Unlicensed broadcasting dates back to at least the 1930s and has often impacted the evolution of mainstream broadcasting. For example, land-based pirate broadcasting helped make the case for UK local commercial radio in the 1970s and forced the introduction of commercial and community radio in Ireland during the early 1980s. The more recent introduction of UK community radio was also aided by the existence of numerous unlicensed broadcasters during the 1990s and early 2000s.

This one-day conference will focus on land-based unlicenced radio broadcasting, in the UK, and Ireland, but also globally.