Florida Pirate Must Pay $15K

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Andrew Turner was caught operating a Pirate Radio Station at 95.9 in Broward County and for that he was slapped with a $15,000 fine from the Commission. Complaints to the enforcement bureau were filed in January, March, August and September of 2015 and Turner was issued warnings by the Commission in March and August about the station. In November Turner was hot with an NAL.

Turner did not deny he operated the Pirate station and argued he did not intend to cause any harm and cannot afford the fine. He argues that his station provides a number of benefits to the community. The Commission noted, ” We have taken those benefits into account, and we conclude that they do not provide justification for any cancellation or reduction of the proposed forfeiture amount. Assuming for the sake of argument that Mr. Turner’s broadcasts provide the services he claims, it is well established that such community service does not excuse violations of the Communications Act or the Commission’s rules, and does not provide a mitigating factor with respect to such violations. Moreover, Mr. Turner could have performed his public service under Section 15.239 of the Commission’s Rules, which authorizes low power unlicensed transmissions, but he chose not to do so.”

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