FCC Actions
The FCC has rescinded the license of Amy Meredith’s Powell-Meredith Communications’ 101.9 W270CS Gulfport MS for failing to construct permanent facilities at an authorized location prior to expiration. W270CS had filed for its license to cover on July 20, 2021, which had been granted on September 1, 2021 with the now-standard condition that it must operate continuously for the first year unless evidence provided that it was not constructed with temporary equipment.
On November 23, Meredith filed a Silent STA for the translator for “technical” reasons without further details until later requested from FCC staff in which she stated that flooding from Hurricane Ida on August 30 damaged the transmitter, but it returned to operation a few days later until it stopped broadcasting on November 23 for additional unspecified technical operations.
The agency then sent a Letter of Inquiry in which Meredith admitted W270CS was constructed not at the authorized tower site, but 30 yards away on a ham tower and a nearby RV park. She contended that the construction was “permanent” because the antenna was mounted on a shed affixed to the ground and received power through a permanent electric outlet shared with the RV paying the owner $300 to use the location for three months while intending to find another location after hurricane season. She stated the translator operated from that site from July 19 to August 30, but went then went silent and never returned unlike her previous statement’s because Hurricane Ida damaged the transmitter, tower and RV leading to the owner of the RV to permanently leave that location. The translator would test operations on March 4 from an unidentified location, but she determined it could not operate further without causing interference to Audacy’s 101.9 WLMG New Orleans.
As the translator was never built at its approved location, it is considered by the FCC that its Construction Permit expired unbuilt. The agency stated that “the constructed facilities were not licensable because PMC provided false information in the License Application by stating that it had completed construction at the authorized location.” The temporary nature of the facilities were a “separate and independent basis for action” that also would have caused rescinding of the license for failing to satisfy the license condition.
Radio Cleveland has entered into a Consent Decree and agreed to a $6000 civil penalty to resolve issues from an admitted unauthorized transfer of control as a result of two unapproved stock transfers.
Two transfer of control applications were filed in 2020, the first in June for Hip Hop “Power 106.5” WAID Clarksdale MS and a second in September for Gospel 1490 WCLD Cleveland MS, Conservative Talk 96.5 WKDJ-FM Clarksdale, Hip Hop “Jammin 104” 103.9 WCLD-FM Cleveland and Country “Majic 107.5” WMJW Rosedale. The filings both stated that Kevin Cox would acquire the 55% stake of the company he did not own by paying Greg Shurden $5000 for his 10 percent stake and Clint Webster $65,000 for his 45% stake of the company. However the filings indicated that the stock transfers already had occurred on or before January 1, 2020 and later confirmed by their counsel had closed prior to receiving FCC authorization.
The FCC has established the comment period on the proposals to permanently permit low-power television stations on channel 6 to operate with FM signals and/or utilize the full spectrum of the television channel to expand the FM band. Comments will be due on or before July 18, 2022, and reply comments on or before August 1.
Om Sai Broadcasting’s 540 WBWD Islip NY and Puffer Broadcasting’s 101.3 WYKR-FM Haverhill NH and 1100 WTWN Wells River VT have entered into a Consent Decree for failing to maintain their Online Political Files.
Pirate Actions
R & T Realty Associates Inc. has been issued a Notice of Illegal Pirate Radio Activity for a pirate operating on 105.5 from their owned property on 41st Avenue in the Elmhurst section of Queens NY.
Monel Meriland has been issued a Notice of Illegal Pirate Radio Activity for a pirate operating on 90.9 from property she owns on Ivy Street in Newark NJ.
Deletions
Good Radio Broadcasting Corp. has surrendered the license of Sports “ESPN 1460” WDOG Barnwell SC.
Community Broadcasting Services requested the deletion of their 1220 WFWL Camden TN. WFWL ceased operations on December 1, 2021 ending their Country “99.7 The Catfish” programming. Its translator, 99.7 W259BN, is now simulcasting co-owned Classic Rock “Magic 95.9” WRJB Camden.
FM Changes
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com