Editing Pirate radio (section)

=== Europe===
In Europe, [[Denmark]] had the first known radio station in the world to broadcast commercial radio from a vessel in [[international waters]] without permission from the authorities in the country to which it broadcast (Denmark in this case). The station was named [[Radio Mercur]] and began transmission on August 2, 1958. In the Danish newspapers it was soon called a "pirate radio". In the Netherlands in 1964, ''Radio Noordzee'' and ''TV Noordzee'' began broadcasting from the [[REM Island]] and [[Radio Veronica]] acquired a new ship, a converted [[fishing trawler]] named ''[[MV Norderney]]''.{{proveit|date=August 2024}}

==== United Kingdom ====
{{Main article|Pirate radio in the United Kingdom}}

In the 1960s in the UK, the term referred to not only a perceived unauthorized use of the state-run spectrum by the unlicensed broadcasters but also the risk-taking nature of [[offshore radio]] stations that actually operated on anchored ships or marine platforms. The term had been used previously in Britain and the US to describe unlicensed land-based broadcasters and even [[border blaster]]s. For example, a 1940 British comedy about an unauthorized TV broadcaster, ''[[Band Waggon (film)|Band Waggon]]'', uses the phrase "pirate station" several times. A good example of this kind of activity was [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]] located in the Grand Duchy of [[Luxembourg]]. The English language evening broadcasts from Radio Luxembourg were beamed by Luxembourg-licensed transmitters. The audience in the United Kingdom originally listened to their radio sets by permission of a [[Radio licence|wireless license]] issued by the British [[General Post Office]] (GPO). However, under terms of that wireless license, it was an offence under the [[Wireless Telegraphy Act]] to listen to ''unauthorised'' broadcasts, which possibly included those transmitted by Radio Luxembourg. Therefore, as far as the British authorities were concerned, Radio Luxembourg was a "pirate radio station" and British listeners to the station were breaking the law (although as the term 'unauthorised' was never properly defined it was somewhat of a legal [[wikt:grey area|grey area]]). This did not stop British newspapers from printing programme schedules for the station, or a British weekly magazine aimed at teenage girls, ''Fab 208'', from promoting the DJs and their lifestyle. (Radio Luxembourg's wavelength was 208 metres (1439, then 1440 kHz)).{{proveit|date=August 2024}}

Radio Luxembourg was later joined by other well-known pirate stations received in the UK in violation of UK licensing, including [[Radio Caroline]] and [[Radio Atlanta]] (subsequently Radio Carolines North and South respectively, following their merger and the original ship's relocation), [[Wonderful Radio London|Radio London]], and [[Laser 558]], all of which broadcast from vessels anchored outside of territorial limits and were therefore legitimate. [[Radio Jackie]], for instance, although transmitting illegally was registered for [[Value added tax|VAT]] and even had its address and telephone number in local telephone directories.{{proveit|date=August 2024}}

By the 1970s, pirate radio in the UK had mostly moved to land-based broadcasting, transmitting from [[tower blocks]] in towns and cities.{{proveit|date=August 2024}}