Pirate radio in Asia

Pirate radio stations have operated in various countries of Asia, often putting over political or nationalist points of view. Offshore stations have attempted to reach China or overseas Chinese residents. Citizens' Radio is an unlicensed Hong Kong pro-democracy station. In Taiwan, what are known as "underground radio" stations have broadcast both pro- and anti-government opinions. Large numbers of unlicensed stations have functioned in the Philippines, of which 107.9 U-Radio (2006–2013) is among the best known. Finally, Radio First Termer was briefly operated by and for U.S. troops in Vietnam in 1971.

China

In mainland China, setting up a private radio or TV station will not be permitted, broadcasting stations can only be set by local government. However, everyone can easily purchase a portable FM transmitter for special application. So that someone is going to sell drugs via private FM transmission called Black Radio, which means illegal radio broadcasting in China. Some illegal stations make a lot of jamming to public stations and airplanes' communications.

A number of offshore radio stations have reportedly operated from the South China Sea, mainly for political purposes and these include Voice of the People's Liberation Army; Radio Flash; The October Storm; Rediffusion Central; Popular of Peking. In 1990–1991, two other offshore radio stations intended for a Chinese audience made news in the world's press.

One of them was Radio Tiananmen, a station that was to be based aboard the MV Sarah (Lichfield I) to be renamed Liberty that had been the former home of Radio Newyork International that broadcast briefly during two consecutive years in late 1980s from an anchorage off Jones Beach, New York. The idea was to anchor the ship in international waters off the Northeast coastline of the US and to broadcast on behalf of the thousands of Chinese students studying in the US in support of their fellow students who had demonstrated in Tiananmen Square. The idea faltered when the backers were told that the United States government would oppose an independent political station of this type.^{[citation needed]}

The other station was created in France and sponsored by Actuel [fr], a French magazine and The Face, a British magazine together with support from contributors in Hong Kong. The group called themselves "Federation for Democracy in China" and they bought a ship, which they renamed, Goddess of Democracy, which was also the name of the proposed station. When the vessel sailed from La Rochelle, France it was intended for the ship to dock and that is where studios, transmitters and radio antenna would be installed. However, the project was abandoned after political and financial problems.

Hong Kong

In 2006, Citizens' Radio was founded by a group of pro-democracy activists, including Tsang Kin-shing and legislator Leung Kwok-hung, also known as "Long Hair". It broadcast on weeknights from Chai Wan on 102.8 MHz FM.

On 30 November 2009, FM101, a station based in Kwun Tong commenced broadcasting, according to the South China Morning Post (1 December 2009). It was heard in the east of Kowloon and the east of Hong Kong Island. The station's founders include Leung King-wai, Tsang Chun-Ying and Kwok Yiu-Cheong. The latter two were formerly presenters for Citizens' Radio, but Citizens' Radio was not involved in its foundation, according to founder Tsang Kin-Shing.

India

This section is an excerpt from Amateur radio in India.[edit]

Amateur radio or ham radio is practised by more than 22,000 licensed users in India.^[1] The first amateur radio operator was licensed in 1921, and by the mid-1930s, there were around 20 amateur radio operators in India. Amateur radio operators played an important part in the Indian independence movement with the establishment of illegal pro-independence radio stations in the 1940s. The three decades after India's independence saw only slow growth in the number of operators until the then Prime Minister of India and amateur radio operator, Rajiv Gandhi (VU2RG), waived the import duty on wireless equipment in 1984. Since then, numbers have picked up, and as of 2007^[update], there were more than 16,000 operators in the country. Amateur radio operators have played a vital role during disasters and national emergencies such as earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, floods, and bomb blasts, by providing voluntary emergency communications in the affected areas.^[2][3][4]

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the British cancelled the issue of new licences.^[5] All amateur radio operators were sent written orders to surrender their transmitting equipment to the police, both for possible use in the war effort and to prevent the clandestine use of the stations by Axis collaborators and spies. With the gaining momentum of the Indian independence movement, ham operator Nariman Abarbad Printer (VU2FU) set up the Azad Hind Radio to broadcast Gandhian protest music and uncensored news; he was immediately arrested and his equipment seized. In August 1942, after Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement, the British began clamping down on the activities of Indian independence activists and censoring the media. To circumvent media restrictions, Indian National Congress activists, led by Usha Mehta, contacted Mumbai-based amateur radio operators, "Bob" Tanna (VU2LK) and Nariman Printer to help broadcast messages to grass-roots party workers across the country.^{[citation needed]} The radio service was called the "Congress Radio", and began broadcasting from 2 September 1942 on 7.12 MHz. The station could be received as far as Japanese-occupied Myanmar. By November 1942, Tanna was betrayed by an unknown radio officer and was forced to shut down the station.^[5]

Taiwan

In reference to unlicensed land-based stations, the term underground radio is in common usage in Taiwan. The World United Formosans for Independence reportedly studied the possibility of broadcasting from the Philippines, but no concrete action materialised.

The underground radio movement began in the liberalising political milieu following the lifting of the decades-long martial law. Historically, most of the stations have opposed, in some manner, the political establishment represented by the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) and the Republic of China (ROC) framework, in favour of the then opposition movement broadly consisting of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and allied social movements. These so-called pan-green radio stations are mostly based in central and southern Taiwan with most listeners being hard-core pan-green supporters who despise Kuomintang rule and the potential for Chinese unification. A few stations positioned themselves on the opposing end of the political spectrum, generally favouring the ROC status quo advocated by the New Party and "non-mainstream factions" within the Nationalist Party. With the DPP formerly in power, and ultimate Taiwan independence and sovereignty is the stance taken by most underground radio stations, Taiwan was one of the rare examples in the world of underground radio stations being pro-government.

Programming generally is of a vertical blocking format, with live call-ins taking up a good portion of air time. On some stations, slots are allocated to local community and activist groups. The most prominent segment of the audience comes from rural working class, males usually middle-aged and beyond. Taiwanese Hokkien is by far the most commonly used language on the air, although Mandarin and, much less frequently, Hakka are also used. Underground radio stations cover their expenses by selling unorthodox drugs or medicine in a humorous and entertaining manner to keep the listeners hooked between actual programming.^{[original research?]}

Most if not all underground stations favour a mechanism to gain legal status but many balk at the costly requirements, which they believe to favour corporate and Nationalist-owned broadcasters. Government policy has always treated underground radio as an illegal enterprise, even after the DPP came to power. Official responses have been more varied, alternating between levying fines and confiscating equipment to tolerating their presence. Most stations are able to set up backup broadcast points within days of government raids. Commercial stations are known to file official complaints against pirate stations, whose signals are said to interfere with legal broadcasts.^{[citation needed]}

Philippines

Licensed radio operations in the country are supervised by the National Telecommunications Commission and the same agency (along with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) has been involved in raids cracking down unlicensed stations. Despite the proliferation of pirate radio in various times and the agency's proper counteractions, the most documented notorious hub of unlicensed operators have been predominantly within Metro Manila while others are from Pampanga, Cebu and in some parts of Mindanao.

1986: Radyo Bandido

Radyo Bandido, a clandestine radio station^[6] led by former Radyo Veritas 846 kHz^[7] personnel, Jesuit priest James Reuter and disk jockey June Keithley, played a vital role in the 1986 EDSA Revolution that resulted to the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos.^[8]

Seventeen people, led by Keithley, gathered secretly to open a station atop the shuttered Jacinto-Tanco building—then housing the facility of DZRJ-AM 810 kHz^[7][9]—in Santa Mesa, Manila, shortly after the government shut down all opposition broadcast stations including the Catholic-run Veritas,^[6] at that time one of the few covering the revolution,^[8] on the early morning of February 23.^[7] The station, manned by the team from Veritas with the guidance of then-Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile,^[8] was operational from the 23rd until the fall of the Marcos administration on the 25th.^[7] The president once attempted to prevent their operation, ordering one of his crack teams led by Bobby Ortega, but later failed.^[6]

At present, the station continues to legally operate as DZRJ-AM, adapting the name Radyo Bandido.^[7][9]

2005-2023: Channel A Radio

Channel A Radio was started in 2005 under the callsign DWCA-FM on 100.0 MHz with facilities located at #28, Poblacion, Arayat, Pampanga. In 2008, it was transferred to 100.7 MHz, until moving again to 98.5 MHz in 2011.

In 2017, Channel A Radio and Bandera News Philippines struck a joint venture agreement, serving as a network affiliate. But in May 2023, it was forced off air due to the lack of a legislative broadcast franchise and mayor's permit, coinciding with the expiration of its affiliation contract with Radyo Bandera, it nonetheless continued broadcasting online or on it's Pay TV via Broad Cable Arayat Channel 13.

2006-2013: 107.9 U-Radio

107.9 U-Radio, an unregulated station in Metro Manila, launched in 2006 after Power 108 FM FM shut down over licensing issues. Broadcasting at 100 watts with nonstop dance music, no DJs, and a mobile request line, it quickly gained attention online through active listener engagement and widespread blog coverage.

In April 2007, they temporarily halted transmission to secure broadcast permits from the National Telecommunications Commission. By June, U Radio resumed broadcasting under a temporary community radio license with 500 watts of power.

On April 20, 2013, 107.9 U-Radio ceased operations after the Professional Regulations Commission and the NTC labeled it a pirate station due to an expired license. However, it continued broadcasting online.

2015-present: Post-107.9 U-Radio

98.3 Radyo Kontra Droga

Founded in late 2015 by radio dealer Ron Flores Cruz in Paco, Manila, the Filipino hip-hop station began as a limited nightly broadcast supporting Rodrigo Duterte's presidential campaign, later expanding to 18 hours daily. It first aired on 88.7 FM before moving to the former DZMC frequency, covering parts of Manila with a 50-watt signal. Listeners suspected it was a pirate station due to its political content amid the drug crackdown.

In July 2018, Polytechnic University of the Philippines resumed test broadcasts on the same frequency, causing interference and an unresolved conflict.

In October 2018, Radyo Kontra Droga paused to support Cruz’s unsuccessful Manila City Council bid but resumed in November, competing with DZMC and another pirate station.

DHub Online Radio

The station was first detected by authorities in mid-2019 and is reportedly run by a Malolos, Bulacan-based herbal medicine group. It transmitted mainly on 98.3 FM from a portable transmitter atop a condominium near SM North EDSA, using two frequencies.

On February 14, 2020, it briefly moved to 87.9 FM, Ateneo de Manila University's Radyo Katipunan’s frequency, causing significant signal jamming for three weeks before returning to 98.3 FM. No action has been taken by the NTC, adding to ongoing conflicts between Polytechnic University's DZMC and Radyo Kontra Droga.

Radyo Kontra Weeaboo

Radyo Konta Weeaboo is a multiplexed pirate network in Metro Manila, heavily J-pop–formatted and targeting anime fans and cosplayers as “edgy radio stations.” Launched on May 31, 2017, it plays J-pop, anime, and tokusatsu soundtracks, with Morse code messages spelling “RKW.” Run by a group led by an amateur radio operator^{[citation needed]} , it broadcasts on 107.1 FM (RKW-1, Southern Metro Manila) and 89.5 FM (RKW-2, Northern Metro Manila), with studios in Pasay and Quezon City, and a main studio in Cavite City. The network also simulcasts online.^[10]

Before Radyo Konta Weeaboo began operations, 89.5 FM was legally used by De La Salle University's Green Giant FM from its 2008 launch until it went online-only. Since 2013, the frequency has been active in southern Metro Manila via Santo Tomas-based Apollo Broadcast Investors' DWEG 89.5. Meanwhile, 107.1 FM had been dormant since 2010 after Z-107 (DWYZ), a low-power hip-hop station, ceased operations due to failure to renew its NTC permit.

The stations have faced complaints for using expletive-filled and copyright infringed station IDs^{[citation needed]} , including an altered version of Super Radyo DZBB 594’s 2017 jingle. They reportedly reuse callsigns illegally^{[citation needed]}: DZTT on 89.5 FM (a parody of DZBB-AM and a Filipino slang pun) and DWBU on 107.1 FM, which is officially assigned to Bicol University’s campus radio. These actions have drawn criticism from a non-profit group of broadcasters and radio enthusiasts.

So far, no documented actions by the National Telecommunications Commission against the stations have been released.

2017-2018: Pathway Radio Cebu

Pathway Radio 100.7, started its operation in Cebu around January 2017, broadcasting a religious format and operated at a very low power of 100 watts. The station was promoted as a member of Community Broadcasters Association of the Philippines (CBAP), an organization that consists of other community broadcasters across the Philippines and has no affiliation to the KBP.^[11] In July 2018, Pathway Radio 100.7 ceased broadcasting, due to technical difficulties, absence of broadcast permits from the National Telecommunications Commission, as well as frequency spacing regulations.

Anchor Radio Philippines

Anchor Radio Philippines is a network of religious stations managed by the Baptist Church which originally began in 2018 when a station started broadcasting from Parañaque City via 101.5 MHz. Similarly formatted religious stations were later set up in provincial areas such as 102.1 MHz in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, 101.9 MHz in San Pedro, Laguna (which was, ironically the former FM assignment of ABS-CBN Corporation as MOR 101.9 in Metro Manila), 104.3 MHz in Compostela, Cebu, 103.5 MHz in Iloilo City, 101.7 MHz in Dumaguete City, 101.1 MHz in Davao City (also formerly assigned to ABS-CBN Corporation as MOR 101.1), 105.5 in General Santos City, and 105.9 in Tupi, South Cotabato.

Philippine media observers challenge the establishment of Anchor Radio due to alleged lack of necessary permits to broadcast as well as positioning themselves in frequencies that the NTC has yet to raffle out

Others

Negros Oriental

In January 2016, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas–Negros Oriental chapter filed a complaint with the provincial office of the NTC against at least 14 alleged illegally-operating FM radio stations in the province. Based on their monitoring, these stations aired commercials and blocktime programs while not paying taxes to the government, and lacked locally-issued permits; while some were reportedly owned by politicians seeking media mileage during the election period.^[12] By June 2022, six of them have been formally licensed by the NTC:^[13]

• Bais: DYDB 88.9^[13] Beat FM;^[12] DYEL 104.7^[13] Like Radio^[12]
• Dumaguete: DYFL 90.5^[13] Like Radio^[12]
• Bayawan: DYLN 107.5^[14] Magic FM^[12]
• Siaton: DYSW 94.5,^[13] formerly Radyo ni Juan^[12]
• Guihulngan: DYJL 94.5^[13] Like Radio

Other stations included:^[12][15]

• Tanjay: 98.3 FM; 103.8 FM; 101.9 FM; and 102.5 Connect FM.
• Tayasan: 98.1 Muews Radio^[15]
• Valencia: 102.3 DYPW
• Jimalalud: 90.5 Mabuhay Radio

Meanwhile, by late 2021, the NTC–7 (Central Visayas) identified 16 illegal FM radio station operators in the province; the commission called for their compliance with the government requirements, summoning all of them for mediation proceedings.^[16]

Mindanao

In the first half of 2018, the NTC–11 monitored the operations of at least 35 illegal radio stations in Davao Region, with five of them allegedly set up prior to the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).^[17] As a cease and desist order was recommended for almost all stations,^[18] it was only given to six of them, all located in Davao^[17] and Digos cities,^[19] and Bansalan and Lupon towns.^[19] It was reported that stations were hijacking frequencies from the legal ones, for instance, a few illegal operators from Mati, Davao Oriental utilized FM allocations reserved for Davao City; a station in the province was reportedly owned by a member of the House; and that stations usually utilized an allegedly homemade portable transmitter.^[19] The commission admitted that most of these stations were instrumental in the presidential campaign of Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.^[20] The number of such stations reportedly increased, mostly being installed by politicians for their campaign and operating in houses or establishments,^[20] particularly prior to the local elections of 2019^[20] and of 2022 when it reached 50,^[21] with some voluntarily shutting down after the elections, but as the commission admitted, these were expected to be operational in time for the (later-postponed) Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).^[21]

On the other hand, in October 2024, the NTC–10 launched an operation against unlicensed radio stations in Northern Mindanao that broadcast fake news and questionable political commentaries, as well as legitimate stations with expired franchises.^[22] In a surprise inspection, at least 17 stations, found to be unlicensed or lacking permits despite having a legislative franchise, were closed as they were given cease and desist and show cause orders from the NTC central office.^[23] The commission's investigation showed that these unlicensed stations, in order to reach target audiences particularly in the hinterland barangays, are using equipment which had been bought through online selling platforms; and some secretly setting up their transmitters on trees and elevated areas.^[22] They also noticed that the subject stations, along with others, are operational during the height of election campaigns.^[23]

Vietnam

Radio First Termer was a pirate radio station which operated in January 1971 in Saigon during the Vietnam War.

The station was hosted by a United States Air Force sergeant^[24] (born August 15, 1948^[25]) calling himself "Dave Rabbit".^[25] The two other members of the crew were known as "Pete Sadler" and "Nguyen". Their real names were Don Wade and Roma, a WLS team.

After three tours in Vietnam, "Dave Rabbit" and his friends launched Radio First Termer from a secret studio in a Saigon brothel. The station broadcast for 63 hours^[25] over 21 nights (between 1 January 1971 and 21 January 1971^[26]).

The station played "hard acid rock" such as Steppenwolf, Bloodrock, Three Dog Night, Led Zeppelin, Sugarloaf, the James Gang, and Iron Butterfly, bands which were popular among the troops but largely ignored by the American Forces Vietnam Network. The music was mixed with antiwar commentary, skits poking fun at the U.S. Air Force and Lyndon B. Johnson, and raunchy sex and drug oriented jokes.^[24]

During the mid-1990s, sound clips from a Radio First Termer broadcast posted on the internet renewed interest in the station. In February 2006, "Dave Rabbit" came forward and told his story. He also did an interview for a bonus feature on the DVD release of Sir! No Sir!, a film about G.I. counterculture during the Vietnam era.

Although the frequency was always announced as FM69, in reality, the show was broadcast over numerous frequencies, in addition to 69 MHz as selected by the Radio Relay troops across Vietnam. It was also broadcast over AM frequencies, including 690 AM.

In February 2008 audio clips of this underground radio show made their way into the hands Opie & Anthony and 3rd mic Jim Norton. They played some of the audio of these shows over the air at both their terrestrial radio show and their XM Satellite radio show and were impressed with the skills of Dave Rabbit back in "the 'Nam" which led to renewed interest on such sites as Google.

External links

• Dave Rabbit's Official Podcast Home Page
• List of songs in the only known copy of an episode
• Radio First Termer home page with audio samples and Dave Rabbit interview
• Vietnam War Pirate DJ Dave Rabbit Has Finally Come Forward Archived 2011-06-08 at the Wayback Machine