FCC Reaches $10,000 Settlement With Pirate Broadcaster

A pirate radio operator in the Boston area has agreed to pay $10,000 to the FCC as part of a settlement with the agency, said an order and consent decree in Tuesday’s Daily Digest. In April 2024, the FCC approved a $597,775 notice of apparent liability against Jean Marius, operator of the unauthorized radio station Radio Tele Planet Compas in several communities in Massachusetts. After the NAL, Marius gave the agency evidence of his inability to pay the proposed forfeiture, according to the consent decree. After determining that he had ceased broadcasting, the Enforcement Bureau agreed to the reduced amount, which Marius must pay within 30 days. Under the consent decree, Marius agreed not to commit future acts of pirate broadcasting or assist anyone else in doing so. If he violates the settlement within the next 20 years, he will have to pay the remaining $587,775 proposed, the consent decree said.