Page "Pirate radio" Paragraph 4

When the " Act to Regulate Radio Communication " was passed on August 13, 1912, amateurs and experimenters were not banned from broadcasting ; rather, amateurs were assigned their own frequency spectrum and licensing and call-signs were introduced.

By regulating the public airwaves, President Taft thus created the legal space for illicit broadcasts to take place.

An entire federal agency, the Federal Radio Commission was formed in 1927 and succeeded in 1934 by the Federal Communications Commission.

These agencies would enforce rules on call-signs, assigned frequencies, licensing and acceptable content for broadcast.