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 […]
Archive | Noncommercial Radio
FCC Approves Assignment of Former WRVU License to Nashville Public Radio
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 […]
Pacifica Board Fires Exec Dir Summer Reese; Is This a War with no Winner?
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 […]
College Radio Survivor: IBS and mtvU Woodie Award Winners, WSOU Documentary and Other College Radio News
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 […]
LPFM Watch: FCC Rescinds 12 Application Grants and Other LPFM News
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 […]
Mexican community radio activist released from prison; still faces charges
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 […]
Carpe Digital! $10 Million Grant to WNYC Funds an Online Future
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 […]
College Radio Survivor: Irish Student Radio Conference and Other College Radio News
A few years back I was lucky to get a glimpse into the world of student radio in Ireland. After visiting few stations there and learning a bit about the country’s college radio culture, I am happy to hear that student broadcasters will be convening in Ireland this week. The National Student Radio Conference will […]
LPFM Watch: A Slow Week in Low-Power FM News
This past week was fairly quiet on the low-power FM front compared to what we’ve seen most of the year so far. Only six more construction permits have been issued since last week, bringing the count to 1047 applications granted. There were some interesting and informative comments to last week’s LPFM Watch which reported on […]
LA’s KCHUNG Radio Demonstrates the Power of Part 15 Broadcasting
This past Sunday the New York Times profiled the Los Angeles cooperative arts-focused station KCHUNG. It isn’t a typical community station, nor is it an LPFM. The station also doesn’t have a license, but it’s not a pirate station. Instead it operates according to what are generally known as the Part 15 rules, which cover […]