REC History - 2011

With the passage of the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 (LCRA) fresh on our minds, REC broadcast operations were in full steam after a few years of “simmering”. As a part of the implementation of LCRA and a need to fairly distribute LPFM and pending Auction 83 (Great Translator Invasion) translators based on community need, REC introduces a proposal to the FCC called “2x70” which called for the dismissal of translator applications that if granted, would prevent at the availability of two LPFM channels within 70% of the translator’s proposed service contour. REC would later team up with Prometheus Radio Project and Common Frequency to jointly support an alternative plan to the FCC’s proposed market-based “channel floors” proposal.

J1 Radio, an entertainment outlet of REC Networks would take on various new roles in the wake of a M9.0 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan’s Tohoku region on March 11. REC Networks started to encourage donations to the Japan Society of New York through J1 as well as REC’s other properties. J1 Radio was the radio sponsor of the Mighty Harajuku Project, a coalition of Tokyo area merchants to reach out to both Tokyo and the world to say that Harajuku was still open for business despite minor damage in the Tokyo area, rolling blackouts and the scare at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. J1 would eventually build an interface to Japan’s Earthquake Early Warning system. Because of network and software delays, J1’s system was not a true early-warning system, it did inform the world of seismic activity in Japan. J1 would also strengthen its bond with listeners in Tokyo as well as the rest of “J1’s World” with periodic weather announcements, Tokyo travel and weather as well as daily newscasts. In December, J1 unveiled specialized website content directed at Singapore, one of J1’s strongest audiences outside the United States and Japan.

REC joined other media justice organizations in their opposition of the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile. Citing lack of handset portability and anti-competitive pricing for international roaming customers, REC filed a petition to deny the application. REC did have to take action against an advertisement that was paid for by one of the largest opponents of the merger and was created by various media justice organizations. As a result of REC’s actions, the campaign was retooled as to not be offensive towards an oppressed minority group. REC would later lash out at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for their lack of support during the offensive advertising campaign and their eventual comments to the FCC supporting the merger. In December, AT&T withdrew their bid to merge with T-Mobile.

The “rapture” predicted by Family Stations’ Harold Camping turned hoax that caused people to injure their children, kill their pets and deplete their life savings prompted REC’s Michi Eyre to write to Senators John McCain and Maria Cantwell to talk about the abuse of radio spectrum by so-called “mega-ministries” and recommended ownership caps on all non-commercial educational stations, faith-based and secular.

In November, REC moved most of its operations to Mardela Springs, MD after 16 years in Arizona.

"Maru Maru Mori Mori", by child stars Mana Ashida and Suzuki Fuku was the number one song on J1 for the year 2011.