US

WJCT Public Media is relaunching “Jacksonville Music Experience” as a new platform for local music programming heard on its radio brands and seen on WJCT-TV. “Jacksonville Music Experience” features programming from WJCT-FM’s HD subchannels Classical24, Anthology, and Electro Lounge Radio, WJCT-TV’s “Music Thursday”, and new online exclusive content. WJCT Public Media today expands the Jacksonville […] […]

SiriusXM is accepting additional applications from programmers for its Qualified Entity Program to provide audio programming for its satellite radio service. The satellite radio provider is looking to select one or more lessees for available set-aside channels. Applications are due by July 7, 2021. SiriusXM’s Qualified Entity program focuses on selecting programming representing diverse viewpoints […] […]

On April 1, Rhythmic Top 40 KNRJ Phoenix became Throwback Hip-Hop/R&B KZCE (101.1 The Bounce). On May 18, the first PPM numbers came out and KZCE was up 1.0–2.7. It was a noticeable debut for a format you might not have thought much about recently. But someone has. The Memorial Day format-change weekend began with […] […]

Fordham University AAA 90.7 WFUV New York has announced the return of Rich McLaughlin to the station as Program Director. McLaughlin, who served as Content Director at the station in 2008-2009, succeeds the late Rita Houston as Program Director. The Fordham graduate began his career at the then-startup Sirius Satellite Radio in 2001 as Format […] […]

Cumulus Media CHR “Hot 93.3” KLIF-FM Haltom City/Dallas has a morning show vacancy as ‘Karina Maria’ Cabreja has exited. Cabreja departed in late May after less than two years in the position. She joined KLIF-FM in October 2019 as co-host alongside Bret Mega and has been hosting solo since Mega’s departure for KYKY St. Louis […] […]

FCC Actions
Following the Supreme Court unanimously overturning the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against the FCC’s 2017 changes to the broadcast ownership rules in April, the FCC has ordered the rule changes be implemented upon their publication in the federal register.

The rule changes are:

Eliminating the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule preventing a company from operating a newspaper and a broadcast outlet in the same market.
Eliminating the radio/television ownership subcaps so a television station no longer counts towards the limit of eight radio stations (maximum of five on each band) that a company can own.
Eliminating the requirement that at least eight independently owned television stations must remain in the market following the combination of two television stations in a market
Modifying the ban against common ownership of two top-four rated tv stations in a market to allow waivers on a case-by-case basis
Eliminating the JSA Attribution Rule requiring television stations to count a station it sells more than 15% of ad time for under the ownership cap.

The move will also reinstate the incubator program proposed in 2018. The incubator program will see an established broadcaster providing financial and operational support, including training and mentoring, to a new or small radio broadcaster. At the end of a successful incubation, the established broadcaster will be eligible to receive a waiver of the Commission’s Local Radio Ownership Rule, subject to certain requirements.

The FCC is also opening a comment period for the 2018 Quadrennial Review to seek comment on whether to retain, modify, or eliminate any of its structural media ownership rules. The full order can be read here.

Grand Junction Media’s 101.5 KGJX Fruita CO and St. Louis Community College’s 89.5 KCFV Ferguson MO are the latest stations to enter a consent decree with the FCC resolving issues from their online political file as part of the station’s license renewal.

Deletions
Donald Pugh’s Eternity Media Group filed for a license to cover for its 103.5 WETI Lake Village AR/Greenville MS in November 2016. During the time since the station purportedly operated along with a series of Silent STA’s for issues such as inability to staff the station, broken coaxial cable, and the COVID pandemic. At its license renewal time three petitioners came forward questioning the station’s operation with Larry Fuss, owner of the in-market Delta Radio Network cluster, supplying photographic evidence that the station was never built and has never once broadcast. Following an inquiry from the FCC that went by Pugh, the station’s license has been deleted. […]