FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
KFAR Shut Down by the FBI
Knoxville First Amendment Radio (KFAR 90.9 FM) has been highly critical of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) over the course of the station’s 3-year history, challenging TVA’s nuclear power program and its burning of coal mined in Mountain Top Removal operations. KFAR is the only voice on the Knoxville airwaves that has consistently spoken out on important issues like the war in Iraq and nuclear weapons production in Oak Ridge. KFAR broadcasts over 15 independent news programs each week which are not available through any other source in Knoxville, and it is the only local radio station owned and operated by regular citizens.
At roughly 10:00 am on Wednesday, September 15, three federal agents from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Atlanta offices, accompanied by three US Marshals, broke into the KFAR radio station in South Knoxville and confiscated all of its equipment, knocking Knoxville's community voice off the air. According to the affidavit of FCC agent Eric Rice, the FCC was acting on complaints from FBI Special Agent Joe Clark and from David Icove, an employee of the TVA police, also on special assignment with the FBI.
KFAR broadcasts at 100 watts, about the same amount of power as what’s in the average light bulb. KFAR’s equipment exceeds all FCC requirements and does not interfere with the signal of any other radio station. Yet KFAR was shut down by the coordinated efforts of at least three federal agencies: the FCC, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and TVA, with the help of US Marshals. Each of these agencies has dedicated substantial staff time and money to shutting down a station with less power than a light bulb.
...Supporters of KFAR are organizing demonstrations, petition drives, benefits and other events to defend their radio station. Dates and information about these events are available at www.kfar.org.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
KFAR Shut Down by the FBI
Knoxville First Amendment Radio (KFAR 90.9 FM) has been highly critical of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) over the course of the station’s 3-year history, challenging TVA’s nuclear power program and its burning of coal mined in Mountain Top Removal operations. KFAR is the only voice on the Knoxville airwaves that has consistently spoken out on important issues like the war in Iraq and nuclear weapons production in Oak Ridge. KFAR broadcasts over 15 independent news programs each week which are not available through any other source in Knoxville, and it is the only local radio station owned and operated by regular citizens.
At roughly 10:00 am on Wednesday, September 15, three federal agents from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Atlanta offices, accompanied by three US Marshals, broke into the KFAR radio station in South Knoxville and confiscated all of its equipment, knocking Knoxville's community voice off the air. According to the affidavit of FCC agent Eric Rice, the FCC was acting on complaints from FBI Special Agent Joe Clark and from David Icove, an employee of the TVA police, also on special assignment with the FBI.
KFAR broadcasts at 100 watts, about the same amount of power as what’s in the average light bulb. KFAR’s equipment exceeds all FCC requirements and does not interfere with the signal of any other radio station. Yet KFAR was shut down by the coordinated efforts of at least three federal agencies: the FCC, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and TVA, with the help of US Marshals. Each of these agencies has dedicated substantial staff time and money to shutting down a station with less power than a light bulb.
...Supporters of KFAR are organizing demonstrations, petition drives, benefits and other events to defend their radio station. Dates and information about these events are available at www.kfar.org.
The spin at VHeadline:
Knoxville First Amendment Radio KFAR 90.9FM. has been raided and equipment confiscated only 3o minutes after the premier of a scheduled weekly 'The Axis of Good' broadcast that discusses the Venezuelan democratization process and its relevance at the Latin American and International levels.
Bolivarian Circles International member Jesus Rivas had introduced his program saying that "many progressive and liberal minded people ask about the (Venezuelan) process ... reliable information on topics or interest regarding the process is difficult to obtain in the United States of America ... especially in English ... so the radio show in English aimed to discuss all types of alternates with Venezuelan music."
Jesus Rivas' show, which admittedly has a modest audience, is exactly the kind of grassroots communication that the current US Bush 2 administration does not want between the citizens of the US and Venezuela. But, in a curious pretext, US FCC authorities acted precipitously on a spurious claim that KFAR 90.9FM was interfering with other frequencies and alleged that the radio station was broadcasting a higher wattage than permitted.
Radio KFAR has denied the accusation and instead draws attention to the fact that the raiding order was signed by an FBI operative known to broadcast personnel and it is possible that the FBI was monitoring KFAR's broadcast when they decided to take prevent transmission.
Bolivarian Circles International member Jesus Rivas had introduced his program saying that "many progressive and liberal minded people ask about the (Venezuelan) process ... reliable information on topics or interest regarding the process is difficult to obtain in the United States of America ... especially in English ... so the radio show in English aimed to discuss all types of alternates with Venezuelan music."
Jesus Rivas' show, which admittedly has a modest audience, is exactly the kind of grassroots communication that the current US Bush 2 administration does not want between the citizens of the US and Venezuela. But, in a curious pretext, US FCC authorities acted precipitously on a spurious claim that KFAR 90.9FM was interfering with other frequencies and alleged that the radio station was broadcasting a higher wattage than permitted.
Radio KFAR has denied the accusation and instead draws attention to the fact that the raiding order was signed by an FBI operative known to broadcast personnel and it is possible that the FBI was monitoring KFAR's broadcast when they decided to take prevent transmission.
Any way you look at it, KFAR has run afoul of Big Brother.
South Knox Bubba, who (grasping the obvious) lives in Knoxville, has a report on the incident, as well as some photos of the seizure.
Previous posts on Venezuela
More information on Venezuela
Update 09/27: An apology has been issued by VHeadline for misrepresenting what went down at KFAR (a pirate station - broadcasting illegally, which is why the FCC shut them down).
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