Pirate radio
Pirate radio is the unlicensed use of
radio spectrum reserved for commercial, governmental, or public use (although
shortwave radio pirates are also common in the radio world).
Pirate radio is
illegal in countries that require licenses of broadcasters. However, the necessary equipment is easy to hide, and the regulatory bodies (in the
United States, the
FCC) have not been effective in finding and prosecuting offenders.
Pirate radio is frequently associated with the
anarchism movement. Members of the movement see pirate radio as a challenge to large corporations and governmental spectrum regulatory schemes seen as serving the interest of large corporations.
Pirate Radio Ships
\nIn the USA, UK and Northern Europe, pirate radio has a long tradition broadcasting from international waters.
The first pirate radio ship was probably The Rex, a gambling ship that operated off the coast of California in the early 1930s. From 1958, several ship-based pirate stations have broadcasted into Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden. On March 28, 1964, Radio Caroline was established as the first and most famous British pirate radio station. Whenever it ceased transmissions, land-based pirate channels, often limiting transmissions to Sundays and Bank Holidays, tended to increase in number.
History of pirate radio in U.K.
\nThe most famous of these Pirate Radio stations is Radio Caroline that broadcast to great areas of the U.K., with many famous Disc Jockey's working because of their great love of the music of the era. John Peel is one such D.j. from Radio Caroline who has gone on to have a profound effect on modern, cutting edge music on BBC Radio 1. Another famous pirate radio broadcaster is Paddy Roy Bates, who went on to found the self-proclaimed nation of Sealand.
The 1970s saw illegal Pirate Radio come ashore in cities like London, Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester. Usually set up in high rise tower blocks the stations would increase their transmission capabilities by erecting the Di-pole ariels as high up as possible.
Some of the pirate stations are now legal and successful outfits, including Kiss FM in London and the rather more rural Sunshine Radio in Ludlow, Shropshire, which was run from studios at the end of a farm drive in its unlicenced days.
Modern day Pirate radio stations often cater for local communities and underground music fans that are not necessarily catered for by larger corporate Radio stations. \nUnfortunately, some of these illegal stations refuse to respect other legal radio stations, and the emergency services by allowing their transmissions to drift across other important airwaves. This gives other more conscientious Pirate Stations an unwanted disrespectful image that leads to many raids by the DTI who confiscate and prosecute persistent offenders.\nIt is also thought that a small percentage of Pirate stations use the station as a base for drug running and other criminal activities though this is fortunately in the minority, most Pirate stations are there simply out of a an absolute love for the music style they play.
Pirate Radio stations can apply for a Broadcasting Licence but they will usually need to go off air for a time to present a legal case.
Overall if a Pirate radio station is run within the boundaries of the law it can be a valuable asset to a community and ultimately the wider city area.
A good example of modern day Pirate radio can be found at P.C.R.L
History of pirate radio in France
In France, a strong pirate radio movement emerged in the late seventies and early eighties, in two waves.
The first wave was a political movement based mainly within French territory. Most of these stations were short lived. The first wave included\n
\n
- Radio Verte\n*Radio Ivre\n*Radio Active in Lyon 1976,\n*Radio Lorraine Coeur d'Acier in Nancy 1978,
This led to the creation of Radio Riposte by the PS in 1979 and the arrest of François Mitterrand and Laurent Fabius. Some of these stations persisted until 1981 when they became legal "Radios Libres."
The second wave was a more commercial movement largely coming out of the French Riviera following the legalization by a Supreme Court decision of private radio stations in Italy. Several stations began emitting in French from Italy. While these stations were legal in Italy, the French considered them illegal. These stations include:\n*Azur 102 (1977-1984),\n*Radio Continental (1977-1979) broadcasting from Bordighiera,\n*Radio Vintimille Internationale (1977-1981) broadcasting from Ventimiglia,\nAnd the late and more political Radio K (1981-1982) broadcasting from Bussana di San Remo,. All these stations went bankrupt after the election of François Mitterrand and the legalization of private radio stations in France.
The movie Pump Up the Volume has as its hero a high-schooler who does pirate radio broadcasts.
a full article on the history of offshore pirate radio would be useful.
See also
\n*Community Radio
External links
\n''Cut & Paste from "Pirate Radio" to be merged :\nThe term 'Pirate Radio' or 'Free Radio' (in the U.S.) possibly derives from early radio stations that made broadcasts from ships off the coast of England in the 1960's.
\nminnan:Tē-hā tiān-tâi\n
