UK pirate radio
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[edit] History of pirate radio in the UK
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Pirate radio existed in the UK before World War II.
[edit] Background
On August 14, 1967 - In the United Kingdom a Marine Offences Act came into force prompting many offshore radio stations to close, most prominently Radio London off Frinton in Essex at 3pm local time on this day. The Act boosted a campaign for onshore commercial radio to be legalised, which would enable listeners to choose a non-BBC English-language station and cause the establishment style of BBC radio to be relaxed and refreshed. See BBC Radio 1.
In 1997, it is alleged that Sir James Goldsmith who had created a Referendum Party intended to promote its message during the UK national election via a Referendum Radio station broadcasting from a ship anchored off the coast of Southern England.
Modern day pirate radio stations often cater for local communities and underground music fans that are not necessarily catered for by larger corporate radio stations. Unfortunately, some of these illegal stations refuse to respect other legal radio stations and the emergency services by allowing their transmissions to drift across other important airwaves. This gives other more conscientious pirate stations an unwanted disrespectful image that leads to many raids by the DTI who confiscate equipment and prosecute persistent offenders.
Some of the pirate stations are now legal and successful outfits, including Radio Jackie and Kiss FM in London, and the rather more rural Sunshine Radio in Ludlow, Shropshire, which was run from studios at the end of a farm drive in its unlicensed days. Stations such as Dimension FM in Shropshire operated for years without causing harmful interference but were still targeted by the DTI and shut down, much to the detriment of the local youth community.
Pirate radio stations can apply for a broadcasting licence but they will usually need to go off air for a time to present a legal case.
It is also thought that pirate operators use the station as a base for drug running and other criminal activities, though this is in the minority. Most pirate stations are there simply out of an absolute love for the music.
Overall, if a pirate radio station is run within the boundaries of the law, it can be a valuable asset to a community and ultimately the wider city area.
A good example of modern day pirate radio can be found at P.C.R.L.
[edit] UK cultural references
On the album The Who Sell Out by The Who, their music tracks are separated by PAMS jingles from the period of 1964 to 1967 when they were used by Wonderful Radio London.
Peter Townsend remarked in the Melody Maker: "You don't realize how good something like the pirates are until they're gone, so to give our album that ethereal flavour of a pirate radio station we incorporated some groovy jingles. And so The Who sell out." John Entwistle later stated a different opinion in the NME: "Do you remember that dreadful thing The Who Sell Out? I never wanted to do that. It was done mainly for America. What a load of rubbish!"
The Goodies ran a pirate radio station.
[edit] Notable pirate radio stations in the UK
This is a partial list of stations in the UK. Some of these have been shut down while others have become legal.
