Radio Free Brattleboro Shut Down by Feds

Bear with me a moment and try not to dismiss this story as simply, "Well, hell, they were operating without a license so they deserved to be shut down."

Radio Free Brattleboro was indeed operating without a license. The feds had attempted to shut them down before, but were blocked by widespread community protest.

Very early this morning, federal marshalls came, seized their equipment, and padlocked the doors.

Here's why this is a shame. The FCC under Michael Powell was probably the worst incarnation of this organization ever, but it's often abused its power.

For many years now, they have made it impossible to get community broadcast licenses. Instead, the FCC has only been in the business of granting new licenses to big corporate pro-politico entities like Clear Channel.

Vermont is privileged to have a number of community, non-commercial stations, like WGDR in Plainfield (close to me and based out of Goddard College). But not every place has such, and can't get any alternative news or the views of the true community expressed.

So it's both a shame and almost criminal that the FCC forces communities to go the route that Radio Free Brattleboro had to go, and even more criminal that they shut them down.

The air waves used to belong to the people. Under Michael Powell, he sold the rights to corporations for a song and Bush support.