Radio industry calls for government action on pirates

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 30-Jun-06, 11:00

LONDON - RadioCentre, the radio industry trade body, has called for more government help to crack down on pirate radio stations following a Commons debate highlighting the problems they cause.

Margaret Hodge, the minister for industry and the regions, admitted in the Commons on Monday that the radio industry's own efforts to close down pirate stations were more effective than Ofcom's.

The debate included details of threats from pirate radio activity, including the near closure of London City Airport following interference to its ground-to-air communications and the involvement of drugs gangs in running some stations.

Of 770 operations conducted by Ofcom, only 58 resulted in prosecutions, and these carried an average fine of £563 although the maximum possible sentence is two years' imprisonment.

This led the Commercial Radio Companies Association, which has become part of RadioCentre with the RAB, to take out private injunctions against previously convicted private broadcasters using its own funds.

The CRCA's input was highlighted in the debate by James Brokenshire, Conservative MP for Hornchurch.

Brokenshire said: "If the CRCA is having to use its own money to obtain injunctions to add to the court process to make the enforcement stick, clearly there is an issue there."

Hodge responded: "I noted from the Honourable Gentleman's contribution how the CRCA is perhaps more effective than Ofcom in tracking down the individuals concerned because the difficulty in the policing exercise is that it is easier to confiscate the equipment than it is to identify and charge the individuals.

"Again, if there is something that we need to learn from the CRCA activity we shall consider that."

Following the debate, the RadioCentre issued its call for the government to take action.

Paul Brown, RadioCentre chairman, said: "Pirate radio operators steal music copyright, endanger the lives of airline passengers and those needing the help of emergency services, and interfere with the broadcast signals of legal radio services."

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