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BROADCAST CONFIDENTIAL.... Alan Freed, who has been a DJ at three Twin Cities radio stations as well as at Power 99 in Philadelphia, went on the air in Minneapolis with unlicensed Beat Radio on July 21 and began to air a variety of dance sounds. With much of the station's airtime handled by local club DJs, Beat Radio soon drew a large and devoted following. It also drew the attention of the FCC, which sent Freed a letter threatening him with prison time. The Minnesota Broadcasters Association filed a complaint about Beat Radio with the FCC, as did several Minnesota commercial stations. Beat Radio began to suffer high-power interference from another transmitter, which Freed believes could only have been done by licensed stations intent on putting him out of business. On November 1, the FCC, accompanied by U.S. Marshals, entered the premises of Beat Radio and seized the station's equipment despite the prescence of crews from two local TV stations who were there filming reports about the station. Freed is fighting back, both in court and on the street, where Beat Radio has gone mobile (Beat Radio Defense Fund, PO Box 3333, Minneapolis 55403).... In early November, a group of unlicensed broadcasters from across the U.S. and from Mexico, Australia, Canada, and Europe held a convention in Oakland. The convention marked the first time trade unions (Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers, Hotel & Restaurant Workers) played a role in a pirate radio gathering. Plans were made to maximize station-to-station communication via the InterNet, for defense against government and corporate attacks, and for a rapid increase in the number of micro radio stations in operation (Association of Micro Power Broadcasters, 1635 D Francisco St., Berkeley, CA 94703).... Since the passage of the Telecom bill in February, mergers have already swallowed up 127 radio station owners. According to