Radio station fined for prank-calling Castro

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-04-26 01:30pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3657499.stm

Somebody stop these fucking fools!

Exmoor Cat · Post by **Exmoor Cat** » 2004-04-26 01:31pm

Sheesh! Ever heard of Dead Ringers? - One of the actors used to ring up celebrities (and once Buck House) as Dr Who

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-04-26 01:34pm

The radio DJs or the FCC? Because as I see it things like their broadcasting that stunt on the air as violating a reasonable law. Airing recordings made with out some one's consent seems to me to be an unwarranted violation of a person's privacy to me. I only wish they'd nail that utterly moronic show Crank Yankers for the same thing.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-04-26 01:35pm

Stormbringer wrote:The radio DJs or the FCC? Because as I see it things like their broadcasting that stunt on the air as violating a reasonable law. Airing recordings made with out some one's consent seems to me to be an unwarranted violation of a person's privacy to me. I only wish they'd nail that utterly moronic show Crank Yankers for the same thing.

The FCC.

Exmoor Cat · Post by **Exmoor Cat** » 2004-04-26 01:36pm

Putting it like that, I would only raise a civil breach of privacy issue here. Seeing Castro trying that in the courts would be entertaining.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2004-04-26 01:43pm

PFFT amateurs the best radio pranksters are French-Canadians,and in their list the caught the pope the governator a few hollywood celebrities an lots of politicians.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-04-26 01:43pm

Joe wrote:
Stormbringer wrote:The radio DJs or the FCC? Because as I see it things like their broadcasting that stunt on the air as violating a reasonable law. Airing recordings made with out some one's consent seems to me to be an unwarranted violation of a person's privacy to me. I only wish they'd nail that utterly moronic show Crank Yankers for the same thing.
The FCC.

Why? This has nothing to do with moronic decency fines. It's fining a pair of chuckle heads for violating some one's privacy. A bit of a difference there.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-04-26 08:12pm

They have a certain point, given for example the legal quagmire that is Guatanamo...do US law and rights apply across that little bit of water?

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-04-26 08:48pm

Stormbringer wrote:The radio DJs or the FCC? Because as I see it things like their broadcasting that stunt on the air as violating a reasonable law. Airing recordings made with out some one's consent seems to me to be an unwarranted violation of a person's privacy to me. I only wish they'd nail that utterly moronic show Crank Yankers for the same thing.

But a violation of which laws? Florida law, where, IIRC you have to have informed the party that you are recording them, Federal law, which I don't know, or Cuban law which simply states "Don't fuck with Senor Castro, Perra De Aqueducto."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-04-26 11:32pm

Chardok wrote:
Stormbringer wrote:The radio DJs or the FCC? Because as I see it things like their broadcasting that stunt on the air as violating a reasonable law. Airing recordings made with out some one's consent seems to me to be an unwarranted violation of a person's privacy to me. I only wish they'd nail that utterly moronic show Crank Yankers for the same thing.
But a violation of which laws? Florida law, where, IIRC you have to have informed the party that you are recording them, Federal law, which I don't know, or Cuban law which simply states "Don't fuck with Senor Castro, Perra De Aqueducto."

United States Federal Law which prohibits airing material with out informing those participating.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2004-04-27 11:19am

Keevan_Colton wrote:They have a certain point, given for example the legal quagmire that is Guatanamo...do US law and rights apply across that little bit of water?

Guantanamo is leased to us indefinitely under the terms of some treaty I can't be bothered to look up right now. It's considered sovereign American territory, same as an embassy would. But US law stops at the edge of the base. However, laws against airing a conversation recorded without the other party's consent would apply to anyone in the US, no matter who he recorded.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-04-27 11:36am

The base was officially established after the Treaty of Paris was ratified by the Senate in early 1899 (although the treaty was signed in December 1898) and the lease established under a measure of duress by the independent government in 1903.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-04-27 11:42am

Of course, the current government quite obviously considers the base an illegimate appropriation of Cuban territory on the grounds that it was procured by force or threat and thus nullified by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, which is of course an absurd argument. Not only does the United State not recognize the Convention, the Convention was held in the 60's, long after Gitmo was leased.

Further, if all treaties established through force are invalid then that throws essentially all peace treaties out the window (unless there's a provision in international law somewhere about that which I don't know about, which is very possible).

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2004-04-27 12:19pm

I'm pretty sure that these aren't the first DJ's to prank call Castro. I remember hearing a similar story about a year ago.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-04-28 01:47am

How the hell do they get Castro on the line?

h0rus · Post by **h0rus** » 2004-04-28 03:51am

Another link

Anyone have any recordings of any of these prank calls?

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-04-28 03:56am

Uraniun235 wrote:How the hell do they get Castro on the line?

According to the article they talked their way to up to Castro through a chain of four officials.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2004-04-28 04:34am

Incredible! Those guys need to be commended, and punished! Their stunt was just cool, but it's just not right. But meh, I'm sure Castro would find a way to get even

Hrmm...

The conversation ended with a stream of abuse from Mr Castro.

Someone needs to get the recordings, I'd pay to hear Castro ramble off strings of curses!

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2004-04-28 03:37pm

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/04/28/ ... index.html

Two Miami radio hosts who duped Cuban President Fidel Castro with a prank call are soliciting pennies from their fans to pay a $4,000 fine proposed by U.S. regulators because of the on-air stunt.