- Pirate radio harms residents, communities and the emergency services
- New crackdown could save London £1m each year
- Ofcom offers legal access to airwaves for broadcasters
- Less than a year ago Haringey was one of the UK’s worst affected areas, with 19 pirate radio stations illegally broadcasting from buildings it manages, the tops of high-rise blocks of flats proving attractive locations for transmitters, given Haringey’s higher grounds over the capital. Now, thanks to measures put in place in conjunction with Ofcom, there are currently no pirate stations operating from council-owned properties in the borough. This approach is part of an ongoing enforcement strategy driven by keeping vigilant and focused.
- This current reduction brings with it savings in enforcement costs and damage repair amounting to £90,000 to date.
- Homes for Haringey spoke at an Ofcom summit this month to share the details of their success with other local authorities from across London and were also featured on BBC Radio 4’s ‘You and Yours’ to talk about why it is important to keep on top of the pirates. Ofcom endorsed Homes for Haringey’s approach, believing that if this collaborative and proactive approach was rolled out across the capital, it could save London £1 million each year.
- Pirate radio harms local communities and the critical communications used by the emergency services. Pirate stations typically use tall buildings for their broadcasts, with illegal transmitters installed on rooftops or hidden in lift shafts and chimney stacks. This damages residential properties owned by local authorities, disrupting residents’ lives and putting people at risk from falling equipment.
- Astrid Kjellberg-Obst, Executive Director of Operations at Homes for Haringey, said: “Pirate radio stations damage people’s homes and can be extremely distressing to our residents.
- “So far we’ve seen huge success in tackling the problem with the measures that we’ve introduced, removing transmitting pirate radio equipment from Haringey and saving the borough tens of thousands of pounds in the process. We will continue to work with Ofcom to keep Haringey pirate-free.”
- Clive Corrie, Head of Ofcom’s Spectrum Enforcement team, said: “Illegal broadcasting harms local communities and risks lives by interfering with vital communications used by the emergency services and air traffic control. In 2014, the UK’s air traffic control service NATS reported 55 cases of communications interference from pirate radio.
- “By working in partnership with local authorities, Ofcom is tackling this problem. We also strongly urge those broadcasting illegally to get involved with internet or community radio, a legitimate route on to the airwaves.”
