If pirate radio station so bad, why so great
Frustrated by commercial radio in the ’90s, a music-loving legal secretary builds one from scratch and runs it out of her LA apartment.
Where to watch
340 Watts from Nowhere is showing in 3 cinemas in Los Angeles — next screening Monday 20 July at 19:30 at Laemmle NoHo 7.
Monday, 20 July
Tuesday, 21 July
Wednesday, 22 July
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Cast & crew
5What people say
You have no idea how much I would have loved an underground radio station as a teen, but the closest thing was a college radio station. The whole community vibe in Los Angeles always feels like a dream I wish I could be a part of. I wish the doc had spent more time on the music though. Like, I want to hear the recordings of KLBT! I was also hoping this would profile the quirky DJs even more. As it is, it's a celebration of a short-lived anarchic radio station and that's awesome and fun. Expand it! Make it 3 hrs! Give us full songs and details about the artists and the people picking these tunes. I want more!Slamdance 2025: Watch #17
Saw the elmo nailed to the cross and that solidified this as great. Just an awesome movement and really inspiring. Why wasn’t I a teenager in the nineties when radio was an actually cool thing??????
Common questions
What is 40 Watts from Nowhere about?+
This documentary tells the story of the 1990s pirate radio movement in Los Angeles through the eyes of the creator of the underground station KBLT.
Who directed 40 Watts from Nowhere?+
Sue Carpenter directed the 2025 documentary, drawing on her own memoir and experiences as a radio pioneer.
Is 40 Watts from Nowhere based on a true story?+
Yes, the film is a firsthand account based on Sue Carpenter's 2004 memoir of the same name.
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