https://t.co/v5jZ3hIWK0?amp=1 FCC proposes $151k fine against repeated Boston unlicensed radio station;interference claimed by Beasley Media owner of Bloomberg 106.1
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FCC proposed fine for 106.3 pirate: $151k
- Thread starter raccoonradio
- Start date
FCC coming down hard on the Haitians today. An even bigger fine has been proposed against another operator of a Haitian operation. With Touch and Big City long gone, are there any more major targets out there for the FCC to bring down next?
Big City is NOT long gone! They’re on 88.5 and B87.7 is on the air as well. I’d say it’s a very safe bet that the fine is NEVER collected and the station remains on the air with business as usual.
OK, I'm gone from the area and thought Big City had been taken down last year. Do they have tight political connections like Touch's Clemons had with Mumbles Menino that protect them from all harm?
Most likely. I think both them and 87.7 have had politicians on the air.
until the U.S.Marshall goes in and seizes equipment, it is a joke.
Like the feds will ever get that N.A.L. paid.
https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...laps-two-boston-fm-pirates-with-big-proposed-
Like the feds will ever get that N.A.L. paid.
https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...laps-two-boston-fm-pirates-with-big-proposed-
Big City simply changed frequency after Bob Bittner’s WJIB translator came on “their” longtime frequency 101.3 in 2017. After briefly trying a couple of other frequencies, it has been on 88.5 for a couple of years now.
Haven’t 87.7 and Big City been raided multiple times? They can get new equipment within days. That doesn’t do anything.
The feds last raided B87.7 and Big City in May 2018. Jail time is probably the only thing that would have any impact.
https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2018/03/28/feds-seize-equipment-from-two-pirate-radio.html
https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2018/03/28/feds-seize-equipment-from-two-pirate-radio.html
Info on the other case via press release:
Federal Communications Commission today
proposed a $453,015 fine against Gerlens Cesar, the operator of an enterprise identifying itself
as Radio TeleBoston, for apparent unlicensed and unlawful broadcasting. Today’s action
marks the largest fine ever proposed by the FCC against a pirate radio operation
Federal Communications Commission today
proposed a $453,015 fine against Gerlens Cesar, the operator of an enterprise identifying itself
as Radio TeleBoston, for apparent unlicensed and unlawful broadcasting. Today’s action
marks the largest fine ever proposed by the FCC against a pirate radio operation
https://www.rbr.com/a-record-setting-fine-is-proposed-for-boston-radio-pirate/
Gerlen Caesar's fine is three times the limit because he used three separate signals including 92.1, adjacent to WUMB-FM 91.9 (UMassBoston) and 90.1 adjacent to WZBC 90.3 (B.C.)
Gerlen Caesar's fine is three times the limit because he used three separate signals including 92.1, adjacent to WUMB-FM 91.9 (UMassBoston) and 90.1 adjacent to WZBC 90.3 (B.C.)
Big City moved further down the dial. B87 still exists.
One FCC commissioner said he felt bad that Haitians, Trinidadians, Jamaicans, Guatemalans and more don’t have an outlet in NYC Boston and Miami and while he supported the fines wishes it didn’t have to be this way and didn’t get this far. These guys have been in air for 26 years per a 2018 WGBH story, pretty good run
Correct recently elected city councilors were on B87. I think a lot of people just think they’re legal stations.
It's too bad there isn't enough economic clout among any of those groups to buy even an AM with translator. Joining forces wouldn't work because the station could never satisfy everyone -- musically, politically or especially linguistically, since it would have to broadcast in English, French (and/or Kreyol) and Spanish.
The Commissioner who said that seems to think that Guatemalans are not served in Miami by the dozen or so Spanish language stations, including 6 full coverage FMS, most of which play the same genres of music as are popular in Guatemala. That Commissioner need a bit better cultural understanding or immigrant and heritage groups... there is no such thing as a "Guatemalan format".
There are plenty of groups that never had their "own" radio service, going back to the 20's. Radio has always been called a "mass medium" because the costs of running a commercial station far exceed the potential revenue attained from niche broadcasting to the narrowest constituencies.
When such groups are large enough and have a prosperous enough community, stations take on the job of serving them. In LA, we have stations in Korean, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, and Farsi. We have extensive programming but not full stations with Tagalog, Thai, Hindi, Japanese and Armenian programming.
And today, communities that can't support a broadcast station can stream or even lease an HD channel (as is done in many markets for such programming).
This is why Congress created LPFM and various other options, so unserved minorities could have their own radio stations. The problem is you have to be a citizen to get a license, and some minorities aren't citizens. The other thing is these are non-commercial community stations, so they would need financial support from the minority group itself. The problem in Boston is there aren't any open frequencies. But that hasn't stopped groups like EMF from throwing money around and getting frequencies in populated areas.
Could that change if some of the universities and colleges around the Boston area start to turn in their radio licenses and go online, as is happening elsewhere? Boston has an unusually large number of such stations, from UMass-Boston's WUMB and its network of stations that cover half of Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire and Rhode Island to Tufts' little WMFO and Northeastern's even tinier WRBB, which have very limited coverage. So far, all the Boston-area schools have decided to keep their FM operations going, but how much longer will that be true? Do frequencies become open as soon as the current licensee throws in the towel?
If I had to guess, Emerson's WERS would be the last college station standing, as it is a communications/performing arts school and radio has always been a big part of the overall picture there.
That's usually EMF's first stop. Much easier and cheaper to buy a NCE license, especially from a college anxious to get out of ownership.
And EMF already took WBRU Providence off Brown University's hands, which gives them a presence in Boston's southern suburbs and exurbs. But I doubt they'd be able to pry WBUR away from Boston University, which isn't using it for student programming anyway (nor is WUMB), and all the other Boston NCEs have coverage issues.
It's too bad EMF's music is so whitebread. You'd think a network devoted to "educating" the nation about a certain religion through music would offer more genre diversity. I suppose those "good Christians" just don't see much donation potential in the underclasses.
You can't force any kind of diversity of musical taste on people.
If I am listening to a classic hits station, and it starts playing too much classic rock, I am gone. Blending those songs into the mix will not make me like that kind of music. I will just be annoyed. It will make me stop listening to the station.
Likewise, Black Gospel stations have about 0% Hispanic and non-Hispanic white listening. Adding some Amy Grant, MercyMe or Chris Tomlin songs will only drive away the core and not attract anyone new.
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