[HN Gopher] The Economics of Pirate Radio (2020)
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       The Economics of Pirate Radio (2020)
        
       Author : popcalc
       Score  : 51 points
       Date   : 2024-03-16 15:17 UTC (7 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (ibhof.blogspot.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (ibhof.blogspot.com)
        
       | eternauta3k wrote:
       | See also Piratensender Powerplay for a fascinating...
       | documentary... on the topic.
        
         | zingababba wrote:
         | People Just Do Nothing is good too.
        
           | jjulius wrote:
           | Criminally underappreciated.
        
         | smilespray wrote:
         | For a great UK documentary, watch The Last Pirates.
        
       | Aurornis wrote:
       | Interesting to see the other side of the pirate radio story.
       | Pirate radio has been romanticized as anti-corporate, but it's
       | clear that many of these stations were businesses that were only
       | interested in avoiding regulation and licensing.
       | 
       | > In 2018 the FCC carried out four raids across the United States
       | with levied fines totalling $161,844. From 1998 until 2017 the
       | FCC made 2,187 visits and 148 raids on pirate stations across the
       | country. There were Notices of Apparent Liability fines and
       | illegal broadcasting fines totalling $ 4,701,558 (an average
       | $425). Many of these fines remained uncollected despite the
       | authorities in attempt to collect and court challenges.
       | 
       | If the average fine was $425 and many of them weren't even being
       | collected, I can see why people would take the risk.
        
         | drmpeg wrote:
         | Some much larger fines have been levied recently.
         | 
         | https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fines-three-pirate-radio-op...
         | 
         | https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-35-million-fines-m...
         | 
         | https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-40000-fine-pirate-...
        
         | immibis wrote:
         | The headache of running a pirate station doesn't seem worth it
         | for any station that actually has the money for the license
         | fee.
        
           | 6510 wrote:
           | A station here use to drive around with transmitters in cars.
           | A ball of wires mixed with naked pcb's. Lots of people
           | calling the hot line when they spotted the evil men with
           | their vehicle hopelessly chasing the signal. They would
           | report on the show where the evil men were driving. It was
           | enjoyable. They borrow different cars regularly since all
           | they could afford was a soldering iron.
           | 
           | They pretend to be sponsored by local businesses they didn't
           | like. This week 20% discount on everything! The evil men
           | would have lots of questions for the business owners. They
           | wouldn't be just promoting you if you didn't pay them!
        
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       (page generated 2024-03-16 23:00 UTC)