Operator Of San Francisco's Pirate Cat Radio Fined $10,000 By FCC

Pirate Cat Radio

The FCC has fined SAN FRANCISCO pirate radio station PIRATE CAT RADIO operator DANIEL K. ROBERTS (a/k/a MONKEY MAN) $10,000 for violating Section 301 of the Communications Act by running the station at 87.9 FM.  MONKEY had claimed that the programming was being taken from the Internet and broadcast by unknown third parties and that he was not operating the transmitter, but the Commission said that "operate" within the meaning of the Act encompasses more than just handling equipment, and noted that PCR sent out press releases indicating its awareness that the station was aware it was on FM.  The Commission also rejected his request for a reduction of the fine for inability to pay.

Also, CLARION COUNTY BROADCASTING CORP. has been fined $4,000 by the FCC for power-down violations at WKQW-A/OIL CITY, PA.  The station was observed operating after its post-sunset authorization on 21 days in OCTOBER and NOVEMBER 2008.  The station claimed that the Notice of Apparent Liability was issued after the year statute of limitations had expired, but the Commission said the rule allows it to issue the notice either within one year of the violation or as long as a new license term has not yet commenced.

In addition, WHISLER FLEURINOR was fined $500 for operating a pirate station at 99.5 FM in FORT LAUDERDALE.  The fine was reduced due to inability to pay.

The Commission has also proposed a $15,000 fine on JOHN E. CRITESER for operating a pirate station on 95.1 FM n LAKE PARK, FL.  The fine was revised upward from the base of $10,000 due to the present incidents being repeat occurrences.

P&Y BROADCASTING has been hit with a proposed $3,000 fine for failing to update the registration of a tower at its Korean KMPC-A (RADIO KOREA)/LOS ANGELES when it was sold to the company by ROSE CITY RADIO.

And several licensees were charged with proposed fines for late license renewal applications and subsequent unauthorized operation, including HARTFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION (WQTQ/HARTFORD, CT, $7,000), VERMONT AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION (WRAN-LP/RANDOLPH, VT, $500), and SALMON RIVER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. ($13,000 each for KSRA-A and KSRA-F/SALMON, ID).

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