The popular “JRoot Radio Station”, which has been broadcasting in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn, is no longer on the air. Sources confirm to YWN that the station was shut down for failing to be in compliance with the FCC regulations.
The station, which was broadcasting on 97.5FM, had been launched under the name “Radio Hidabroot”, and later switched to “JRoot Radio”.
The station was well-listened to by thousands of residents in Flatbush and Boro Park, and had 24 hour Jewish programming. The station had shows geared for all audiences, such as practical halacha shiurim, inspiring lectures, childrens shows, parsha shiurim, therapists, doctors, health shows, and played music throughout the day and night.
The station was shut down on Wednesday afternoon, but plans to continue broadcasting on their hotline and website. Their hotline is 718-506-9099 or 712-432-4217.
JRoot will join the list of the many online Jewish Radio stations which stream great Jewish music, 24 hours a day. One of the most prominent stations, is our very own, YWN Radio, which has been streaming music for years. Make sure to check it out HERE, or feel free to download the iPhone app.
(Chaim Shapiro – YWN)
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30 Responses
Were they operating over the radio without a FCC license?
Also available on Android, by downloading the “Jstream app” from google play.
That’s a shame. What a great station it was. My wife and kids had it on in the house all the time. I even had it on in the store, thru the computer, when they play only music. I really hope they can get back on the air soon. I wish Reb Nissan much Bracha & Hatzlacha going forward.
They probably didn’t announce the time or their call letters every half hour!
Gimme a break!
They must’ve been doing very good work if the Satan mixed his nose in to shut them down.
We must try to get them back on air. The station was a gift to every Jewish Home.
How do we get them back on the radio? We cannot go down quietly over a thing like this!
Fortunately there is still the Nachum Segal Network on nachumsegal.com and of course JM in the AM which has broadcast on WFMU at 91.1 FM legally for the past 30 years. Enjoy
GOOD NEWS!!!! WE CAN STILL GET THEM BACK OR AIR!!!
WITH YOUR HELP, by sending in Your DONATION Hacaros Hatov to this wonderful station its a GIFT to EVERY JEWISH HOME.
with MONEY there are BIG chances that the station will be back soon on air 97.5 Send in YOUR donation NOW!
They will not get back on the radio! First, they are probably in for some hefty fines (I believe $10k for first time offense), hopefully no jail time.
Operating on the radio without a license from the FCC is against the law (commonly called Pirate Radio), plain and simple. The station 97.5, belongs to a Long Island station, call sign: WALK.
To get back on the air they would need to buy a frequency from another company as there are NO available frequencies available in NYC + there are no low band stations available for NYC period.
That being said, to buy a station either through a broker or on occasion through an auction would be much too cost prohibitive [to enter the NYC market].
Most people are familiar with the former 96.3FM (WQXR)that played classical music, that station sold back in 2009 for $45M — YES, FORTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS!!!
Stations in NYC rarely come up for sale, and when they do, they do NOT go cheap. SO . . . sorry to say, but JROOT’s days over the air are over (if they were smart, not to try this again on another frequency: then would certainly face criminal charges, bigger fines, and jail time).
It is extremely hard to get a license from the FCC. Lakewoods radio station took 26 years from the time they applied for a license till they got one. For now it is streaming real well for me at 712-432-4217.
The FCC won’t randomly go after a small station unless someone massered on them. Sounds like someone may have had an issue with their success.
Kol Hakavod to them for a great program – hopefully they’ll be back on the air very quickly.
They have to follow FCC rules and regulations. Who knows if they were even licensed?
How is Lakewood Radio (Kol Berama, WMDI, 107.9) been so successful? When stores in town and other orginizations give money to the station, as the station has slots throughout the day for sponsorships. The same thing needs to be done here in Brooklyn as well. It should be a CHIYUV for every store to give a sponsorship to JROOT radio and in turn JROOT should to slots of sponsorships like Lakewood does. I really hope people should get involved, askanim should also as well, and hopefully we will be hearing this station again very soon. They can be called WJRT for JROOT. What do you think of this idea? Let me hear from you.
To #11:
I agree with you. I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if commenter #7 MCW, can enlighten us?
#11,
No words to describe this MUSER other than a ‘Self Hating Jew’ destroying Torah, a torah station listened by Thousands of Jews.
Just wondering what the MUSER has in mind when Praying 3 times a day on himself, “Velamalshinim Al Thi Sikvah.”
Moderator’s Note: Your entire comment was deleted. Every word of it. But we felt the need to tell you the following. It is highly unprofessional of you to write and what you tied to sneak through and get posted here. And we know who you are, just from your email address…… If you think someone did something wrong, follow the Shulchan Aruch. You claim someone is a Rasha, right? If you think you have the evidence that he is, and can prove it, without making yourself into a major fool (which it seems you are), go for it. But don’t try and bashmutz a persons name here, while trying to hide your identity. That is despicable, and you should be ashamed of yourself. And it doesn’t reflect nicely on what is clearly a very shady operation.
No one ratted them out. The FCC was on to them for a very long time. I am surprised it took this long. It was most likely the legitimate owners of the frequency that complained and got them taken down.
BuzBuz,
Having faild to be in compliance with the regulations, does Not mean they were operating without a license.
The FCC would not go after a small station unless someone Masserd on them.
It is the Hope of the Thousands of Jewish daily listeners of Jroot Radio, that it will be back on air very quickly.
This is indeed an odd story. Why would someone who can afford broadcast equipment commence broadcasting without the appropriate license, on a frequency already assigned to someone else (WALK radio, having an office in Patchogue, Long Island)? And why does the nudnik who made a comment (no. 4) equating the FCC to Satan think that radio broadcasting frequencies are there for the taking by anyone who feels like talking to a large neighborhood?
Anonyomus says:
April 11, 2014 at 11:25 am
#11,
No words to describe this MUSER other than a ‘Self Hating Jew’ destroying Torah, a torah station listened by Thousands of Jews.
Just wondering what the MUSER has in mind when Praying 3 times a day on himself, “Velamalshinim Al Thi Sikvah.”
surprise surprise if they would just follow the law there would be nothing to massar.
people should get mad at the people who break the law not the mosser. amazing warped thinking of some . only blame the mosser never the law breaker
Dear Moderator i am not trying to hide thats why i wrote my real email .
we do have evidence and once we ready we will publish it everywhere and dear Moderator i think you are fool if you protect this guy cause emet is emet.
Moderators Response: Dear Mr. [email protected] You must have your own set of Shulchan Aruch. You have no evidence. You are assuming. You know this, and so do we. But that’s ok. Your shulchan aruch allows you to be a public slanderer. Stop being a choshed bichsheirim. Use a bais din if you think you are right. And what heter did you have to break the law in the first place, and cause a chillul hashem? Do you know that death is not mechaper for that? Maybe we should do a full blown article about what laws you broke, and let the readers decide?
Not a bad idea. Thanks for the idea. We will be publishing this by Sunday.
Stay tuned.
Shame on the mosser,SHAME!! Think of the amount of bitul Torah you have caused,the thousands of Jewish sparks that were rekindled because of the sweet words of Torah streaming to them from their kitchen radio that might now be re-extinguished because of your shameful act! It is inexcusable, it cannot be borne – this abhorrent act fueled by a vain and senseless jealousy.
It is true that “Dina d’malchusa dina”, but have you come to be both judge and executioner? Have you so promoted yourself in your eyes as to come and take the place of Hashem himself!!!!
May Hashem in His infinite patience have mercy on your soul,for I cannot bear to think of the Heavenly retribution that awaits those that masser on their brothers, especially a brother that has brought so much holiness to the ears of so many thousands!
May Hashem bless all His children with Shalom,Amen.
Moderators Note: Why does everyone at the station keep posting with different usernames? Come on. Grow up.
“The FCC won’t randomly go after a small station unless someone massered on them. Sounds like someone may have had an issue with their success.”
Most likely the owners of a station broadcasting on the same frequency or a neighboring frequency. There are stations in Long Island (WALK in Patchogue has already been mentioned) and New Jersey with the same frequency, and stations in the Catskills, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut on adjacent frequencies. An illegal station can reduce the audience of legal stations, making its operation essentially theft! If the operators of this station wanted to use this frequency they needed to buy WALK’s license and ask permission to move it to Brooklyn rather than simply broadcasting.
“How is Lakewood Radio (Kol Berama, WMDI, 107.9) been so successful? ”
Well for one thing it is a legal station with a license from the FCC. I looked it up!
Why do people think it’s OK to steal? When a pirate radio station interferes with the signal of a licensed station, they are stealing revenues from the legitimate station (whose number of listeners are reduced).
U all need help asap
every time I drive into Brooklyn it gets turned on. what a loss.
perhaps its time for us to make for it, by doing ACTUAL learning instead of listening to shiurim & music, perhaps this will be a zchus for it to be turned back on.
How much time over Pesach do YOU take upon yourself of EXTRA learning in the zchus that Jroot should be turned back on?
For everyone’s information, Jroot radio is back on the air B”h.
FEI (=for everyone’s information), there’s no ussur in ‘pirating’ air waves, not even with dida dimalchusah dina. (1. Air waves is not something ownable 2. Stealing, by definition means taking something, i.e. that you have something that and the nigzal does not. Over here, the airwaves (even assuming they can be owned) are still as much in the nigzal’s rishus as before.)
MAybe MOD is right about chillul hashem, but no choshen mishpat issurim
P.S. Incidentally, MOD, why has my username been switched from screwdriverdelight to scared driver delight?