[cma-l] Illegal broadcasts WAS Re: Proposed Discussion with Ben Bradshaw, Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport

[Bill Best]

Hi

2009/6/9 Clive Glover <clive.glover at lineone.net>:
> I am in total agreement on your 4 - we have had a permanent battle
> against pirate interference for nearly two years now (particularly on
> an adjacent frequency!). A key problem is that there are now only a
> handful of staff in OFCOM dealing with pirates in London, unlike in
> the 1990s when there were 30 or more.

With regard to the matter of Ofcom dealing with illegal broadcasters,
you may bear in mind the Illegal Radio Broadcasts debate in Parliament
on 1st June 2009:

Patrick McFadden (Minister of State (Employment Relations and Postal
Affairs), Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform;
Wolverhampton South East, Labour)

"As I said, other options are already available to the courts, but
they will select the penalty on the basis of some of the factors that
I cited.

With reference to resources, last year Ofcom spent £1.5 million on
enforcement. It undertook 525 separate operations against illegal
broadcasters, resulting in 28 convictions. Those included the seizure
of transmitters, disconnection of transmitters' aerials, and raids on
studios. When there are convictions, the courts are responsible for
punishment within the limits set by Parliament.

It is not true to say that the issue is not taken seriously by the
Government or Ofcom, but there is a difficult truth. As the hon.
Gentleman said, it is relatively cheap and simple to set up illegal
radio stations. No matter how much resource is put into tackling the
problem, the regulator inevitably faces a tough battle in trying to
control the numbers. Despite these difficulties, tough punishments can
be levied."

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-06-01a.136.0

Regards

Bill
-- 
Community Media Association
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