Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967

Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) acts 1967
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to suppress broadcasting from ships, aircraft and certain marine structures.
Citation1967 c. 41
Territorial extent 
Dates
Royal assent14 July 1967
Commencement14 August 1967
Repealed8 February 2007
Other legislation
TransposesEuropean Agreement for the Prevention of Broadcasts Transmitted from Stations outside National Territories
Amended by
Repealed by
Relates to
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) (Guernsey) Order 1967
Statutory Instrument
CitationSI 1967/1274
Territorial extent  Guernsey
Dates
Made23 August 1967
Commencement1 September 1967
Other legislation
Made underMarine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967
Text of statute as originally enacted
Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) (Jersey) Order 1967
Statutory Instrument
CitationSI 1967/1275
Territorial extent  Jersey
Dates
Made23 August 1967
Commencement1 September 1967
Other legislation
Made underMarine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967
Text of statute as originally enacted
Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) (Isle of Man) Order 1967
Statutory Instrument
CitationSI 1967/126
Territorial extent  Isle of Man
Dates
Made2 August 1967
Commencement1 September 1967
Other legislation
Made underMarine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967
Text of statute as originally enacted

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").

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 anchored at sea but there were press reports of stations broadcasting from aircraft – Caroline TV, and from a ship – Radex TV.

The act was extended to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man in September 1967. 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.