Media Contact: 
Katie Gorscak
Katie.gorscak@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

FCC ISSUES SIXTEEN WARNINGS TO NEW YORK CITY AND NEW JERSEY LANDOWNERS FOR ALLOWING ILLEGAL RADIO BROADCASTS
The PIRATE Act Prohibits Landowners from Aiding Pirate Radio Operations
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WASHINGTON, April 25, 2023—The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau today issued sixteen warnings to landowners in the New York City/New Jersey metro area for apparently allowing illegal broadcasting from their property.  The FCC may issue a fine exceeding $2 million if it determines that the party continued to permit any individual or entity to engage in pirate radio broadcasting from any property that they own or manage.

“The law is clear: owners can no longer turn a blind eye to pirate radio operations on their property,” said Loyaan A. Egal, Chief of the Enforcement Bureau.  “Such activities can interfere with licensed broadcast signals and do not meet the emergency alerting responsibilities of lawful radio stations.  I want to thank our field agents for their widespread sweep for illegal broadcasts and for their ongoing vigilance.”

The Notices of Illegal Pirate Radio Broadcasting sent today target properties identified by Bureau field agents as sources of pirate radio transmissions during the Bureau’s 2022-2023 New York Pirate Sweeps.  These notices formally notify landowners of the illegal broadcasting activity occurring on their property; inform landowners of their potential liability for permitting such activity to occur on their property; demand proof that the illegal broadcasting ceases on the property; and request identification of the individual(s) engaged in the illegal broadcasting.  

The PIRATE Act provides the FCC with additional enforcement authority, including higher penalties against pirate radio broadcasters of up to inflation adjusted amounts of $115,802 per day with a maximum of $2,316,034.  In addition to tougher fines on violators, the law requires the FCC to conduct periodic enforcement sweeps and grants the Commission authority to take enforcement action against landlords and property owners that willfully and knowingly permit pirate radio broadcasting on their properties.

The Notices of Illegal Pirate Radio Broadcasting are available at: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-issues-landowner-warnings-allowing-illegal-radio-broadcasts.

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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).