U.S. Marshals Shut Down Unlicensed 'Touch 106.1 FM Boston'

The only Black radio station in Boston has been shut down by United States Marshals and the FCC. The station operated as a low-powered radio station over the air for the last eight years. Which means the station broadcast area was less than 10 miles, but somewhere along the way the FCC has yet to grant the station the licensing necessary to continue to broadcast according to station founder Charles Clemons. He addresses the issues surrounding the shutdown in the [video] below.

The station continues to broadcast on the internet at TouchFM.org and is available on iOS and Android mobile devices. U.S. Marshals yesterday seized any equipment that would enable Touch 106.1 to broadcast over the airwaves. Clemons has been fined $17,000 by the FCC for operating without a license in the past. The station although not profitable has established itself as a viable option for the African American community in Boston mainly in the communities of Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury. The last Black radio station in Boston was heritage station 1090 WILD, which operated  for over 40 years as a AM radio station that signed off at sunset due to FCC regulations. Radio One which currently owns WILD chose to lease it to Chinese Radio International and dropped the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Rev. Al Sharpton talk show, local information and music programming in 2011.

#Breaking #CommunityNews #Alert US Marshals are reportedly in the process of raiding TOUCH 106.1 FM radio station... http://t.co/IWJ3DU6U9G
— TOUCH 106.1 FM (@TOUCHFM) April 17, 2014

You can reach out to the station on its facebook page and twitter page.

#TOUCHFM Volunteers, DJ's and Personalities @funkyfresh1 @DjTLawson @lawson_erick @dj4hunna @charles4boston pic.twitter.com/jCPBgsrQ
— TOUCH 106.1 FM (@TOUCHFM) January 20, 2013