Today get Slacker’s My Vibe on Android, too
Why should iOS users have all the fun?
Why Free Speech Radio News is dependent on Pacifica
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 […]
Advocates ask FCC to revoke FM license after “wee for a Wii” death
Six years ago Jennifer Strange signed up for Sacramento station KDND-FM‘s “Hold your wee for a Wii” contest and lost her life as a consequence. The mother of three followed the game rules, drinking almost two gallons of water without urinating. She died of water intoxication soon afterwards. Although a nurse called in to warn […]
LPFMs beware: FCC cites California company for unapproved transmitters
An FCC action adopted yesterday serves as a good reminder to LPFM licensees to make sure to buy only FCC-approved transmission equipment. The Commission issued a citation and order (PDF) to a company called FCCFrequency for “marketing unauthorized radio frequency devices,” otherwise known as FM radio transmitters that are not approved by the FCC. A […]
Free Speech Radio News to close Friday, victim of Pacifica’s financial crisis
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 […]
WUTK’s Fundraising Push for New Transmitter
University of Tennessee’s college radio station WUTK 90.3 FM is living on borrowed time as far as its aging transmitter goes. In the midst of a fundraising campaign in order to replace the transmitter and console (to a tune of $25,000 for both), the station is hoping to reach more listeners in the Knoxville area […]
University of Maryland Exhibit Honors WMUC College Radio History
I love college radio history and couldn’t be more thrilled about the exhaustive effort undertaken by the University of Maryland in its new exhibit, Saving College Radio: WMUC Past, Present and Future. Curated by sound archivist, ethnomusicologist and WMUC DJ Laura Schnitker, the exhibit can be viewed in the university library in College Park, Maryland […]
Mediocre, but by design — an iTunes Radio review
iTunes Radio is not innovative, nor is it a great app. However, I think it stands a chance of doing what Apple set out to do. As I explained yesterday, I think Apple intends to bring streaming radio to millions of iOS users who don’t already use a service like Pandora. Then, Apple wants to […]
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai’s AM radio revitalization agenda
Federal Communications Commissioner Ajit Pai spoke at the National Association of Broadcaster’s Radio Show gathering on Friday. He talked up AM radio “revitalization,” a topic suddenly hot now that The New York Times explored it earlier this month. Here are some of Pai’s ideas (some firm; others more tentative): 1. Repeal the FCC’s “ratchet rule” […]
iTunes Radio: What’s the big deal?
Apple’s first foray into online radio shipped last Wednesday as part of the latest version 7 of its iOS mobile operating system. The big question is: What’s the big deal? Or, rather, Is it a big deal? After using the service for four days I have to conclude that iTunes Radio is a big deal, […]