Mbanna Kantako
Encyclopedia
Mbanna Kantako is a 50 year old blind
African freedom fighter who is active in the Low-power broadcasting
(microwatt, FM
pirate radio
broadcasting) in the United States of America. His station called Human Rights Radio has received some media coverage which has in turn inspired others of like mind to follow his lead.
in Springfield, Illinois
. With the help of Mike Townsend, a professor of social work
at a small college in Springfield, Mbanna Kantako obtained a 1 watt transmitter kit from a mail order catalog.
In the Northeast Alan Weiner and his friends who later started Radio Newyork International
had used various unlicensed landbased transmitters which constantly came to the attention of the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC). Raids had taken place and court cases followed. Those stations radiated power outputs that could be heard over wide areas and which were reported in a variety of media outlets.
when his microwatt transmissions expanded in both duration and content by featuring youths who were in trouble with the Housing Project police. Then he was ordered to cease his broadcasts. Like a lot of pirate radio broadcasters at first he complied and then came back on the airwaves. However, he announced his return by informing the FCC of his intention by means of a public announcement to the press. The net result was a summons to appear in court where he faced a $750 fine. Kantako claimed that he could not get a court-appointed lawyer and so he refused to go to court and as a result a default judgment was entered against him.
Kantako also returned to the air from 7pm to midnight every day. His reasoning is exactly the same as Alan Weiner who started Radio Newyork International
after first operating both licensed and unlicensed commercial radio stations on land in the New York
area. Kantako claims that he should be left alone because he is just using an open space on the spectrum.
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
African freedom fighter who is active in the Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
(microwatt, FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
broadcasting) in the United States of America. His station called Human Rights Radio has received some media coverage which has in turn inspired others of like mind to follow his lead.
Mail order kit
During the 1980s, Mbanna Kantako had been living in a public housing projectPublic housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
in Springfield, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. With the help of Mike Townsend, a professor of social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
at a small college in Springfield, Mbanna Kantako obtained a 1 watt transmitter kit from a mail order catalog.
Housing Project Tenants' Association
Having constructed the transmitter, Mbanna used to communicate with other Black residents in the housing project under the call letters WTRA ("Tenants Rights Association"), of which he was a member. These transmissions went through more changes of name from Black Liberation Radio to African Liberation Radio.Landbased pirate radio
Mbanna was able to transmit on extremely low-power without interference.In the Northeast Alan Weiner and his friends who later started Radio Newyork International
Radio Newyork International
Radio Newyork International was the name of a pirate radio station which broadcast from a ship anchored in international waters off Jones Beach, New York, USA in 1987 and 1988...
had used various unlicensed landbased transmitters which constantly came to the attention of the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC). Raids had taken place and court cases followed. Those stations radiated power outputs that could be heard over wide areas and which were reported in a variety of media outlets.
Fine
Mbanna Kantako found himself under investigation by the FCCFederal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
when his microwatt transmissions expanded in both duration and content by featuring youths who were in trouble with the Housing Project police. Then he was ordered to cease his broadcasts. Like a lot of pirate radio broadcasters at first he complied and then came back on the airwaves. However, he announced his return by informing the FCC of his intention by means of a public announcement to the press. The net result was a summons to appear in court where he faced a $750 fine. Kantako claimed that he could not get a court-appointed lawyer and so he refused to go to court and as a result a default judgment was entered against him.
Inspirational anarchy
His press conference inspired others to also start microwatt stations in other cities. Radio Free Detroit took to the air and it was promptly raided by the FCC. But in short order it was followed by Free Radio Berkeley and then San Francisco Liberation Radio.Kantako also returned to the air from 7pm to midnight every day. His reasoning is exactly the same as Alan Weiner who started Radio Newyork International
Radio Newyork International
Radio Newyork International was the name of a pirate radio station which broadcast from a ship anchored in international waters off Jones Beach, New York, USA in 1987 and 1988...
after first operating both licensed and unlicensed commercial radio stations on land in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
area. Kantako claims that he should be left alone because he is just using an open space on the spectrum.