Free Speech Radio News

Free Speech Radio News (or FSRN) is an independently produced national and international radio news organization focusing on peace and social justice issues in the US and around the world. FSRN is collectively run by its workers. It is a non-profit organization, with funding from community radio stations across the US and listener-donors. FSRN is independently distributed.

Until September, 2013 FSRN produced a 30-minute daily radio news program that aired on community and college radios stations around the US and streamed on the internet. Hosted by Dorian Merina, the radio newscast relied on more than two hundred freelance reporters, "on every continent except Antarctica", who used the Internet to deliver their audio reports.

In 2013, the newscast ended its 13-year run citing financial difficulties. In February, 2014 FSRN launched a new website and distributes news content. But FSRN again announced on they weekly podcast on April 21, 2017 that they would again be ending their broadcast on April 28, 2017, again citing financial reasons.

In January 2000, freelance reporters for the former Pacifica Network News engaged in a strike, citing censorship by Pacifica's then Executive Director and Board. The strike lasted twenty-six months until March 2002 when the board was replaced. "At its March board meeting, the Pacifica board unanimously passed a resolution it negotiated with the strikers acknowledging the significant role they played in returning Pacifica to its historic mission, and pledging to end censorship of any programming throughout the network." Free Speech Radio News was formed in 2000 as an independent newscast by the strikers and has remained an independent program since that time. From March 2002 to September 2013, FSRN was aired and distributed by the Pacifica Network, and received major financial support from Pacifica.

In September, 2013, the board of directors of FSRN issued a lay-off notice to all staff, and confirmed that their last broadcast would take place on Sept 27th, 2013. The board cited financial difficulties as the reason for the decision.

On February 11, 2014 FSRN debuted a new website featuring news content from many of the more than 200 national and international reporters formerly heard on the award-winning radio program.

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Wikipedia