In 2009, REC celebrated its 25th anniversary. On July 20, 1984 from what started as a simple phone line called "California Comments" has developed and changed over the past quarter century.
2009 was a pretty slow year for REC. Other than routine database maintenance, we pretty much took a back seat in the broadcast/LPFM department this year. Our friends at Prometheus Radio Project were very busy in getting legislation through that would increase the opportunities for new community broadcast stations across the country.
Michi-chan Rollersports Productions would produce 2 episodes of Michi-chan's Real Derby. Due to some uncertainty related to a potential move of REC in 2009 or 2010, MCRSP did not make any commitments to the 2009-2010 roller derby seasons and folded operations.
REC's internet broadcasting operations were going at full force. In the summer, REC re-imaged Hardcore J to become J1. The change to J1 was intended to freshen the look and feel of the station as well as have a stronger presence in the Japanese and other East Asian markets. J1 began several campaigns including the Commitment to New Music which went deeper into new releases and released more new songs per week than Hardcore J. The change to J1 saw the demise of "Mary the Cyber DJ" who's computer generated voice has counted down the songs for over 400 weeks on the Hardcore J Top 40 Countdown. The Countdown is now voice tracked by REC founder and J1 Director, Michiko Ota Eyre. In August, J1 presented "J BY THE BAY", which was our promotion tied to the JPOP Summit and the grand opening of New People World in Japantown, San Francisco. J1 would give away tickets to see legendary Japanese rockers Glay.
J1 also started an aggressive social networking outreach which has been very successful.
2009 saw the transition to digital television in the USA. REC broadcast services supported the DTV conversion by providing transitional information in the FCC databases.
At the end of the year, a major victory for community access to the airwaves was achieved with the House passing the Local Community Radio Act, legislation that would reverse the third-adjacent channel restrictions of the Radio Broadcast Protection Act and add interference resolution processes that were not only acceptable to the LPFM community but also to the full power broadcast industry.
J1 aired special holiday programming including "The Night of Red and White" which aired on New Year's Eve. The show featured all of the Japanese artists who were scheduled to play on the NHK New Year's Eve television special "Kohaku Uta Gassen". J1 also brought back an annual tradition, the Top 100 Countdown Show. "Ichibu no Zenbu" by B'z was the number one song on J1 in 2009.
