The FCC has proposed a $25,000 fine against Rocking M Media and co-owned Melia Communications for violating the EEO rules by failing to upload their annual EEO Public File Reports in the Stations’ online public inspection files, upload their EEO Public File Reports to the Stations’ websites, broadly recruit for certain vacancies, analyze their EEO program, and maintain their recruitment records. The fine was levied against the company’s clusters in Colby and Dodge City KS.
The FCC states, “Because of significant operational challenges,the Licensees experienced a sharp drop in the number of employees, whereby in late 2021, the Colby/Goodland SEU had only one full-time employee, and the Dodge City/Ingalls SEU had fewer than five full-time employees.” The company failed to publish their EEO reports in Dodge City for February 1, 2019 through January 31, 2021 and in Colby from February 1, 2019 through January 31, 2020. The report notes that the company failed to recruit adequately for two of five vacancies in Colby. An Assistant Office Manager position filled on June 1, 2020 was advertised “solely through on-air advertisements on the Licensees’ own stations” and a Farm Broadcaster position was filled on July 16, 2020 from an internal recommendation by the outgoing Farm Broadcaster. The company also failed to produce and recruitment records from February 2019 through January 2021.
As part of Sukhdev Dhillon filing in August to purchase Mohan Cheema’s 80% stake of 1680 KNTS Seattle for $70,000, the FCC has opened a comment period on Baaz Broadcasting Corp.’s petition to increase foreign ownership of the station to 100%. Dhillon, a Canadian citizen, acquired KNTS with Cheema earlier this year from from Salem Media Group for $225,000.
The FCC has modified the FM Table of Allotments granting 7430 Technologies LLC’s request to add a Class C2 on 103.3 in Wharton TX.
License Cancellations
Eastern Oregon University has turned in the license of 91.7 KEOL La Grande OR.
The FCC has cancelled the licenses of Hispanic Family Christian Network’s 97.3 K247BX Grass Valley CA, 103.3 K277CL Stateline NV, and 103.5 K278CA El Dorado Hills CA for being silent over one year.
Brigham Young University – Idaho surrendered the license of 105.5 K288DZ Dillon MT.
Silent Notifications
- Iglesia Misionera Jesucristo Viene Pronto, Inc.’s 710 WYJV Smyrna TN (Transmitter failure)
- Townsquare Media’s 1280 KSLI Abilene TX (Transmitter failure)
- Kyros Media Corp.’s 93.7 KWXW Kermit TX (Tower dismantled by site owner)
FM Changes
KSE Media Sports “Altitude 92.5” KKSE-FM Broomfield/Denver CO proposes to move
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com