Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published the FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes:
- FCC Warns New York Property Owners Over Pirate Radio Broadcasts
- New Jersey AM Radio Station Cited for Tower, Power, and EAS Violations
- FCC Targets Covered List Entity Over Equipment Authorization Violations
FCC Issues Notices to Three NY Property Owners Over Pirate Radio Activities on Their Premises
The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued Notices of Illegal Pirate Radio Broadcasting (Notices) to three property owners in New York following investigations into unlicensed FM broadcasts. The Enforcement Bureau’s New York field office initiated the investigations after receiving complaints about unauthorized radio operations. In each instance, agents used direction-finding techniques to confirm that the transmissions were emanating from the identified properties.
FCC records indicated that no license had been issued for a broadcast station to operate at those locations and frequencies, and the Enforcement Bureau determined that the signals were too powerful to qualify for any exemptions applicable to extremely low-powered devices.
Under Section 511 of the Communications Act, the FCC may impose significant fines not only on the pirate operators, but also on property owners who permit such activity on their premises. The Notices warn that property owners can face fines of up to $2,453,218 if the FCC determines that they continue to allow unauthorized transmissions to occur on their properties.
The Notices direct the property owners to respond within ten business days providing evidence that the unauthorized broadcasts have ceased. They also request that the property owners identify the individual(s) responsible for the pirate radio operations.
The Enforcement Bureau added that even if the property owners do not respond, the FCC may determine that it has sufficient knowledge of the pirate radio activity to support enforcement actions that could result in “significant financial penalties.”
FCC Pursues New Jersey AM Station for Tower, Power and EAS Violations
The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the owner of a New Jersey AM radio station with several Pennsylvania transmission towers for multiple rule violations. The NOV states that agents from the FCC’s New York field office inspected the station and its associated towers on two occasions in May and August 2025 and identified numerous rule violations.
According to the NOV, the agents found that the towers lacked lighting required by their Antenna Structure Registrations (ASR). Section 17.23 of the FCC’s Rules requires that towers be painted and lighted in accordance with their registration. The structures’ ASRs required a red beacon at the top level and two side marker lights at the one-third and two-thirds levels. While each structure displayed a red beacon at the top, none of the required side marker lights were operational.