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Author Topic: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn  (Read 3177 times)

Fansome

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Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« on: September 07, 2014, 2346 UTC »
http://nypost.com/2014/09/07/pirate-radio-stations-hijacking-the-airwaves-in-brooklyn/

Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn

By Kate Briquelet

September 7, 2014 | 2:39am

Brooklyn radio fans are fighting a pirate invasion — demanding a crackdown on illicit Caribbean, Hebrew and shock-jock stations hijacking the airwaves.

Dozens of unlicensed shows operate in New York City on an average evening and the state is home to 25 percent of the nation’s pirate transmissions, according to the FCC.

But many radio amateurs aren’t forced to walk the plank. Instead, they find new hideaways for their equipment as FCC budget cuts decrease enforcement.

There were 46 FCC field actions in New York City in 2013, compared to just 20 through July 31 of this year, government data show.

Ike Hull of Sunset Park launched Brooklyn Pirate Watch, a Twitter feed — @BkPirateWatch — to track rogue radio transmissions.

“I’m fascinated by the pirates,” Hull said. “Especially . . . their ability to get support from advertisers who . . . don’t care that they’re advertising on illegal stations.”

Hall has clocked one pirate at 94.3 FM, where a host shouted for female listeners to tune in while wearing lingerie. There’s also Radyo Independans, a Haitian Creole station squatting on 90.9 FM, according to Jersey City indie station WFMU — which claims its legal broadcasts at 91.1 FM are often interrupted by its illicit rival.

A Radyo staffer denied stealing frequencies.

“We mostly function on the Web,” he said.

Pirates are going strong because the radio tools are cheap and their audiences are often “way less wired,” WFMU general manager Ken Freedman said.

All a pirate needs are an FM radio transmitter, an antenna, a programming source — usually a computer — and cables. Pirates can evade the FCC by moving the transmitter from one building to another.

One admitted pirate, the Rev. Jerry Bowen, told The Post his listeners won’t ditch the dial. Bowen, 48, ran Miracle Radio in an East Flatbush studio for two years until the FCC came knocking this summer.

“They were trying to catch me for a long time,” said Bowen, a minister at Guiding Light Pentecostal Assemblies in Brooklyn who claims he’s quitting the illegal-broadcast business.

“I don’t do it for the money,” he said. “The FCC man told me what I’m doing is illegal. I said, ‘All I’m doing is spreading the good word.’ ”

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2014, 0345 UTC »
"I'm fascinated by the pirates', Hull said."

That's the same thing a certain fellow in Virginia told me a couple of years back via email when I called him out on giving up pirates to the FCC.

I wonder if the guy in Virginia has a website, maybe something like, "patspiratebusters.com" or "thefrn.net"?

Fansome

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2014, 0448 UTC »
"Hall has clocked one pirate at 94.3 FM, where a host shouted for female listeners to tune in while wearing lingerie."

What I want to know is why the host was wearing lingerie while he was shouting.

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2014, 1645 UTC »
Some guys wear lingerie, others wear bunny suits. Pirate radio is a strange place.

Luckily, you and I have restored the fun to the world that is pirate radio, Al. We'll be shoe-ins for the North American Pirate Radio Hall of Fame.

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2014, 1658 UTC »
Some guys wear lingerie, others wear bunny suits. Pirate radio is a strange place.

Luckily, you and I have restored the fun to the world that is pirate radio, Al. We'll be shoe-ins for the North American Pirate Radio Hall of Fame.

Is that like the Hall of Justice?
Chris Smolinski
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Offline kcpr

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2014, 1840 UTC »
more like a security ward

Offline atrainradio

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2014, 2132 UTC »
Pirate radio won't ever go away, so the FCC might as well give up.

Haha that's not happening.

BTW- Any word on the FM X-Band (76-87.7) plan? If any..
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Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2014, 0018 UTC »
more like a security ward

It seems someone may be jealous of our status as Pirate Radio Gods, Al.


Fansome

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2014, 0425 UTC »
We just have to learn to shrug off the jealousy and carry on with our duties of running pirate radio; it's just that simple.

more like a security ward

It seems someone may be jealous of our status as Pirate Radio Gods, Al.



Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Pirate radio stations hijacking the airwaves in Brooklyn
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2014, 2113 UTC »
True, true.....