[Imc] Pioneering Springfield Microbroadcaster Shut Down

[Paul Riismandel]

I received this news Friday night and promptly reported it on WEFT during 
our Pledge Drive party.  I'll also be talking about it a little more Sunday 
morning at 10:00am on my Radio Free Conscience program.

Here's the report I posted to Indymedia:
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