DELIBERATE JAMMING OF A RADIO SIGNAL DURING A HURRICANE?

Anyone who knows me or has read some of the posts on this blog over the months would likely know that I am not a huge fan of Clear Channel Communications. Also known commonly in the industry as "Cheap Channel", the San Antonio-based radio giant has changed the industry to the despair of many listeners. In many cases, they have ruined the idea of entertaining personalities on the air in exchange of liner card reading air talent...if they have any live air talent on at all! Not to mention lack of "format integrity" in running ads for casinos and hip hop concerts on some of their Gospel/Christian formatted stations!

But in this particular case, if the complaint CCC has filed against a competitor in Panama City is true, I have to stand with them 100%.

Seems as though during Hurricane Dennis, a competing broadcast company --- Double OO Radio Corporation --- allegedly was participating in deliberatly jamming the signal of Clear Channel's WPAP-FM...which happens to be the primary station in the area for the Emergency Alert System, meaning WPAP is responsible for being the main source for broadcasting messages from the National Weather Service and local emergency management offices.

According to this story from WJHG-TV, CCC's chief engineer in the area noticed the interference and tracked it to the Double OO building. With a sheriff's deputy in hand, they went inside the facility and found a transmitter on the air set to WPAP's frequency, causing listeners to hear a hum instead of or over the programming.

That kind of behaviour is inexcusable, especially in a state of emergency, and can get a broadcaster's license(s) pulled in a heartbeat...or at least, a very hefty fine.