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Press Releases
Inside Out: Piracy on the airwaves
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Pirate radio stations in the West Midlands could be putting lives at
risk according to media regulator Ofcom – but the people behind the
illegal radio broadcasts believe they are actually serving their
communities who feel let down by mainstream media.
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For Inside Out on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One West Midlands (Wednesday 3 October 2007, 7.30pm), reporter Satnam Rana follows Ofcom officer Mike Bothma as he tours Birmingham's streets,
tracking down the illegal broadcasts that he says can interfere with emergency
calls and put lives at risk unnecessarily.
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However the pirate radio DJs say they actively avoid using the
same frequencies as the emergency services.
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Satnam catches up with two
pirate broadcasters to find out how they get their illegal broadcasts
onto the airwaves and what drives them to do so.
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Over the last year, media watchdog Ofcom has been raiding studios in an
attempt to shut down pirate radio stations. But the illegal broadcasts
continue to populate the airwaves.
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Today there are around 150 pirate
radio stations broadcasting in the UK – a flicker of your TV screen or
crackling on the radio may indicate that a pirate radio station is
situated nearby.
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Little Richie, DJ on pirate radio station Sting FM, says: "If it wasn't
needed, we wouldn't be here. We do a lot more for the local community
than the big stations, the legal stations. We're more in touch with
what's happening on the streets because we are on the streets and we see
what is going on."
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Mike Bothma sees things differently, though. He says: "They're not doing
a community service at all. What these radio stations do is charge the
DJs up to £20 an hour to go on air. They charge £100 a week for
adverts. They're there for profit basically."
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Pirate radio stations are also seen as a way of getting your record
played or showcasing your skills as a DJ when other forms of
conventional media fail to notice.
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But at the end of the day, the
practice of illegal broadcasting can land those involved in a lot of
trouble – whether that be hefty fines or prison sentences.
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The wireless
war looks set to rumble on...
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³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Birmingham Press Office
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