The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released its annual report to the U.S. Congress on its recent enforcement efforts under the provisions of the “Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement” (PIRATE) Act.
According to the Annual Report, the Commission issued 10 Notices of Apparent Liability and six Forfeiture Orders in fiscal year (FY) 2025 (October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025) in connection with incidents of pirate radio broadcasting. As in FY 2024, the total value of the penalties assessed under Forfeiture Orders issued in FY 2025 was over $5 million.
The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau also issued 28 notices to property owners or managers during FY 2025, including 17 directly related to Enforcement Bureau investigations under the PIRATE Act. Additional enforcement actions may be forthcoming in FY 2026, as the FCC continues to monitor activity at the properties of those owners or managers who received those notices.
Enacted in early 2020, the PIRATE Act significantly expands the scope of the FCC’s oversight over the unauthorized transmissions of radio frequency signals on FM and AM radio bands. Specifically, the Act increases the maximum permissible monetary penalties for pirate radio operations to $100,000 for a single violation, with a maximum total of $2 million. In addition, it also grants the FCC broader enforcement authority over owners and managers of properties that permit illegal radio operations on their properties.
The FCC’s Annual Report on PIRATE-related enforcement is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-418174A1.pdf.
