Media and Broadcasting Policy

Facebook: Should 'Like' Button Be Protected as Free Speech?

We've all seen the Facebook profiles supporting political candidates, the pages for protest, and the mass events that have been organized through this giant social network. Facebook has certainly made its mark on the political scene. Now, the Bay Area-based company wants a constitutional voice.Faceb ... More >>

KUSF Supporters Appeal FCC Decision to Sell College Radio Station

Last month the Federal Communications Commission approved the unpopular sale of KUSF to the Classical Public Radio Network in SoCal, making it official -- University of San Francisco would lose its indie radio station for good. But KUSF supporters aren't yet giving up. Proponents filed the paperwork ... More >>

KUSF Sale Approved to SoCal Network

Much to the dismay of locals, the Federal Communications Commission today approved the sale of the radio station KUSF to the Classical Public Radio Network. The sale will be finalized immediately, and the FCC will allow CPRN to broadcast on 90.3 while the sale is pending. The FCC also concluded that ... More >>

KUSF Sale Report: FCC Limbo Now at 16 Months

Call it 16 months of dead air: That's how long it's been since San Francisco's beloved KUSF 90.3 FM went dark in the middle of a January Tuesday, with no warning whatsoever. And after all that time, it's still unclear whether the sale of the station to a SoCal classical music radio network -- which ... More >>

FCC Narrows Inquiry Into KUSF 90.3 FM Sale

KUSF friends enjoying a gentler time​The Federal Communications Commission has agreed to narrow its request for documents from the University of San Francisco, as the regulator investigates the transaction that turned KUSF from community radio programming to a classical music format."With this lat ... More >>

FCC Scrutinizes KUSF Sale, Demands E-Mails from USF President

What did USF President Stephen Privett know, and when did he know it?​The Federal Communications Commission is taking a hard look at the proposed sale of KUSF, as evidenced by a letter demanding receipts, communications, and other inside documents and correspondence among participants in the deal. ... More >>

KUSF Sale: FCC Wants to Sweat the Details

Chris StevensKUSF supporters at a hearing on the station's closure earlier this year.​ Doesn't look like the FCC is going to just rubber-stamp USF's sale of the beloved community radio station KUSF. In a letter yesterday, the FCC's audio honcho asked to see all the documents generated in the ... More >>

KUSF to Get Harold Camping's FCC License Post Rapture

Post rapture, KUSF-in-Exile will be heard in ex-Family Radio Inc. srongholds such as Europe, Asia, Russia, South America and Sub-Saharan Africa​Here is one group that will truly benefit from not being raptured. Former KUSF DJs, who lost their terrestrial radio station when the University of San F ... More >>

KUSF Transmitter Sale Denied

The FCC is listening ​The Federal Communications Commission has denied the University of San Francisco's application to move the 90.3 FM dial to Marin.Now this doesn't mean that sale of the college station won't go through; the FCC has yet to consider USF's application to sell the KUSF license to ... More >>

KUSF Staff Files Petition to Block Sale of Radio Station

KUSF needs the FCC to listen​We had almost gotten used to the idea that KUSF would not longer be the indie college radio station we had known. But the station's staff reminded us this week when they filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission, officially asking it to block the sale ... More >>

Internet 'Kill Switch' Bill -- What Is This, Egypt?

You can find Uma on the internet, too...​Looking back at the momentous goings on in Egypt of late, there are plenty of takeaways to go around. Here's one: Should the government have the power to sever society from the Internet?  U.S. lawmakers are considering another attempt to push through a ... More >>

USF Faculty Asks University to Cancel Sale of KUSF

Even teachers and librarians like music​The University of San Francisco is already feeling the pressure from the community to back off the sale of the college radio station, KUSF. There have been protests, rallies, and even the city's politicians are supporting the student body in its effort get i ... More >>

KUSF Needs You To Write the FCC

Only Uncle Sam can save you now....​On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors will likely approve a symbolic resolution opposing the University of San Francisco's decision to sell KUSF, the community-based radio station that was abruptly shut down two weeks ago. Even if the vote is unanimous, as author ... More >>

R.E.M., The Roots, and a Bunch of Waffles Tell Feds To Preserve Net Neutrality

R.E.M. loves net neutrality! ​A group of musicians that includes R.E.M., Jackson Browne, The Roots, Moby, and OK Go has sent a letter to the FCC urging legal protection for net neutrality, the principle (and current reality) that all information can travel equally quickly on the Internet.The FCC i ... More >>

State bill makes malicious sock puppets a crime

Do You Have First Amendment Rights in San Francisco Parks or Not?

Now valid in National Parks! Right?​Jurisdictional lines are funny things. Here in San Francisco you can hoist your banners and beat your drum to express the message of your choosing per your First Amendment Rights -- until you tread onto Ocean Beach, the Presidio, or other federal land. The Natio ... More >>

Cell Phone Industry Suing San Francisco For Your Good, Lawsuit Claims

techzblog.inHey, Mom! I want a rainbow in my brain, too! ​Lobbyists from the Cellular Telephone Industry Association are suing San Francisco over the Cell Phone Right-To-Know ordinance, claiming the city is not allowed to make decisions involving the wireless industry. But they're not doing th ... More >>

Don't Expect Court Ruling to Lead to Loads of On-Air Cursing

​It appears that George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television" still are the seven words you can never say on television. Despite a federal court ruling yesterday that fining broadcasters for uttering, say, "shit; piss, fuck; cunt; cocksucker; motherfucker; and tits" on TV or radio ... More >>

The Radio Pirate Goes Legit

Now Pirate Cat Radio is following the rules.

Pirate Cat Radio slapped with hefty fine, pushed off the FM dial

SF Gov InAction: Big money! Big money! Oh God, Make It Stop!

What an exciting week! Your Host Gaaaaaaavin Newson! will be giving away big money prizes! And how much would you pay for this PUC headquarters? Find out in our Showcase Showdown! That's not actually a joke. In fact, there is an awful lot of government happening this week, squeezing big money ... More >>

Roto-Nerds of the World Rejoice as Fantasy Football Site Spikes NFL in Court

Can you imagine paying licensing fees to use Alex Smith's stats?Aficionados of Pleistocene-era sports video games may remember how "Player No. 16" on the nameless San Francisco team with crimson uniforms was really good -- but the lack of licensing fees forbade any notion of the terms "Joe Montana," ... More >>

FCC Holding Public Hearing at Stanford this Week

Fox Refuses to Pay FCC Fine, FCC Forced to Graphically Describe Whip Cream Striptease

Fox to FCC: Fuck You and Your Fleeting Expletive Rules

Swiss Bank Tells Wikileaks: "Just Kidding!"

BitTorrent, Comcast, EFF Antipathetic To FCC Regulation of P2P Traffic

Howl Howl Howl

Fun with Trial Transcripts

Meow Mix

Tune in, turn on, say "fuck": This is the story of a man named Monkey and his very special Pirate Cat Radio

Our Man Flynt

Thirty years of naked truths

Best Use of Corporate Radio

Wobbly's Wild Why

Get On the Bus

Sarah Jones' characters aren't just studies in race and prejudice; they're studies in contradiction

The Chess Man of Market Street

Every morning the old man brings the boards, pieces, tables, and chairs. All you need to bring is 50 cents.

The FCC wants to shut down "Your Revolution"

The revolution will not be televised, or broadcast, or even relayed via smoke signals.

You Could Be Jammin'

There's a way to foil rude cell phone users. But it's illegal.

SF Weekly Wins Newsrack Injunction

Buffy the Empire Slayer

Chronicle Publishing petitions the FCC -- but why?

Riff Raff

Taking Howard Stern Seriously

Unspun

Unspun

Bitch, Bitch, Bitch

Politicos, prudes, and the paranoid protest the programming heard on Bay Area radio stations to the highest authority in the land -- the Federal Communications Commission