1 Pirate radio in the 1980s: A case study of Thessaloniki‟s pirate radio Sophia Theodosiadou Pirate radio in the 1980‟s emerged out of two basic commitments – a belief in the freedom of the airwaves and in music. The radio pirates shared the same music, language and behaviour as that of their audience. Hind and Mosco, referring to the British radio, underline that pirate stations are illegal but listened to by millions, and they continue to exist because they serve needs which are yet unfulfilled by the official network. The raison d’etre of the „60s pirates was pop, in the „80s it ranged from black music of all descriptions, to community news; from political affairs to ethnic community programming; from bizarre humour to the airing of eccentric views (Hind and Mosco, 1985: 1-2). Some of the characteristics of pirate radio resemble those of radical media. The organisation of such media stands in opposition to a construction of mainstream media that is largely monolithic and centred on profit making and with a hierarchical organisation. Radical media is radically democratic in terms of its access and political Abstract This study attempts to shed light on the profile of the Greek radio pirate in the decade of the 1980s. The study draws on a series of 34 in – depth interviews with radio pirates of the period in the city of Thessaloniki, a city of particular interest for the growth and development of the radio pirate phenomenon in Greece. Some of the most important topics that the interview focused on were: educational, social and economical background but also the definition of the pirate and the motives for making pirate radio. A qualitative analysis was used to explain the results of the interviews.