1379...Pirate Radio

With a high profile.

In Ottawa.

Giving the finger to the CRTC.

At 92.7 FM.

And playing the hits which means no forced 35 per cent Canadian content and no acts that no one gives a f*ck about ala CBC3.

From Milkman Unlimited:

Another chapter today in an already bizarre story... Instead of preferring to be heard and not seen, and hide his studio from the authorities, (like every other pirate radio operator yours truly has ever heard of) the 14 year old operator of an illegal radio station in Ottawa was featured in an interview on CTV tonight that was done at his studio in a room above an establishment owned by his father.

In the piece, Jayhaed Saadé said he began broadcasting via a car FM transmitter when he was 7 years old.

Despite being warned by officials from Industry Canada that his operation was illegal and that he could face fines and even jail time, the boy's defiant father, Georges (a former candidate for mayor of Ottawa)[and strip club owner] told CTV that "he is only 14 years old. What he's doing, he's doing a great job. The government should be helping him. He didn't do anything bad, he did something to look good."

For his part Jayhaed says he can't just shut it off "because people are listening." "I'll let everyone talk on air, you just have to call."

Where it goes from here is anyone's guess. MMU has requested a comment from Industry Canada's media relations department, but have yet to receive a reply.

Reports on DigitalHome.ca say that the illegal operation is interfering with signals from some local stations when in the vacinity of the unlicensed transmitter.

For the record... I'm totally jealous that his studio has a window, while my studio at work doesn't. I'm just sayin'...

CBC also visited Saadé today, and published this report on-line.

WFDS