Touch FM shut down by Feds

[raccoonradio]

http://www.fybush.com/nerw-20140421/

Fybush on the Touch 106 raid. He notes that while the station had good intentions and did a lot for the community it was still illegal; they could have applied for an LPFM under the recent window but didn't; and Clemons could have worked with an "outside non-profit to serve as the applicant...and there’s no overt FCC prohibition against ex-pirates programming LPFMs."It was said his position as part of a pirate would have excluded him personally, but he still could have helped ... etc.

 

[raccoonradio]

http://wgbhnews.org/post/touch-1061-takedown-feds-raid-unlicensed-radio-station

 

[DG02816]

Clemons needs jail time for this and Governor Patrick should also be censured by the FCC.

 

[spt87]

There are plenty of options to make this operation legal - streaming on the internet is one. Leasing time is another. Why no protests when Radio One destroyed WILD which was a true institution. In the late 1990's this was a good sounding station (running in stereo) and I listened to the time tunnel show pretty much every Saturday. Maybe put some energy behind raising funds to buy it and revive it. Run it like WJIB is with listener support.

The FCC needs to do it's job and protect the licensed stations which they did, finally. Now I wonder if I ran a prirate station downtown geared at the underserved people in the harbor front condos if the Gov. would step in to help me?

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Why no protests when Radio One destroyed WILD which was a true institution.

There were some futile protests, but Radio One placed WILD on such a long, slow, painful decline during the 2000's that their programming was toast before they sold all the time to China Radio. It was pretty much gradually destroyed as a station serving the community in the years before the format was completely changed. It was down to some nationally syndicated talk, and automated "classic soul" music in very poor fidelity (often with only one channel of stereo broadcast on the mono signal) and very little, if any, live and local content. It was barely a ghost of its former self by a couple of years before CRI.

 

[MickeyD]

There were some futile protests, but Radio One placed WILD on such a long, slow, painful decline during the 2000's that their programming was toast before they sold all the time to China Radio. It was pretty much gradually destroyed as a station serving the community in the years before the format was completely changed. It was down to some nationally syndicated talk, and automated "classic soul" music in very poor fidelity (often with only one channel of stereo broadcast on the mono signal) and very little, if any, live and local content. It was barely a ghost of its former self by a couple of years before CRI.

"What's the swingingest station for you and me W-I-L-D"

 

[djchrisontheradio]

Looks like Touch is planning to make a return to the airwaves with or without a license. Its going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Here's a few status updates that we're posted on their Facebook page.

Thank you for your continued support. We are moving the Ball forward We will be back on 106.1 FM Stronger.

and

So the FCC won't let me be or
let me be me so let me see
they tried to shut me down in my Community
but it feels so empty without me.

 

[raccoonradio]

Last bit sounds inspired by Eminem

 

[Wimmmex]

Looks like Touch is planning to make a return to the airwaves with or without a license. Its going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Here's a few status updates that we're posted on their Facebook page.

Thank you for your continued support. We are moving the Ball forward We will be back on 106.1 FM Stronger.

You know, I can't believe a word that comes out of Clemons mouth...so why would I believe the prediction that they will be back on 106.1 (and even STRONGER, no less!)

He is very good at making public pronouncements...most of them untrue.

(i.e..."we have applied for a license", etc.)

 

[BostonRandy]

If Clemons brings Touch back to the FM band sans license, he needs to be locked up. Anyone associated with his illegal operation? Locked up. There is no excuse for someone flagrantly violating the law to only have his/her hands slapped.

 

[frnkp2000]

If Clemons brings Touch back to the FM band sans license, he needs to be locked up. Anyone associated with his illegal operation? Locked up. There is no excuse for someone flagrantly violating the law to only have his/her hands slapped.

It really is a slap in the face to the rest of us who work hard to ABIDE by the FCC regs, and sometimes you still do get nabbed for something. My only NOV was for faded tower paint--condition corrected within 60 days.

 

[raccoonradio]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/re...vocates-say/3p7CuAZhPMhBbcUWafTETL/story.html Pirate radio stations dot the suburbs (mentions low frequency unauth. stations..prob means low power

 

[frnkp2000]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/re...vocates-say/3p7CuAZhPMhBbcUWafTETL/story.html Pirate radio stations dot the suburbs (mentions low frequency unauth. stations..prob means low power

All I saw in that article was whining. These people are NOT "entitled" to do what they do just because they're minorities. Pay the money, and get the license like everyone else. If you can't afford it, or no clear frequencies are available, tough. Buy time on an existing station or start an online station. End of story.

 

[MarioMania]

How many Watts is he running Touch FM?

 

[nowradioguy]

All I saw in that article was whining. These people are NOT "entitled" to do what they do just because they're minorities. Pay the money, and get the license like everyone else. If you can't afford it, or no clear frequencies are available, tough. Buy time on an existing station or start an online station. End of story.

What I detected in the article was a huge dollop of sympathy for the poor unlicensed (read, "illegal") operators trying to serve the under-served. Antiquated FCC R&R's be damned.

Michael Graham did not refer to the paper as "The Boston Globe-Democrat" for nothing.

 

[nowradioguy]

All I saw in that article was whining. These people are NOT "entitled" to do what they do just because they're minorities. Pay the money, and get the license like everyone else. If you can't afford it, or no clear frequencies are available, tough. Buy time on an existing station or start an online station. End of story.

What I detected in the article was a huge dollop of sympathy for the poor unlicensed (read, "illegal") operators trying to serve the under-served. Antiquated FCC R&R's be damned.

Michael Graham did not refer to the paper as "The Boston Globe-Democrat" for nothing.

 

[BostonRandy]

All the bleeding-hearts have no one to blame besides their hero, Bill Clinton, who signed the 1996 Telecommunications Act into law. That one piece of deregulation legislation, which amended the Communications Act of 1934, opened the flood gates for what many of us predicted would happen. It would be redundant to rehash what happened - and what continues today.

Do I feel that certain ethnic groups are under-served or not served at all? Of course.

Does that obvious fact excuse individuals from flagrantly breaking the law? Not in the least.

There is no simple and common sense remedy to satisfy both sides of the argument and I don't foresee one.