WASHINGTON: One way to free up spectrum is to shut down rogue broadcasters. Federal Communications Commission agents have been busy this month, issuing more than a quarter-of-a-million dollars in fines. A majority have targeted pirate radio operations.
So far in the month of May, the FCC has issued $258,000 in fines; $141,000 for operation of unlicensed radio transmitters. On May 5, alone, the commission fined five pirates a total of $50,000. Other violations involve failure to maintain functional Emergency Alert System equipment, inadequately maintained transmitter and tower facilities, excessive power levels and improper record-keeping.
Piracy was most prevalent in the Eastern United States. Robert Brown and Lloyd Morris of Boston were each fined $15,000 for operating an unlicensed radio transmitter at 99.7 MHz in the city’s Mattapan neighborhood. The commission’s Enforcement Bureau first issues a Notice of Apparent Liability to which the alleged violator can respond and get the fine reduced or possibly dismissed. Brown and Morris received NALs last October and failed to respond and so are now liable for $30,000.
Read more:
http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/120506
The Crystal Ship or 'TCS' is a former North American shortwave pirate radio station, founded in 1982, reactivated in 2004, betrayed and busted in 2011. Now known as the TCS Shortwave Relay Network, with shows broadcast by other pirate radio operators. 'The Poet' and 'The Radical' program left-leaning political opinion, and specialize in music from the '60s, '70s and '80s.
May 26, 2011
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Hey, Poet...you have support coming!
ReplyDeletehttp://shortwaveamerica.blogspot.com/2011/05/fcc-crack-down-threatens-to-end-pirate.html
Oooh a subtle mention of broadcasters running excessive power, I wonder how prevalent that is? I bet more often than folks imagine.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the article, that was pretty intriguing, and timely!