Dear Ofcom.
Firstly, great job with Channel 5. (Yes, I jest, of course! It’s awful! It was merely a joke to break the ice, but enough lightheartedness; onto serious business.)
I don’t want to register an official complaint or anything, but I do want to voice my concerns relating to a potentially pirate radio station that I have become aware of, who broadcasts nightly, usually in bursts of around 30 seconds. They are so brazen about it, they even intercept normal television airwaves and broadcast live video from inside the radio studio straight onto TV sets. It’s as though they are taunting the everyone, AND yourselves at OFCOM, and I thought it is probably about time someone registered their concerns.
That person is me, and the registering of concerns is happening now.
I have collected quite a bit of useful information and wanted to share it with you, in the hope you can look into it and take the necessary action.
The station has been broadcasting for at LEAST 2 years, and although they only seem to have a small selection of records, (including “Step It Up” by Stereo MCs, “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice and “Gold” by Spandau Ballet,) the frequency with which they illegally broadcast MUST mean they are breaking some sort of laws.
I also know that a few years ago, all this potentially copyright infringing and lawbreaking was instigated by a man who used to work at a bank, called Howard. He originally started re-recording famous songs and parodying them, changing the lyrics to fit banking terms.
I know that since his singing debut 5 years ago, Howard has been heavily involved in the recording industry. To date he has recorded 4 songs, and has featured on a few other artists songs too. So not only is he (potentially) breaking the broadcasting licence laws, he’s (probably) also infringing copyright laws and not issuing artists with royalty payments.
I was lucky enough to catch a picture of Howard, who I shall refer to as the ringleader, which I include below:
I see from your website that you have different types of licences for different types of broadcasting. An amateur broadcast licence, for example, costs just £20.00. Although this is a bargain, I doubt Howard has even attempted to apply for an amateur licence, let alone a commercial one. Judging by the pics I’ve managed to gather of the studio itself, from their brazen nightly broadcasts, it’s far from an amateur affair! It looks quite furnished and professional.
As you can see there are proper radio desks, soundproof rooms, radio mics and everything.
I’ve also imagined how the whole thing got started. I imagine the ringleader contacted a few of his mates, and the conversation went something like this…
Hell Yeah exactly, Isa Isa lady! Hell Yeah straight into JAIL, you lawbreaking fools!
Although I have provided you with photos of the culprits, the only thing I’m a little scant on it the location of the broadcasts. I don’t know exactly where the building is, but I’d hazard a guess at “Somewhere in Halifax”. If you have Google Maps, you should be able to locate their building, as it appears to have a massive X atop it, probably made out of child laborours or illegal immigrant workers.
I hope you can look into my concerns and get back to me to either put my mind at ease by reassuring me they are breaking no laws, or with pics of them being arrested. Either will be fine.