On Friday, Sept. 29

  • On Friday, Sept. 29 at 5:15pm, pioneering Micropower
    Broadcaster Mbanna Kantako and his Springfield, IL, unlicensed
    micropower radio station, Human Rights Radio, were shut down
    by Federal Marshals and the Federal Communications
    Commission.
    The FCC charges that Kantako’s station, operating
    at less than 100 watts of power, threatened the radio
    communications for the Air Rendezvous Air Show planned for
    Springfield this weekend.

    The raid, conducted by Federal Marshals, lasted from 5:15 PM to
    6:00 PM CDT, during which Kantako’s transmitting and computer
    equipment. Luckily, his recordings library, containing valuable
    archive recordings of Human Rights radio broadcasts, were left
    untouched.

    Mbanna Kantako, widely recognized as the founding father of the
    micropower radio movement, first went on the air with Black
    Liberation Radio in November 1987, broadcasting to the residents
    of the John Hay Housing Projects in Springfield, the capital city of
    Illinois. Since that time Kantako has broadened his message from
    one of black liberation to one looking to help empower and liberate
    all oppressed peoples. Noted micropower radio activists like
    Stephen Dunifer of Free Radio Berkeley cite Kantako as the
    inspiration for the nationwide micropower radio movement that
    has grown so strong that the FCC was moved into recreating a
    licensed low-power radio service this past January.

    Kantako’s court date is set for Wednesday, October 4 at 10:00 AM
    in the Federal Court, Federal Building in downtown Springfield, IL
    on Monroe Street (between 6th and 7th Streets). Supporters of
    Kantako, Human Rights Radio, and right to use the airwaves are
    strongly encouraged to attend this date and show your support in
    the courtroom.

    For more information, contact Ron Sakolsky & Sheila Nopper at
    217-498-8497 or
    Michael Townsend at 217-483-6100


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