On Thursday, federal agents shut down the unlicensed radio station TOUCH 106.1FM, located in the Grove Hall neighborhood around Roxbury and Dorchester. The station billed itself as “the fabric of the black community” and had been on the air for eight years. On Friday, Governor Deval Patrick called out the FCC for what he felt were rash actions towards a local media staple.
“I’m incredibly disappointed,” Patrick said to the Boston Globe. “I understand what the legal basis is, but you’d like to think of their bringing more of a problem-solving approach. TOUCH is a pretty important voice in the community. I’ve been on it many times and have tremendous respect for the team over there.”
Governor Patrick has made several appearances on TOUCH, as have other local politicos, despite it not being licensed.
According to local online publication The Dot Reporter, the FCC had imposed fines on the station in the past and even paid them at least one visit.
TOUCH co-founder Charles Clemons, who ran for mayor last year, noted in the video below that the station had its paperwork pending for a license.
“The FCC has decided to silence the community again,” said Clemons,” however, the community will not be silenced. You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution. God inspired me to give my voice to the community. TOUCH 106.1FM is profanity free, TOUCH 106.1FM provides resources for our community, TOUCH 106.1FM connects our community to the government.”
TOUCH also released the following statement on their website:
The FCC raided the office of Dorchester-based company TOUCH 106.1 FM on April 17th, 2014. TOUCH 106.1 FM would like to say THANK YOU Boston for the wonderful 8 yrs we had together. The staff, volunteers, radio personalities, and management which makes up TOUCHFM will continue to be the voice of the people of Boston.
The Globe notes further that the governor has been in contact with a lawyer on behalf of TOUCH, as well as with FCC officials in Washington D.C., in hopes of getting Clemons and company back on the air.
It’s unclear why the FCC raided Clemons’s station at this point in time, but WGBH asked Clemons if he thought it was because of his mayoral bid last year. He said he didn’t think so.
Image via TOUCH 106.1FM Facebook/ Picture by: Tony Irving
