FCC: Remarks on the Growth of Pirate Radio

SX-99-Dial-NarMany thanks to SWLing Post reader, Bob, who writes:

Remarks on the Growth of Pirate Radio from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Communications and Technology Subcommittee, November 17, 2015:

“I know that this committee is concerned about pirate radio. During my tenure we have taken 280 enforcement actions against pirate radio, that’s in the last two years. Commissioner [Michael] O’Rielly has been a real leader in keeping us focused on this. We’re working with the NAB [National Association of Broadcasters] on a joint task force on pirate radio. But we need more tools.

“We’re playing whack-a-mole with pirate radio. Every time a pirate radio station pops up, we whack it. We need to have consequences for those who facilitate those stations popping up. The landlords who look the other way, because helping pirates is risk-free.

“Congress could make it illegal to aid or abet pirate radio operations. Denying them the opportunity to operate in this way would be a significant means of thwarting the continued growth of pirate radio.”

http://energycommerce.house.gov/hearing/oversight-federal-communications-commission-1

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6 thoughts on “FCC: Remarks on the Growth of Pirate Radio

  1. William Pietschman (W8LV)

    Nice….the FCC is implying that they would like going after and placing blame and penalty on the property owners who the pirates rent from…in True Nazi “well get ALL of the Partisian Collaborators and eliminate them” Fashion! What next, shall we also send each immediate relative of The Pirate to the Retraining Camp like Dear Leader does? How convenient for the Commission… now they can not merely fine the offending “RF Emitter” but get Super Bonus Point$, and we know how well distancing such Radio Criminals and other dissidents works in a Dictatorship. Time to Reel THIS MORE APPOINTEE right the Hell in, and put him in his place. That goes DOUBLE for those Idiots over at the National Association of Broadcasters! Those idiots over at the NAB want to play “Let’s Pretend the Pirates are our Problem, and get the FCC, who IS THEIR VERY PROBLEM “busy” with real Selective Enforcement.
    I’m sorry, but when the NAB attempts to Force Feed a Restorative Laxative to the Cyclops FCC as they often do, a VERY disgusting TURD drops out of the other end of the FCC… because, like ALL concoctions if Bureaucratic Monsters that the Government dreams up, they evolve into Petty Dictator Cyclops Monsters. Always. Always! Therefore, the FCC, BEING a cyclops, most certainly has a Rectum! And if you stand near it, a LOG is going to DROP, now and then. Worse yet, when the LOG drops, you better not be standing under it, no matter if you are a Pirate, Giant Radio Consolidation, a Mom and Pop Daytime only AM’er, or even an EMPOLYEE of the FCC.

    The RIDICULOUS Over Regulation and DRACONIC Fine Schedule of the FCC is THE PROBLEM that is KILLING RADIO! NOT Pirates, or AM vs. FM vs. Digital vs. IBOC (it’s the AUDIENCE that is going to kill IOBC, OR ALREADY ESSENTIALLY HAS, at least on AM…and Likely FM!), Not the Internet, and not Sunspots!

    Reply
  2. Robert Haltom

    I suppose this guy Wheeler is suggesting that landlords be held responsible if a tenant operates a pirate station. Is he insane? What if the landlord doesn’t even listen to radio? Most the FM pirates are on the lower end of FM broadcast because there is rarely anything there and if there is, it normally isn’t worth listening to.

    Reply
  3. TP Reitzel

    Fire Wheeler. In fact, fire the FCC. This attempt to silence pirate radio is merely an example of governments doing what they do best, coerce and intimidate. Why does one have to give their SSN to receive an amateur license? Shouldn’t the test of competency be enough? 😉 Why does pirate radio exist? Maybe, some entity is attempting to silence or restrict the freedom of expression, like the FCC perhaps. 😉 Oh, supporters of the FCC will shriek that it’s needed to patrol the airwaves and keep them clean. No, it’s not. The FCC is designed to censor or silence speech it deems unacceptable in favor of its corporate partners like iBiquity Digital who was given a monopoly created by the FCC. Yes, governments create monopolies as well as restricting the freedom of expression. Hence the need for the First Amendment to the US Constitution. Government IS the problem, not pirates attempting to bypass censorship. Most pirates are technically competent to be on the airwaves regardless of the FCC’s threats of intimidation. It’s time for the infamous quotation from Mussolini again… 😉

    “Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism, because it is a merger of state and corporate power.”

    I want the original intent of the founders of my country back. Let freedom ring.

    Reply
  4. Mario Filippi

    If you look at the “pirate radio type” enforcement actions by the FCC you’ll notice that lots are for unlicensed FM broadcast stations. I guess some folks like to set up small community radio stations without going through the licensing process. Interesting that some of these stations are operated out of apartments in multi-family buildings. And it’s pretty easy to purchase one of these illegal FM transmitters with output power greater than allowed by the FCC.

    Reply
    1. Thomas Post author

      You’re right, Mario!

      Indeed, eBay has a number of sellers with affordable compact FM transmitters. Anyone could purchase one of these and set it up in a matter of minutes.

      I doubt shortwave pirates are even on the FCC radar, unless they’re low-hanging fruit to hit. SW pirates rarely–if ever–interfere with any commercial stations or communications.

      Reply

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