Pandora CFO says mobile data caps not a problem
When AT&T first announced new monthly data caps for iPhone users in 2010 I suggested that it could stunt the growth of mobile internet radio. Some eighteen months later I do have to admit that doesn’t seem to have happened. I made some rough calculations based upon the typical bandwidth consumed by streaming internet stations […]
Indigenous Mayans in Guatemala rely on pirate radio
Costa Rica’s Tico Times recently published a profile of unlicensed Guatemala radio station Radio Ixchel, as part of an examination of the radio scene in that country. Guatemala has as many as 800 pirate stations, where most radio licenses are auctioned for as much as $100,000. While there are license categories for public stations, there […]
Modern versus classic rock radio: do these terms still mean anything?
I listen to a lot of rock and roll radio here in the San Francisco Bay Area and all over the world via my Android mobile. A lot of these stations define themselves as either “modern” or “classic” rock frequencies. But I’m starting to wonder how long the original distinction between the two genres can […]
Forecast for Hungary’s Klub Radio: less cloudy, possible sunshine
The prospects for Hungary’s embattled indie radio station Klub Radio seem to be improving. When last we posted on this subject, Budapest saw a sizable demonstration on behalf of the signal, which lost a crucial license to an obscure easy listening broadcast group. Civil liberties groups cried foul, and so did European Commission media maven […]
Paul Smith’s College Radio Station WPSA Turns License Back to FCC
Over the winter holidays, Paul Smith’s College in The Adirondack Park in New York sent a letter to the FCC asking that its class D FM license for college radio station WPSA be cancelled. The December 12, 2011 letter was accepted by the FCC on December 20, 2011 and the 98.3 FM license was deleted. […]
Conference to explore community media and the Arab Spring
AMARC is the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters and for nearly 30 years has worked for media democracy by supporting the growth of community radio. This year AMARC’s Middle East and North Africa conference will focus on “community media and the Arab Spring.” The conference will be held March 9 and 10 in Tunis […]
Like indie radio, but on paper
‘Zines are like the college or community radio of the print media world. Or maybe LPFM or pirate radio are a more appropriate comparisons, since ‘zines tend to be more personal, limited in distribution, and sometimes reproduced surreptitiously on office copiers. In any event, I’ve been a fan and reader of ‘zines for, I guess, […]
Shocker: Rush Limbaugh says something nice about First Lady
Rummaging through the talk radio guy comments about President Obama’s State-of-the-Union speech, I was set back on my heels by an actual nice thing Rush Limbaugh said about First Lady Michelle Obama. Of course, the meditation is front-loaded with left-handed compliments, and he calls her “Moochelle,” but the praise is still there. The Rush post […]
What’s news in unlicensed broadcasting: Retired Navy air traffic controller in Florida faces state charges, but overall FCC enforcement is down
The biggest news in pirate radio so far this year is the story about Ft. Myers, Florida resident Albert Knighten, a retired Navy air traffic controller who was arrested in December on charges of unlicensed broadcasting. Knighten’s Dunbar Radio, named for his neighborhood, focused his broadcasts on the city’s underserved population of older residents who […]
Canadian Campus Radio Station KICK-FM May Lose FM license if it Continues to Train Students
Word came out today that Canadian campus radio station KICK-FM (CKIC-FM) has heard from the regulatory agency Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that it is in danger of losing its FM license if it continues to provide radio training to students. The Winnipeg-based station is located at Red River College and is owned by […]