Guys, you are all so close to radio, FCC rules, transmitter power etc., that you are losing sight of the actual legal situation here.
Operating an unlicensed broadcasting station is a felony in New Jersey, as well as against FCC regulations. It may also be an illegal business for a variety of other federal, state and local reasons, not the least of which is probably not paying taxes.
It is reasonable to expect that there are illegal aliens involved. So there are probably immigration violations.
The FCC, other federal authorities, and local law enforcement have an obligation to enforce the law, or FCC regulations and arrest law breakers.
These radio pirates are by definition in NJ, felons. If convicted they face up to 18-months in prison, and a $10,000 fine.
Licensed contour lines, prices paid for licenses, how long the license existed etc. are all irrelevant. The Westchester station would otherwise be heard in certain areas, and this criminal operation is blocking the legal signal.
This station is being damaged by these lawbreakers, and the federal and local authorities have an obligation to stop the criminals.
Here is what I wrote in a similar thread on the NJ board of this website:
"This situation may be the FCC's "Pirate Perp Walk" opportunity. Let's hope they have the good sense NOT to waste it.
It's a chance to get other federal agencies, like Immigration, and local law enforcement in on the act. It's an opportunity to get the media to focus attention on these Jamaican illegals.
I can see the TV news reports now as "officers" raid the studios of these illegal, and possibly foreign, broadcasters who are interfering with a licensed "Christian" radio station.
It's time for the FCC to hit a pirate with everything it's got in its arsenal, and set an example.
The heat is on this time. With lawyers for the damaged station owners not likely to take anything but complete elimination of pirate signals on the frequency as an adequate solution. This will be true even if the bad guys are broadcasting from outside the licensed station's protected contours which relate only to other licensed stations. It could be easily proved that these illegals are denying the station potential listeners it might otherwise have. That is damage.
If the pirates aren't made to disappear, the licensed station would have grounds to sue the FCC for malfeasance, or NOT doing its job of regulating the airwaves, and damages could be very substantial in a case like this.
The FCC bureaucrats can't let that happen, because heads will roll at the federal agency if it does. "
Operating an unlicensed broadcasting station is a felony in New Jersey, as well as against FCC regulations. It may also be an illegal business for a variety of other federal, state and local reasons, not the least of which is probably not paying taxes.
It is reasonable to expect that there are illegal aliens involved. So there are probably immigration violations.
The FCC, other federal authorities, and local law enforcement have an obligation to enforce the law, or FCC regulations and arrest law breakers.
These radio pirates are by definition in NJ, felons. If convicted they face up to 18-months in prison, and a $10,000 fine.
Licensed contour lines, prices paid for licenses, how long the license existed etc. are all irrelevant. The Westchester station would otherwise be heard in certain areas, and this criminal operation is blocking the legal signal.
This station is being damaged by these lawbreakers, and the federal and local authorities have an obligation to stop the criminals.
Here is what I wrote in a similar thread on the NJ board of this website:
"This situation may be the FCC's "Pirate Perp Walk" opportunity. Let's hope they have the good sense NOT to waste it.
It's a chance to get other federal agencies, like Immigration, and local law enforcement in on the act. It's an opportunity to get the media to focus attention on these Jamaican illegals.
I can see the TV news reports now as "officers" raid the studios of these illegal, and possibly foreign, broadcasters who are interfering with a licensed "Christian" radio station.
It's time for the FCC to hit a pirate with everything it's got in its arsenal, and set an example.
The heat is on this time. With lawyers for the damaged station owners not likely to take anything but complete elimination of pirate signals on the frequency as an adequate solution. This will be true even if the bad guys are broadcasting from outside the licensed station's protected contours which relate only to other licensed stations. It could be easily proved that these illegals are denying the station potential listeners it might otherwise have. That is damage.
If the pirates aren't made to disappear, the licensed station would have grounds to sue the FCC for malfeasance, or NOT doing its job of regulating the airwaves, and damages could be very substantial in a case like this.
The FCC bureaucrats can't let that happen, because heads will roll at the federal agency if it does. "
