Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
| Act of Parliament | |
 |
|
| Long title | An Act to suppress broadcasting from ships, aircraft and certain marine structures. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1967 c. 41 |
| Territorial extent |
United Kingdom Isle of Man Channel Islands |
| Dates | |
| Commencement | 14 August 1967 |
| Repealed | 2006 |
| Other legislation | |
| Transposes | European Agreement for the Prevention of Broadcasts Transmitted from Stations outside National Territories |
| Amended by |
Broadcasting Act 1990 Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 |
| Relates to | Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 |
|
Status: Amended
|
|
| Text of the Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
The Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 c.41, shortened to Marine Broadcasting Offences Act or "Marine offences Act", became law in the United Kingdom at midnight on Monday 14 August 1967. It was subsequently amended by the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 and the Broadcasting Act 1990. Its purpose was to extend the powers of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (which was incorporated by this Act), beyond the territorial land area and territorial waters of the UK to cover airspace and external bodies of water.
The Act represented the UK's ratification of the 1965 "European Agreement for the Prevention of Broadcasts Transmitted from Stations outside National Territories" (sometimes referred to as the "Council of Europe Strasbourg Convention" or "Strasbourg Treaty") [1].
At the time that the Bill was introduced in Parliament in 1966, there were radio stations and proposals for television stations outside British licensing jurisdiction with signals aimed at Britain. These stations were at sea but there were press reports of stations broadcasting from aircraft (Caroline TV) and from a ship (Radex TV).
The Act extended to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man (despite the protests of the Governments there) The Act meant that the operation of offshore, pirate radio stations became illegal if they were operated or assisted by persons subject to UK law. It prohibited "carrying by water or air goods or persons to or from it" which made tendering illegal. Station operators thought they could continue if they were staffed, supplied and funded by non-British citizens, but this largely proved impractical.
In 1966, broadcasting in the UK was controlled by the British General Post Office, which had granted exclusive radio broadcasting licences to the British Broadcasting Corporation and television licences to the BBC and 16 regional Independent Television companies.
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