If you build it, they will listen, North Seattle Grassroots Radio believes. A couple of benefit shows away from broadcasting, the station will operate outside of radar screen of the FCC.

The Committee For Democracy on Public Airwaves sketched the initial blueprint of their audio vision in October, and within a few months time, they are ready to cross the threshold of fruition. In their mission statement they declare, "We believe that radio in Seattle is not only just plain bad, but that there is no way to change these radio stations to make them better." The slogan: "Free Radio for all Folks", the mantra: "Do you run your radio or does it run you?"

Several founding parents of the soon-to-be station shared beer-flavored philosophy recently. Like many activists donating their time and talent, their collective experiences have morphed into a shared enthusiasm. As they will face penalties if they get caught operating a "pirate" radio station, only first names identify the participants.

"When I first started in radio, you could play what you wanted, but the more involved I got, I learned how bureaucratic it is, so I bailed out," said John. John worked on Skagit Valley College’s student station, a public radio station in Lynnwood, WA, and did a couple shows on a Capitol Hill pirate station, FUCC.

The success of other pirate stations, like Radio Free Berkeley, one of several such stations in the Bay Area, inspire the collective. John noted a black liberation radio movement in Illinois that addressed police brutality. As the committee emphasizes the word community in community radio station, they will encourage political ideas put forth on the station.

"I want it to be just like public access (on cable television)," said Brian. They have wrestled with the question of would they allow a member of Aryan Nation, or a gay basher, or another incarnation of hate monger on the air. "I don’t want to be anybody’s censor," said Brian. "But there’s offensiveness and there’s just plain wrong, so if that happened I would make sure the right people were listening."If someone were to request air time to advocate say, infanticide of females, the station would open phone lines so the public could react and respond, or bring in others to counter those views and open the debate. "What that person would have done is single himself out," said John.

"We’re not an island, we’ll be rooted in the community and there are elements that keep things like that in check."Nevertheless, they doubt such groups would ever even approach their station."I don’t think it would be a problem because such a person would have to exist within the boundaries of how we operate and people like that are generally fascists," said John. "They would have to be interacting with us, so it;s not very plausible," said Sami.

The committee operates as a true democracy. They have raised money for equipment, which will approximate $250,000 through benefit shows to ensure that no one person can claim ownership of the station. "We make it democratic so that all the people on the air have a say instead of just the program director," said John. "All of us are smarter than one of us."The have forged alliances with other groups, such as Free Speech Seattle (who opposes the poster ban), and have shared resources and advertising with Free Seattle Radio.

"Even before we get on the air, just the fact that we put this in motion, we have connected with so many other people it’s awesome," said Sami.

Just as Free Speech Seattle protests Seattle ordinances, North Seattle Grassroots Radio protests FCC regulations. They also protest corporate radio stations that regurgitate the same jokes, intros, record label sponsored playlists and blanched music simultaneously across the U.S. "The reason it’s so banal - that’s corporate America," said Sami.

"How easy is it to listen to commercial radio, watch TV news, read USA Today? Eighty-percent of America take what’s handed to them. Most people feel comfortable in the norm.""There’s so much music out there past and present that should be played so that others can enjoy," said Mike.

"I was a TV child, but it was actually meeting people that turned me on to other things," said Brian.

The committee hopes that analogy of people sharing their music fetishes will work on the scale of radio. Whereas commercial DJs spin tightly narrowed playlists for profit, pirate DJs donate their time out of a passion for music.

They acknowledge a possible effect on other Seattle stations, including KCMU, to which Brian used to donate until the station eliminated its news program. "We’re building a counter institution which will be cutting into their market share by providing something for free," said John.

They are committed to not letting their institution get institutionalized. Now, they have nothing but ideas.

"We can put on a Firesign Theatre, we can have snippets of comedy," said Mike. Bringing new ideas to an old medium, the committee has committed itself to radio. With on-line radio stations sprouting even in Seattle, they have chosen the more costly route, partly because of their luddite inclinations.

"Even if there’s more freedom on the internet, it’s a class thing," said Brian. "Not everybody has a computer. We’re putting a lot into it, libraries are destroying books and putting them all on-line. But the book is a proven medium."

"Computers take away choice, you’re all sitting in the same box," said Sami.

However, they acknowledge a usefulness to computers, even having an email address (iwwjmp@speakeasy.org).

"One way I find their usefulness is that smaller stations could get together and exchange programs, just the like big stations use satellites," said John.

Radio stations face challenges audio-enabled web sites do not: FCC regulations. Truly regulation-free, content and transmission power are unlimited. North Seattle Grassroots Radio will operate outside of those regulations.The FCC has proposed low wattage licensing, which will, in theory allow stations without the cash to transmit in volume to operate legally. The committee will continue with their plans, keeping a watchful yet skeptical eye on the FCC’s plans.

"For me doing this is what can I do to have fun in a Kurt Vonnegut way of doing so without causing harm," said Brian. "Just the act of doing this is my idea of success. Some times you get so wrapped up in all that’s wrong with the world that you do not move at all."

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