The operation of an unlicensed radio station, sometimes called ‘pirate radio,’ is illegal. Illegal broadcasters use equipment which may cause interference to critical communications.
History and Impact
Pirate radio peaked in the 1960s and 1980s/1990s, but it remains an active counterculture today. The first pirate radio station, Radio Caroline, began in 1964, off Felixstowe. It inspired a movie, The Boat That Rocked.
By broadcasting offshore, 1960s pop stations weren’t technically illegal until new restrictions in 1967 curtailed most pirates’ power, with a few like Caroline continuing. Christopher Moore co-founded Caroline and was its first DJ voice heard. The US PIRATE Act of 2020 further addresses unlicensed broadcasting’s penalties.
Modern Existence
Do pirate radio stations still exist? Yes, stations have moved from ships to tower blocks across UK towns and cities. The regulator Ofcom estimated in 2009 that over 150 were still operating.
Pirate radio endures from government crackdowns to stations filling FM airwaves. It continues legally and otherwise today due to its original programming and counterculture appeal.