Paste magazine profiles Pirate Cat Radio’s Monkey Man, writing as if writer John Clarke Jr. alone had rediscovered pirate radio after its supposed “Pump Up the Volume” heyday in the early 90s.
The article has nothing new to offer, cribbing its FCC enforcement stats from DIYmedia’s Enforcement Action Database without giving a full citation or URL. At least the database is credited by name should someone want to do a web search.
It’s unfortunate to hear Monkey Man using the tired saw of claiming temporary authority to broadcast in times of emergency as provided for in Title 47 Section 73.3542 of the US Code of Federal Regulations. Sure, it started out as a clever detournement on the law. But it’s really jumped the shark now that seemingly every other two-bit pirate who wants to run their own “Power” hits station is (unsuccessfully) try to take cover under the “War Powers Act.”
To his credit Clarke gets Stephen Dunifer to balance Monkey Man’s claim:
[H]e doesn’t agree with playing cat-and-mouse with the Feds using an obscure law. “It’s a cop out,†he says. “I think they should be up front and say it’s a free-speech issue. It’s a free-speech issue, and something needs to be done about it. Our own free radio is one answer.â€
If you want to see more the Monkey Man himself and the Pirate Cat crew watch this short video at Current TV.
[…] also unfortunate that she dedicates the last paragraph of the piece to Pirate Cat’s recycling of the tired CFR title 47 section 73.3542 defense, writing, The Code grants authority to operate […]