There’s been a lot of great energy in recent years surrounding the field of sound studies, in which scholars are increasingly looking at the importance of the auditory aspects of media culture. Within the world of sound studies, a growing group of radio scholars is working hard to ensure that an academic lens is focused […]
The flow of new low-power FM construction permits is slowing to a trickle as the FCC gets towards the end of the singleton applications. Many of the 19 stations authorized in the last week require a 2nd adjacent waiver in order to be spaced a little closer to existing stations. Commensurately, a fair number of […]
A new very low-power FM station hit the Portland, Oregon airwaves this week. XRAY.FM is a new community station that took over the license for Reed College’s legacy class D station at 91.1 FM in 2012 with the help of Common Frequency. The station mounted a very successful Kickstarter in January. Starting with a goal […]
John Bruce (jonthebru) at our discussion forum site asks: “Can call letters be used by other stations?” “We are contemplating a change in call letters associated with a change in direction for a non commercial station. (Sorry, I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag so I can’t share details at this […]
In a letter dated today (PDF), the FCC approved the renewal application and assigned the license for WFCL to Nashville Public Radio. The non-commercial FM station was formerly Vanderbilt University’s college radio station WRVU-FM (see my profile of the station from 2010). Back in 2011, students were taken off the air at WRVU and the […]
Last Thursday the national board of the Pacifica Foundation fired Executive Director Summer Reese, who was hired for the position in November after serving on an interim basis for more than a year. The how and why of Reese’s ouster are unclear. According to the New York Times article that broke the story, board members […]
Over the weekend the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) concluded its annual conference in New York City, honoring exceptional student broadcasters and college radio stations with its IBS Golden Microphone Awards. Winners were announced across 40 different categories, with a wide range of stations taking home trophies. WERG (Gannon University in Erie, PA), WONC (North Central […]
There was more action on LPFM applications this week (especially compared with last week), with more than 30 granted since March 6, bringing the total count to 1078 construction permits granted this year for new LPFM stations. A few applications were also dismissed this week, including those for the Global Service Center for Quitting Chinese […]
Community radio and free speech activists around the world are following the case of Alma Delia Olivares, a Mexican journalist now released after days of detention in late February. Various news items say that Olivares still faces charges that include “audio pollution” and “illegal use of the nation’s good.” The World Association of Community Radio […]
The big news in public radio today is that New York Public Radio, home to WNYC, WQXR and New Jersey Public Radio, received a $10 million grant from the Jerome L. Greene Foundation. This comes on top of two previous grants that together totaled $11 million. This news is significant not just because it is […]
