VTMBH Article: Body
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on April 15 that its investigation led to the arrest of Paul Dorleans, an unlicensed radio station operator in Brooklyn.
The action has elicited positive reactions from legal radio station owners on the FCCs efforts to crack down on pirate stations.
The FCC is the government agency responsible for regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. Its Enforcement Bureau conducted the investigation that led to the arrest of Dorleans, who used 87.9 FM to broadcast.
Prior enforcement actions had failed to deter Mr. Dorleans unlicensed operation of the FM station, according to a FCC statement. The FCC, on more than one occasion, had issued notices to Mr. Dorleans directing him to cease operation of the unlicensed station.
The report said the U.S. Marshals Service, which made the arrest, seized Dorleans radio equipment on one previous occasion. Calls to the U.S. Attorney Generals office, which is handling Dorleans case, went unanswered.
FCC crackdowns on pirate stations have become a regular occurrence over the years, but have not been enough to deter unlicensed radio operators.
In Brooklyn, many stations operated by Haitian businessmen have been closed down in recent years, sources said. One source said about 18 Haitian illegal stations were on the air about two years ago, an unprecedented number, said a New York-based radio station owner who declined to be identified.
While the broadcast of an AM news station could be heard very faintly and with a lot of static on 87.9 FM, it was not on New York Radio Guides list of FM stations.
At least 15 illegal stations are operating in southern Florida, said Rudolph Moise, president and chief executive officer of Radio Carnivale, which began airing in South Florida this year. The station is registered under WRHB-AM 1020.
We have a lot of pirate stations, Moise said. The FCC closes them down and they open again the next day.
While at a conference of the National Association of Radio Broadcasters held in Las Vegas April 7-12, Moise said he spoke to FCC officials, who also advised him to inform the Attorney Generals office of his concerns.
Four Brooklyn Haitians said the FCC is right in closing down illegal stations.
Were living in the United States. Were supposed to follow the laws that the country has in place, said Carl St. Amand, a tire shop owner.
St. Amand said people who mount unlicensed stations are doing a disservice to the community. He said they tend to be disrespectful in their contents by allowing callers to use profanity and debate irrelevant issues.
Renan Saint Ilmon, a frequent traveler between the United States and Haiti, said, The radio (stations) are in disorder.
The existence of unlicensed stations has caused interference not only on the listeners dials, but also with the financial profits of licensed stations.
Moise said legal stations lose advertising revenue, although small, to the cheaper rates of pirate stations. He said pirate stations cause the skewing of the licensed stations ratings since their waves carry away some of the licensed stations listeners.
Also, Moise said, it is unfair to legal station owners who pay millions of dollars in fees and other startup expenses. The illegal stations take advantage of frequencies that they do not pay for. Moise said it costs $150,000 to $200,000 a month to operate Carnivale, which will celebrate its first-year anniversary May 18.
Supporters of unlicensed stations blame the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which permitted consolidations. They say the pirate stations cater to the need for diversity in radio.
Since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was passed, the quality of commercial broadcasting has dropped badly, Paul Griffin stated in an article in the Wash. Free Press. This deregulation by Congress has led to a huge consolidation in the broadcast industry. The net effect is the radio has no diversity now.
However much some listeners appreciate the variety in sound bites, the FCC may apply penalties of up to $11,000 per violation and, by court order, seize all radio equipment being used, as well as ordering owners to cease operation. If convicted, operators may be fined $100,000 and be sentenced to up to one year in prison.
The action has elicited positive reactions from legal radio station owners on the FCCs efforts to crack down on pirate stations.
The FCC is the government agency responsible for regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. Its Enforcement Bureau conducted the investigation that led to the arrest of Dorleans, who used 87.9 FM to broadcast.
Prior enforcement actions had failed to deter Mr. Dorleans unlicensed operation of the FM station, according to a FCC statement. The FCC, on more than one occasion, had issued notices to Mr. Dorleans directing him to cease operation of the unlicensed station.
The report said the U.S. Marshals Service, which made the arrest, seized Dorleans radio equipment on one previous occasion. Calls to the U.S. Attorney Generals office, which is handling Dorleans case, went unanswered.
FCC crackdowns on pirate stations have become a regular occurrence over the years, but have not been enough to deter unlicensed radio operators.
In Brooklyn, many stations operated by Haitian businessmen have been closed down in recent years, sources said. One source said about 18 Haitian illegal stations were on the air about two years ago, an unprecedented number, said a New York-based radio station owner who declined to be identified.
While the broadcast of an AM news station could be heard very faintly and with a lot of static on 87.9 FM, it was not on New York Radio Guides list of FM stations.
At least 15 illegal stations are operating in southern Florida, said Rudolph Moise, president and chief executive officer of Radio Carnivale, which began airing in South Florida this year. The station is registered under WRHB-AM 1020.
We have a lot of pirate stations, Moise said. The FCC closes them down and they open again the next day.
While at a conference of the National Association of Radio Broadcasters held in Las Vegas April 7-12, Moise said he spoke to FCC officials, who also advised him to inform the Attorney Generals office of his concerns.
Four Brooklyn Haitians said the FCC is right in closing down illegal stations.
Were living in the United States. Were supposed to follow the laws that the country has in place, said Carl St. Amand, a tire shop owner.
St. Amand said people who mount unlicensed stations are doing a disservice to the community. He said they tend to be disrespectful in their contents by allowing callers to use profanity and debate irrelevant issues.
Renan Saint Ilmon, a frequent traveler between the United States and Haiti, said, The radio (stations) are in disorder.
The existence of unlicensed stations has caused interference not only on the listeners dials, but also with the financial profits of licensed stations.
Moise said legal stations lose advertising revenue, although small, to the cheaper rates of pirate stations. He said pirate stations cause the skewing of the licensed stations ratings since their waves carry away some of the licensed stations listeners.
Also, Moise said, it is unfair to legal station owners who pay millions of dollars in fees and other startup expenses. The illegal stations take advantage of frequencies that they do not pay for. Moise said it costs $150,000 to $200,000 a month to operate Carnivale, which will celebrate its first-year anniversary May 18.
Supporters of unlicensed stations blame the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which permitted consolidations. They say the pirate stations cater to the need for diversity in radio.
Since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was passed, the quality of commercial broadcasting has dropped badly, Paul Griffin stated in an article in the Wash. Free Press. This deregulation by Congress has led to a huge consolidation in the broadcast industry. The net effect is the radio has no diversity now.
However much some listeners appreciate the variety in sound bites, the FCC may apply penalties of up to $11,000 per violation and, by court order, seize all radio equipment being used, as well as ordering owners to cease operation. If convicted, operators may be fined $100,000 and be sentenced to up to one year in prison.