BBC Essex back at sea
7 July, 2006
Plans could be on the way for next year’s pirate radio celebrations, according to Tim Gillett of BBC Essex.
Two years ago BBC Essex broadcast radio programmes from a ship out in the North Sea for a seven day period, to celebrate the 40 year anniversary since the first attempts to silence pirate radio stations.
Ship based stations, such as Radio Caroline, were legal between the years 1964 until 1967. Mr Gillett said: “It became illegal for them to do it after the ’67 act was passed. However, there was still dispute of it being an illegal act if you were broadcasting from 12 miles out to sea, because many still say that beyond 12 miles you are in international waters and it is no longer illegal.”
He added that the aim of this was to celebrate an era of conscious music as well as stressing the importance of that time for radio. During this seven day period, over 18 DJs combined their efforts to host this show and put it on the air.
Now, BBC Essex is debating whether plans should go ahead for next year, to mark the end of the legal era, after which the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act of 1967 made it illegal.
Discussions are still ongoing, but Mr Gillett seems positive.