ARTISTS CAPITOL 32 MOBILE ESTATES CITIZEN KING WARNER 33 FLESH & BONE PAGAN SAINTS EARTHSEA 34 THE LOST DALLAS SESSIONS GENE VINCENT DRAGON STREET 35 SONG OF THE IRISH WHISTLE 2 JOANIE MADDEN HEARTS O' SPACE 36 HELLO NASTY BEASTIE BOYS CAPITOL 37 ROUGH GUIDE-EASTERN EUROPE VARIOUS WORLD RECORDS 38 JAH LIGHT PRINCE MALACHI RAS 39 WACOWORLD WACO BROTHERS BLOODSHOT 40 NEXT VILLAGE KAILA FLEXER COMPASS CAPTAIN FRED'S PICKS TO CLICK EVERYBODY KNOWS-CONCRETE BLOND REVOLUTION-DR. ISRAEL A TODA CUBA LE GUSTA-AFRO CUBAN ALL-STARS JUKEBOX-ANI DIFRANCO CURIOSADE-TOM ZE' DEFIANT-CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE CLANDESTINO-MANU CHAO SIRATA-HABIB KOITE THE SCRATCH ASSASSINS-JEEP BEAT COLLECTIVE YEKKE-STEPHEN KENT BROTHER'S GONNA WORK IT OUT-CHEMICAL BROS. CALL FROM APRIL HENDRY- NOVEMBER COALITION NOW MORE THAN EVER-WITHOUT REZERVATION MIHETSIKA-TARIKA PUSH WOOD-YARDBEAT FIXATION-THE COUP HUNGRY PEOPLE-CULTURE W / TONY REBEL IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD...-R.E.M. BASEMENT SHOW-CITIZEN KING WILD THING-JIMI HENDRIX BLUE JEAN BOP-GENE VINCENT BUNNY KICK-TIPSY AMPB REPORT #29