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A Brief History of FRO

 In the interest of providing the community with a media outlet uncensored by government and corporate interests, a group of independent media activists, dee-jays, and technicians created an unlicensed free radio station in Olympia in the spring of 2001, broadcasting on 91.3 FM. In June 2002, Free Radio Olympia (FRO) was threatened by the law enforcement arm of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and temporarily went off the air in Olympia.

In September of 2002 Free Radio Olympia joined forces with elements of Radio Free Cascadia (RFC) and Oregon Underground Radio (OUR) to deliver a strong signal in Seattle for five days to protest the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2002 Radio Show in cooperation with the Electronic Mosquito Fleet (EMF), which drew free radio activists from around the nation to Seattle to participate. Our combined effort, Justice Airwaves Mobilization, JAM 101.1 FM, was one of the strongest signals of the EMF , broadcasting with 100 watts from a tree on the Olympic Peninsula, taking our cue from Y2WTKO, which broadcast during the protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle in November-December, 1999.

In February 2003, FRO was restyled in Olympia as a programming collective, which made local content available for other entities to broadcast independently and anonymously. Free Radio Olympia's program content was relayed from two to twelve hours a day in Olympia on the liberated frequency 91.3 FM, which also relayed Freak Radio Santa Cruz (FRSC) , and other free radio stations. 91.3 FM was operated independently from Free Radio Olympia by the shadowy Voices of Free Olympia (VFO) until August 2003, when FRO resumed broadcasting on 91.3 FM, this time 24 hours a day, but still retaining some of the better programming available from FRSC and other sources.

On October 29, 2004, in response to a request by KBCS on 91.3 in Bellevue, Free Radio Olympia moved our broadcast frequency to 101.9 FM, where we continued to broadcast in defiance of the government's and industry's unwarranted attempts to restrict and control access to the electromagnetic spectrum.

On March 1, 2005, FRO changed frequency again to 98.5 FM, this time in response to pressure from KSWW in Gray's Harbor, which operates on our previous first adjacent, 102.1. FRO is proud to occupy 98.5 FM, the frequency that was liberated on Eugene, Oregon's dial by our comrades Radio Free Cascadia from April 1998 until they were shut down by the feds in March 2001, the month that FRO went on the air in Olympia, almost four years ago today.

Written by dj megawatti. Updated on March 24, 2005 by dj megawatti.

Press Release: FRO's 2004 Switch to 101.9

 

Free Radio Olympia Frequency Changes.

This Press Release was issued before in October 2004 and published in Works In Progress in Olympia. As of 2005 we are broadcasting at 98.5 FM.

by dj megawatti

On October 29, 2004 Free Radio Olympia will move our broadcast signal from 91.3 FM to 101.9 FM. We are calling on listeners to help spread the word, to make sure all our listeners know to retune their receivers to 101.9 on 10.29! 

Free Radio Olympia is an unlicensed community radio station operating at 100 watts in Olympia. Our aim is to provide information and education to the community by offering diverse content including independent and local music, alternative commentary and news programs, and coverage of local events. In order for radio to be used effectively as a resource by the community, we encourage participation. Free radio offers the community a means for outreach to communicate, organize, and unify, in an unregulated atmosphere.

Free Radio Olympia has been broadcasting on 91.3 FM since we first went on the air in the spring of 2001. When the frequency was chosen, we ensured that our signal would not interfere with another radio station’s signal within its protected contour, the range of its signal guaranteed by its license. However, it was not taken into account that KBCS on 91.3 in Bellevue had a listenable signal in Olympia, outside its protected contour, and that the Bellevue Community College station might have listeners here.

Recently it has come to our attention that FRO’s use of 91.3 has in fact prevented some Olympia listeners of KBCS from tuning in their favorite radio station, thus limiting their freedom of choice. KBCS is not a commercial radio station or an NPR franchise, but a progressive community station that airs many of the same important public affairs programs FRO airs such as Democracy Now! and Free Speech Radio News. The KBCS studio is where Amy Goodman went to work on her program Democracy Now! when she was in the Puget Sound area for Evergreen's graduation in 2003, where she was the keynote speaker.

The members of Free Radio Olympia have reached consensus that the responsible course of action is to change our frequency to one not used by broadcasters near enough to have a listenership in Olympia. We have access to more comprehensive information about the landscape of Olympia's FM dial than we had in 2001. We have chosen 101.9 FM, where our nearest co-channel neighbors are in Victoria, B.C. and Portland, OR.

As an unlicensed, unregulated micro-power radio station, FRO has always held to the belief that no one owns the airwaves, and that no government or entity should have the authority to own, rent or sell access to the radio frequency spectrum as if it were real estate. In fact, some of us believe no one should have the authority to own, rent or sell real estate! Still, it is not the fault of the renter that the landlord exacts a toll. While KBCS as a licensed, and therefore regulated, station does not have freedom of mobility on the dial, FRO as an autonomous station has much more freedom. As good, community-oriented radio pirates we will hold ourselves accountable to our mission statement and relinquish our squat on 91.3 for the good of the people, letting the progressive voice of KBCS again have some room on Olympia's dial.

When we change frequency, KBCS will be heard on 91.3, listenable but not clear on most receivers. KBCS will be have recently completed their fall pledge drive. If you like their programming, and you want to let them know that they are appreciated in Olympia, you might consider giving them a donation.

Please don't forget to also donate to FRO! We never have pledge drives, but Free Radio Olympia is funded solely by listener donations, grassroots fundraising events, and t-shirt sales. We can receive donations at Last Word Books, 211 4th Ave. in downtown Olympia.

We hope our listeners will follow us across the dial to 101.9. But if we aren't playing anything good at 6 in the morning, you can listen to Democracy Now! live via satellite on KBCS 91.3, before it is aired by any local Olympia stations! Please know that our jog to the right on the dial does not reflect any change of content, except that which occurs normally as the result of new voices and ever-increasing community participation.

We will continue to broadcast in mono, to maximize the range we can cover with our signal. To tune us in, manually tune your receiver, or, if you must use scan or seek, disengage stereo (MPX) lock, on your receiver to enable it to stop on mono signals. If you have difficulty recieving our signal, try adding a wire antenna to your receiver. Even a piece of wire (bare, not insulated) wrapped tight around the telescoping antenna of a boombox, taped down, and the remainder tacked up on the wall will make a difference.

For more information about Free Radio Olympia or to get involved, visit us online at www.frolympia.org, email us at fro@riseup.net, or call our studio at (360)705-9780.

Remember to tell your friends, FRO moves from 91.3 to 101.9 on 10.29!!!