Another Illegal Pirate Radio Station in Brockton

[NSPUNX]

Again, If Touch is indeed "Community Radio" and there just to serve the community then why do they sell advertising?

 

[nd2023]

Touch 106.1's success is proof that Boston needs an urban AC. They do serve the community better than most Clear Channel stations. The only problem is that they don't have an FCC license.
We wouldn't be so focused on 106.1 if it were yet another Spanish pirate. Touch is the best pirate station I heard.

 

[rapking]

Touch 106.1's success is proof that Boston needs an urban AC. They do serve the community better than most Clear Channel stations. The only problem is that they don't have an FCC license.
We wouldn't be so focused on 106.1 if it were yet another Spanish pirate. Touch is the best pirate station I heard.

Touch-FM RULES !

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Touch 106.1's success is proof that Boston needs an urban AC. They do serve the community better than most Clear Channel stations.

Really? Success? How exactly are you measuring that? Three pages of posts on a message board? The fact that they're selling ads and people are buying them (BTW, dumbest move in history...a pirate station drawing attention to itself by selling ads)? Where's their audience, and how are they measuring it? How exactly do they serve the community? Newscasts? Public affairs programming? Public service announcements? "Watch out for the 5-0s" warnings? Do they participate in EAS?

Or is this just another "my favorite tunes HAVE to be on the radio and I can get away with it" law-breaker?

You make this pirate sound like a pillar of the community, without so much as a shred of proof and with plenty of evidence in the other direction.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>a pirate station drawing attention to itself by selling ads

I'm sure Touch 106.1 reports such income on their tax forms
(Yes, we made that money from our radio station! I know, I know it's not a LEGAL
station, but...it's a radio station!)
Agreed with dumber's post... Yep, and drug dealers serve the community too!
Legal? It has to be LEGAL?

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I've listened to the "station" and have heard some of their programming. I'm not defending pirate radio, but just to be objective, I thought I'd answer some of the questions brought up based on what I've heard:

How exactly do they serve the community? Newscasts?

I've heard some selected (mostly national) stories read just after the top of the hour in a newscast format on their morning show.

Public affairs programming? Public service announcements?

I have heard some very well-produced local community public affairs and talk programs with a professional level of presentation, notable guests, interviews, etc... They also read lots of legitimate community PSA's (and run ads).

"Watch out for the 5-0s" warnings?

I haven't heard anything like that.

Do they participate in EAS?

I don't know, but I doubt it. I've heard no evidence that they do.

Or is this just another "my favorite tunes HAVE to be on the radio and I can get away with it" law-breaker?

Programming wise, I'd say that "Touch" is the most professional sounding pirate in the area, probably because there are at least a few former legitimate radio people on their staff. There's an organized schedule of a variety of music and public affairs programming. It sounds like some programmers there definitely care about quality community programming (albeit on an illegal station), not just getting their egos on the air and playing their "favorite tunes", though it is a place where their audience can hear a genre of music which is unfortunately not on a legitimate station.

I'm not saying that this justifies an illegal operation. I'm not in the Boston inner city, and I'm not African-American, but I recognize that there is some quality programming on "Touch". Some of their programmers are evidently putting a lot of effort behind it, and it's unfortunate that their work is not on a legitimate station. I believe they should pursue a means to get it there (buy brokered airtime, try to get a slot on a college station, etc...) instead of running an illegal station.

"Touch" is an illegal operation, which in itself is potentially harmful for many reasons detailed in other posts. I'm not condoning it by any means. But, I don't like to see the veiled racism in the posts implying that the station is staffed by druggies and criminals (in addition to the crime of operating an illegal radio station) and implying that it's pandering to an audience of druggies and criminals. We all know that Boston's inner city has been troubled by high crime and drug activity for decades. So have many other areas outside of the city (where skin is predominantly a lighter color).

The issue here is that "Touch" is an illegal, unlicensed pirate station, not negative speculation about their programming from people who haven't even listened to it, or negative stereotypes about the community that they program to.

 

[NSPUNX]

I don't like to see the veiled racism in the posts implying that the station is staffed by druggies and criminals (in addition to the crime of operating an illegal radio station

I have never heard "Touch" I have no idea what they play or what audience they are targeting. IMO If they are breaking the law by running an illegal radio station then they must be also breaking the law by not reporting income to the IRS because how can you report income from an illegal operation? I would also gather they do not have the required workers comp, unemployment, or liability insurance that again is required under state law. They ARE criminals in more ways than just operating an illegal radio station. I don't care if they are blue and from mars, and thier content is the greatest radio ever broadcast in history they are breaking the law and thats all there is to it. In the words of Metallica "Nothing else matters..."

 

[ciao99]

I don't like to see the veiled racism in the posts implying that the station is staffed by druggies and criminals (in addition to the crime of operating an illegal radio station

I have never heard "Touch" I have no idea what they play or what audience they are targeting. IMO If they are breaking the law by running an illegal radio station then they must be also breaking the law by not reporting income to the IRS because how can you report income from an illegal operation? I would also gather they do not have the required workers comp, unemployment, or liability insurance that again is required under state law. They ARE criminals in more ways than just operating an illegal radio station. I don't care if they are blue and from mars, and thier content is the greatest radio ever broadcast in history they are breaking the law and thats all there is to it. In the words of Metallica "Nothing else matters..."

Touch 106.1 most definitely serves the community. They also sponsor the arts. I was at the Boston Center for the Performing Arts a few months ago, Touch was one sponsoring one of the black production companies.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Touch 106.1 most definitely serves the community. They also sponsor the arts. I was at the Boston Center for the Performing Arts a few months ago, Touch was one sponsoring one of the black production companies.

Wow. This thread is moving rapidly from the sublime to the ridiculous. Giving a few bucks for your company to appear on a program is "sponsoring the arts" and "serving the community?"

That black production company apparently doesn't care that they're associating with outlaws...and the operators of Touch ought to think twice about so blatantly thumbing their nose at the FCC by keeping a high profile, because history is not on their side. Others who've deliberately done that have ended up in prison.

 

[ciao99]

Touch 106.1 most definitely serves the community. They also sponsor the arts. I was at the Boston Center for the Performing Arts a few months ago, Touch was one sponsoring one of the black production companies.

Wow. This thread is moving rapidly from the sublime to the ridiculous. Giving a few bucks for your company to appear on a program is "sponsoring the arts" and "serving the community?"

That black production company apparently doesn't care that they're associating with outlaws...and the operators of Touch ought to think twice about so blatantly thumbing their nose at the FCC by keeping a high profile, because history is not on their side. Others who've deliberately done that have ended up in prison.

What other radio station is sponsoring black arts in Boston?

 

[Keith321]

Touch 106.1 most definitely serves the community. They also sponsor the arts. I was at the Boston Center for the Performing Arts a few months ago, Touch was one sponsoring one of the black production companies.

Kind of reminds me of when Gerry Anguilo, "Cadillac Frank" Salemme and Raymond Patriarcha used to make donations to "Italian Churches" and "Italian Charities".

And they gave jobs to all their Italian friends.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

That black production company apparently doesn't care that they're associating with outlaws...

They probably have no idea that the station is illegal. They probably know nothing about FCC regulations, and just assume that "Touch" is the "legitimate LPFM" station that they claim to be.

 

[spilot113]

Touch 106.1 most definitely serves the community. They also sponsor the arts. I was at the Boston Center for the Performing Arts a few months ago, Touch was one sponsoring one of the black production companies.

Kind of reminds me of when Gerry Anguilo, "Cadillac Frank" Salemme and Raymond Patriarcha used to make donations to "Italian Churches" and "Italian Charities".

And they gave jobs to all their Italian friends.

I recall Whitey Bulger used to do the same as well.

Nothing makes a criminal more lovable than when they give to charity from their ill gotten loot...and make more people dependent on them.

Are they doing it out of the niceness of the heart? No, were doing what was best for themselves.

Isn't that what Touch 106 was doing? Use money from their illegal activities to promote organizations (Boston Center for the Performing Arts) and people that will owe them favors?

Come to think of it, you will still find apologists for Whitey Bulger around town ,too.

(Can you say Mike Barnicle?)

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

What other radio station is sponsoring black arts in Boston?

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen: The latest excuse for pirate radio.

The jokes just write themselves.

 

[DJKraze]

I wonder if the reason they sell airtime is to build up enough capital to be able to afford a fight against the system in order to stay on the air. There are so few options to being able to put up a new station in the market. This kinda reminds me of how some former pirate stations in London became popular enough to eventually get support behind them and become legal, Kiss 100 and Choice FM come to mind. Think of it this way, it could be worse, London has about 40 legal stations and a few more than 40 pirates. Out there, the radio commission is out in force on a constant basis shutting stations down (and also making people pay to watch and listen to TV & Radio)

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I wonder if the reason they sell airtime is to build up enough capital to be able to afford a fight against the system in order to stay on the air. There are so few options to being able to put up a new station in the market. This kinda reminds me of how some former pirate stations in London became popular enough to eventually get support behind them and become legal, Kiss 100 and Choice FM come to mind.

Build up capital for what, to keep paying off fines?

It has been determined by the FCC that there is no room considered to be available on the dial whatsoever for any new signals in the greater Boston metro due to interference issues to existing stations.

Unless FCC regulations regarding frequency allotments in urban areas change, or some sort of new class for LPFM's in urban areas is legitimately created by the FCC, there is currently no way that "Touch", or any of the Boston area pirates, can become legal regardless of their popularity and support.

 

[nd2023]

If the pirate stays on for 3 years, it will definitely bill over $10000+cost of the transmitter/antenna in that time. They figure that $10000+transmitter is cheaper than purchasing or starting a legal station. If the FCC shut them down faster, then it won't be profitable. If the pirate transmits spurs over 108 megahertz, it will interfere with air traffic communication, and then they will get shut down in hours or days.

 

[ciao99]

I wonder if the reason they sell airtime is to build up enough capital to be able to afford a fight against the system in order to stay on the air. There are so few options to being able to put up a new station in the market. This kinda reminds me of how some former pirate stations in London became popular enough to eventually get support behind them and become legal, Kiss 100 and Choice FM come to mind. Think of it this way, it could be worse, London has about 40 legal stations and a few more than 40 pirates. Out there, the radio commission is out in force on a constant basis shutting stations down (and also making people pay to watch and listen to TV & Radio)

I too noticed the plethora of pirates in London. I also have to say I noticed much more pirate activity in the New York and Newark area of NJ visiting this past weekend.

Interesting how the only growth in media is at pirates. The rest of the radio dial is downsizing.

 

[spilot113]

Interesting how the only growth in media is at pirates. The rest of the radio dial is downsizing.

Yeah, it's amazing what you can do when you don't have to play by the rules.

ASCAP/BMI? Screw it!

Employees? Screw 'em!

Payroll? Screw it!

Health Insurance, etc? Screw it!

Engineers to make sure your signal isn't interfering with anyone else? Screw it!

Legal Paperwork with the FCC? Screw it!


It's pretty easy to 'grow' when you don't have to deal with those pesky things.......

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

I wonder if the reason they sell airtime is to build up enough capital to be able to afford a fight against the system in order to stay on the air.

Pirate don't have that kind of money, or any hope of ever getting it. After all, they have to eat, put a roof over their heads and work too...and remember that what they would be fighting is a Supreme Court ruling from 1947 which affirms the FCC's authority over use of the radio spectrum, a ruling which has been cited and upheld dozens of time since then. That kind of challenge doesn't come cheaply and has virtually no hope of success.