Author: Paul

The web log is finally working again! My weblog service blogger.com wasn’t playing nice with my U of I staff account, which is why updates didn’t happen for all of April. Now things are cool again, and I’m planning a bit of a redesign… stay tuned.

The newest issue of Micro-Film, the Champaign-Urbana based independent film ‘zine, is out and available. The publisher, Jason Pankoke, should be on the radio program for an interview real soon (Sunday 5/13 I hope).

Last week the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 3439, the so-called “Preservation of Broadcasting Act.” Originally intended to kill low-power radio outright, the bill was changed to apply the engineering standards for full-power stations to low-power, effectively preventing 80% of the stations that would be possible under the low-power standards approved by the…

Media Consolidation in Champaign-Urbana: Today’s print edition of the News-Gazzette reports that Saga Communcations, owner of WLRW (94.5 FM) and WIXY (100.3 FM) has bought WKIO (Oldies 92). Other reports put the price tag at $7 million. This brings the total number of commercial FM station owners in C-U to 3: 1. Saga 2. AAA…

Recent posts to the message board at the Downstate Illinois Radio Watch mention what appears to be an unlicensed station operating in Peoria. Now if only someone would cobble together a micropower station in Champaign-Urbana, which, with its density and student population is ripe for such a thing. Too bad all my free time goes…

Just found a nice resource site for micro/low-power radio: Rogue Radio Research. Lots of pamphlets, how-tos and other fine info. You could spend quite a bit of time there reading up.

Chalk up another one for consolidation. The New York Times reports today that Viacom, owner of CBS, has negotiated to buy UPN, making it the owner of 2 (out of 6) commercial broadcast TV networks. Viacom has yet to receive FCC approval, since the commission usually frowns on one company owning more than one network,…

WEFT recieved this statement from the Chief Union Steward of UE Local 1421 at Pacifica station KPFK regarding the recent freelance stringer strike against Pacifica Network News.

Adbusters is running a campaign for TV Turn-off week, April 22-28. They’ve been trying to get their own ads for this campaign run on network TV and are consistently refused by all but CNN. They’re asking for folks to try to get their commercials run on local TV or public access, and to post their…

CNN reports that the Tribune company, owner of the Chicago Tribune, is buying the Times/Mirror company, which owns the LA Times, amongst other properties. Yet another step in the consolidation of our media. How few distinct voices will be left in just a couple of years?