Independent regulator and competition authority
for the UK communications industries.
What constitutes illegal broadcasting, what the penalties are and how to report it.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring that the radio spectrum is not misused. The greatest threat comes from illegal broadcasters who operate with total disregard for authorised radio users.
The penalties for the criminal offence of illegal broadcasting are:
Illegal broadcasts are made by broadcasters that do not have a licence issued under Section 8 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006. Independent broadcasters must also have a broadcasting licence issued by Ofcom.
Illegal broadcasting is a criminal and anti-social activity and station operations are a menace to legal broadcasters and the public alike. They:
A typical illegal broadcaster will identify what they think is a clear slot in the FM broadcasting band (87.5 - 108 MHz) irrespective of radio spectrum planning considerations designed to avoid interference and they will establish a transmitter site on high ground or the roof of a council tower block. Use of the latter site normally involves breaking locks to gain access to the roof and tapping into the power supply in a lift motor and stealing electricity. A transmitter will then be concealed in the lift motor room or ventilation shaft.
Quite often the transmitter is fed by a signal from the broadcasting studio which may be several miles away via a microwave radio link. An antenna on the roof radiates the signal from the main transmitter.
Ofcom is addressing the problem proactively, listening to the broadcasts of illegal stations from its monitoring station to gain information, such as the telephone numbers used in a station’s operation, which network operators may cut off if they are being used for illegal activity. Other information gained from this monitoring, such as companies and individuals using a station for advertising, helps to support enforcement action.
The chart below details the number of operations (raids) against the number of different stations per year since 1991 and the number of convictions and average fines imposed by the courts.
Year | Stations | Total Operations | Convictions | Average Fines £ | Average Costs £ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | 127 | 475 | 103 | 242 | 239 |
1992 | 113 | 520 | 70 | 99 | 172 |
1993 | 148 | 611 | 36 | 209 | 297 |
1994 | 164 | 570 | 61 | 503 | 328 |
1995 | 166 | 645 | 57 | 266 | 243 |
1996 | 171 | 842 | 28 | 87 | 298 |
1997 | 169 | 820 | 41 | 193 | 340 |
1998 | 177 | 928 | 53 | 452 | 585 |
1999 | 239 | 1414 | 47 | 229 | 307 |
2000 | 231 | 1494 | 41 | 377 | 302 |
2001 | 248 | 1438 | 20 | 397 | 761 |
2002 | 209 | 1046 | 49 | 417 | 296 |
2003 | 175 | 877 | 71 | 556 | 492 |
2004 | 171 | 1021 | 52 | 333 | 1059 |
2005 | 177 | 770 | 58 | 563 | 452 |
2006 | 226 | 1085 | 63 | 118 | 327 |
Anyone involved with illegal broadcasting, even if they only allow their premises to be used, or if they advertise on a station commits an offence. The maximum penalties, at Crown Court, are an unlimited fine and two years in prison.
Published 06|07|08
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