FCC Shuts Down Alex Jones’ Pirate Radio Station
USTIN, Texas (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission has shut down a pirate radio station that served as the flagship outlet for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
The Austin American-Statesman reports the FCC also has fined the station’s operators $15,000 — a fine the FCC says in a lawsuit the operators are refusing to pay.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Austin alleges Liberty Radio operated on a channel without a license since at least 2013. The lawsuit names as defendants Walter Olenick and M. Rae Nadler-Olenick.
Court documents show the FCC had tracked the transmissions to a 50-foot tower at an Austin apartment complex owned by an entity linked to the Olenicks.
A message left with the Olenicks wasn’t returned. According to a letter the FCC entered as an exhibit in its lawsuit, the Olenicks refused to pay the fine or recognize the FCC’s authority, saying they would regard its agents as trespassers should they return.
According to a message on the outlet’s website, Liberty Radio stopped airing in December but continues streaming online.
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Jones has faced troubles in recent months, most notably a defamation lawsuit arising from his false claim on his Austin-based “Infowars” program that the parents of one of the children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre were perpetuating the massacre story as a hoax.
Most social media platforms have banned Jones from their channels for violating their prohibitions of hate speech. His program also has been removed from the music streaming services Spotify.
Comments (5)
Scott G says:
August 16, 2018 at 10:01 am
If Youtube, Spotify, Twitter, and Facebook all think Jones is a monger of hate-speech and anti-American ideals, when will radio be rid of him?
TheTruthHurts says:
August 16, 2018 at 10:08 am
When station owners and program directors finally figure out how much of a liability he really is.
Earl Flanigan says:
August 16, 2018 at 10:03 am
SQUAWKK! Polly Parrot want a cracker? There is ZERO proof that Jones stated Sandy Hook was a hoax. I defy anyone to find an original air-check recording stating that. Love how the yellow “journalists” make it appear that some idiot pirate station was the main outlet for Jones, when in reality his listener/viewership has increased in these past few weeks. Moral of the story: Never poke a badger with a sharp stick unless you want your balls ripped off!
WhoozeIt says:
August 16, 2018 at 11:15 am
^ Anonymous idiot says something on the Internet.
RIDGELINE-TV says:
August 16, 2018 at 1:13 pm
Alex Jones…one of Trump’s buddies…enough said.