NEW YORK — For years, unlicensed FM radio broadcasters have served who they believe are underserved audiences across parts of The Bronx, lower Westchester County, Brooklyn and Queens.
Now, thanks in part to the recent passage of the “PIRATE Act” by Congress, the FCC has proposed the maximum penalty under law against a trio of broadcasting buccaneers found to have run “pirate radio” facilities across the New York Tri-State Area.
As such, “La Mia Radio” operator Johnny Peralta faces a $2,316,034 penalty for the operation at 105.7 MHz of the unregulated radio operation, which dates to 2018. A 2022-2023 New York Pirate Radio Sweep by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau confirmed that “La Mia Radio” continues to operate.
Secondly, a $1.78 million proposed fine has been issued to Dexter Blake, in response to his suspected operation of a pirate radio station known as “Linkage Radio,” which can be heard in the Westchester County city of Mount Vernon, adjacent to The Bronx, at 101.7 MHz. It has served the Black Caribbean community.
Lastly, the Commission handed a second $1,780,000 fine to an alleged pirate radio operator named Matthew Bowen. He is being charged with a total of 89 alleged violations of FCC rules for continued operation of “Triple9HD” in the borough of Brooklyn; it has used 99.9 MHz to serve local audiences.
Each individual has 30 days to pay up or seek a reduction or cancellation of the proposed fines, per FCC rules.
I’d ask how the FCC plans to collect on these fines. In my experience they have no collection mechanism other than holding up licens and transfer applications, which clearly is a non-starter here with these pirate stations. Anyone have more knowledge on this than I do??
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