Free Radio Santa Cruz

{{short description|Unlicensed community radio station in Santa Cruz, California, United States}}

{{Other uses|FRSC (disambiguation){{!}}FRSC}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{more citations needed|date=September 2008}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = FRSC

| logo =

| airdate = Spring 1995

| frequency = 101.3 (MHz) (formerly 101.1 MHz, 96.3MHz and 89.3MHz)

| area = Santa Cruz, California

| format = Freeform

| erp = 200 watts{{cite news|title=Pirate radio station marks 7 years on the air|date=April 1, 2002|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel}}

| class = Pirate

| owner = The Free Radio Santa Cruz Collective

| branding = Free Radio Santa Cruz

| webcast =

| website = [http://www.freakradio.org/ freakradio.org]

| coordinates = {{Coord|36|58|05|N|122|01|54|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}

}}

Free Radio Santa Cruz (FRSC) is an unlicensed radio station in Santa Cruz, California, United States. Founded by activists Skidmarkbob Bob, Phil Free and Dennis Davey. The station has been on the air since Spring, 1995; its broadcast content is a mix of daily news, music, and cultural programs, produced both locally and nationally.

Because FRSC does not have a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the station is in open violation of US federal regulations. Free Radio Santa Cruz allows individuals in the community to have their own shows, and encourages participation through donations, membership in the broadcasting collective, and calling in live during shows.

On September 29, 2004, the station was raided by agents of the FCC, backed by federal marshals armed with assault rifles. No arrests were made, but the agents shut down the station and physically seized nearly all of the equipment, including the transmitter, computers, mixing boards, microphones, headphones, CD players, and CDs. The equipment was never returned.

However, with a strong showing of community support, the station was streaming online again within 48 hours and transmitting at 101.1 FM less than a month after the raid. FRSC continues to stream and broadcast 24 hours a day. As of October 2011, the station is broadcasting on 101.3 MHz.