Pirate Radio

March 7, 2005 7:45 PM

Free Radio San Diego I thought you Mefite Rebels might like the idea of Pirate Radio. Just in case you're not into satellite.
posted by snsranch (13 comments total)

Absofuckinglutely! Lets hire Christian Slater to be the voice of Metaradio.
posted by punkbitch at 9:04 PM on March 7, 2005

and here's the offshoot of FRSD, established last year by some of their original staff after a dispute over whether the station should play NWA.
posted by radiosig at 9:15 PM on March 7, 2005

radiosig; there was a dispute over the playing of NWA? Wow, so much for Free Radio. Thanks for the the link, I'll check it out.
posted by snsranch at 9:30 PM on March 7, 2005

well, in fairness, it was some members of what is now radioactive that felt there should be restrictions on playing what they veiwed as hatespeech, while other members wanted to remain faithful to the ideal of truly "free" radio.

keep in mind that this is just what i heard from somebody who heard it from somebody. personally, i listen to and enjoy both stations.
posted by radiosig at 9:42 PM on March 7, 2005

Previously mentioned here. Just sayin'.
posted by gramschmidt at 2:28 AM on March 8, 2005

See also Free Radio Santa Cruz, which has been on-the-air without a license for almost ten years. (in comparison to FRSD's 4 years or so)
posted by heydanno at 5:06 AM on March 8, 2005

Lets rise up in the cafeteria and stab them with our plastic forks! TALK HARD, SNSRANCH!
posted by indiebass at 6:00 AM on March 8, 2005

Fight media consolidation: Legal low power FM station builders and lobbyists
posted by By The Grace of God at 6:33 AM on March 8, 2005

Well, they're playing the Dukes of Stratosphear right now, so they can't be all bad. Of course, I live for this sort of stuff. (Utterly blatant, gratuitous self-link)
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:12 AM on March 8, 2005

I wonder how th FCC decides who to target and who not? We had a pirate station here in Duluth, a much smaller market. There where no formal complaints from other stations in the market, but it got busted in less then 2 years.
posted by edgeways at 10:55 AM on March 8, 2005

edgeways: I wonder that, too. We had a pirate station crop up in Austin, and despite moving thrice, burying the transmitter, and being ultra-secretive about who was involved (I attended one clandestine meeting-- it was almost CIA like), they got shut down and had their gear confiscated 3 times in 9 months, and finally gave up, despite being very low-power, stepping on nobody, and being quite popular with the college area they broadcast to. I miss it horribly.
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:37 AM on March 8, 2005

I always like running into Pirate Cat Radio, 87.9 FM, on the airwaves in the Oakland/Berkeley area, and just listened to Berkeley Liberation Radio (site is bereft of content except for some very elaborate "under construction" images), 104.1 FM, for the first time Sunday night.

The airwaves belong to the public.
posted by gohlkus at 11:47 AM on March 8, 2005

Regarding the FCC, FRSD in San Diego caught the FCC in a catch-22 when the SuperBowl was here. Apparently the FCC refused license to FRSD prior to the game citing that it would interfere with other local broadcasts. But for the GAME the FCC licensed it to either Viacom or Clear Channel, whatever corp was broadcasting it. By doing so the FCC screwed up thier justification.

Really, just read the stuff on FRSD. It's pretty clear, get it?, that is FCC is just a big monopoly supporter.
posted by snsranch at 4:22 PM on March 8, 2005