FCC Heightens Crackdown of Illegal ‘Pirate Radio’ Stations

The Federal Communications Commission has heightened its crackdown on illegal broadcasters.

The agency more than doubled the number of actions in 2017 against unlicensed “pirate radio” broadcasters, compared to the previous year, it said in an April 11 statement.

Since January 2017, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has undertaken 306 investigations and issued 210 notices of unlicensed operations to illegal operators. The agency also has imposed $143,800 in fines and proposed fines totaling $323,688 since the start of 2017, it said.

Federal law prohibits operating broadcast radio or TV stations without an FCC license. Such operations can interfere with licensed broadcasters’ ...