RE: FCC gives ultimatum to Radio Free Brattleboro

[Bob Nelson <raccoonradio@yahoo.com>]

--- Brian Vita <brian_vita@cssinc.com> wrote:
 My criticism was strictly limited to the
> fact that they are
> operating illegally.  They can waive their "power to
> the people" chants all
> they want.  Until they are licensed or change the
> law, they are illegal.  

I agree. You may think, "at least they're offering
something different on the radio and catering to
groups that are ignored". Yup, but they're breaking
the law in doing so. Even if they aren't necessarily
interfering with anyone. Like Brian says, either
get the law changed or get a license.

A twelve year old kid may want to drive a car; he
might take his mom or dad's keys when they aren't
looking, and drive off. Sure, he "can" drive a car
(though he probably won't do it too well),
but he's not allowed to by law. If he and a bunch of
other people lobby the lawmakers to bring the driving
age down to 12, and they're successful, then he can do
so legally. Otherwise he's gotta wait till he's
old enough for that learner's permit. 'Tis the law.

And while I sometimes scan the dial for pirates and
may give them a brief listen, I know this: if I work
at (or even listen to) a certain station-- be it
a 50,000 watt one owned by Clear Channel or a 130-
watt college outlet-- and someone down the street
decides to put a pirate on right NEXT to them on
the dial, suddenly my option to hear a fully 
licensed station is taken away.

A co-worker of mine who lives in Methuen likes to
listen to WMBR's noontime 60s show. For a couple of
weeks, he couldn't do so, as a local pirate on or
near that frequency rode over WMBR's signal. He
complained to the FCC and got them shut down.

We may complain about how slow the FCC is to
license LPFMs, or about how the big corporations
control radio... but when a pirate goes on air,
it's time to accept the fact that ONE thing the
FCC CAN do is protect the legally licensed
broadcasters out there from illegal operations
infringing on their frequencies.