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Illegal radio operators potential FCC fines overview:
- Who: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reportedly warned 16 property owners that they may be subject to fines in excess of $2 million.
- Why: The FCC identified the properties as sources of pirate radio transmissions that are subject to fines under the PIRATE Act.
- Where: The FCC warned property owners in New York City and New Jersey.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued 16 warnings to property owners in New York City and New Jersey to stop illegal radio operators from illegally broadcasting on their properties or face FCC fines that could exceed $2 million, according to Law360.
The FCC sent the warnings to properties identified as sources of pirate radio transmissions during the FCC’s New York Pirate Sweeps, according to an April 25 news release about the potential FCC fines.
“The law is clear: owners can no longer turn a blind eye to pirate radio operations on their property,” the Enforcement Bureau’s Loyaan A. Egal said.
“Such activities can interfere with licensed broadcast signals and do not meet the emergency alerting responsibilities of lawful radio stations.”
The FCC warnings provide formal notification to landowners that illegal radio operators are broadcasting on their property, inform them of their potential liability for allowing the activity to occur on their property, demand proof that the illegal broadcasting has stopped and request identification of the illegal radio operators.
The properties include individual and LLC owners of properties in New York City and New Jersey, and the New Covenant Christian Church in the Bronx, Law360 reports.
PIRATE Act grants authority to impose FCC fines of $2.3M on property owners who allow illegal radio broadcasts
The Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act grants the FCC additional authority to impose penalties against illegal radio operators up to $115,802 per day, up to a maximum FCC fine of $2,316,034, according to the FCC news release.
The PIRATE Act also requires the FCC to periodically conduct enforcement sweeps and take enforcement action against property owners who willingly and knowingly permit illegal radio operators to broadcast on their property.
In March, the commission announced its first FCC fines under the PIRATE Act, fining two illegal radio operators $2.3 million for operating an Ecuadorian-language radio program without a radio license in New York.
One of the illegal radio operators was reportedly hit with a $20,000 fine in 2015, but he did not pay this initial fine.
The FCC also reportedly fined an Oregon man who refers to himself as the “Eastern Oregon Pirate of Pirate Radio Eastern Oregon” $80,000 because he continued to operate an illegal radio station after multiple warnings.
What do you think about the potential $2.3 million FCC fine for property owners who have illegal radio operators broadcasting on their property? Join the discussion in the comments.
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One thought on FCC warns illegal radio operators of potential fines
Illegal harmful malicious broadcasting to my house from a cell phone tower from a tower off of Dykes rd 8 mile,AL
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