The FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update the rules for political programming and recordkeeping for the first time since 1991.
The rulemaking asks for comments towards revising the definition of “legally qualified candidate for public office” to add the use of social media and creation of a campaign website to the existing list of activities that may be considered in determining whether an individual running as a write- in candidate has made a “substantial showing” of his or her bona fide candidacy and revising the political file rules to conform with the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, which included within the political file requirements any request for the purchase of advertising time that “communicates a message relating to any political matter of national importance” (such as issue ads) and specify the records that must be maintained. The full notice can be read here.
Autaugaville Radio, Inc.’s Gospel 920 WXKD Brantley/106.3 W292HL Troy AL has been issued a Notice of Apparent Liability with a proposed fine of $4500 for failing to timely file a license renewal application. WXKD and W292HL’s license renewals were due by April 1, 2021 but were not filed until June 18 with no explanation provided.
Range Paging, Inc.’s 103.9 K280AT Ely MN was issued a Forfeiture Order for a $1500 fine upholding what its Notice of Apparent Liability proposed in June for it failing to timely file its license renewal. K280AT rebroadcasts Midwest Communications’ 96.1 WDKE Coleraine MN.
The FCC continues to reach consent decrees with operators over missing documents from their online political files. Each of the groups have agreed to admission of liability and compliance plans:
- Elk River Broadcasting licensee of WEKR Fayetteville TN
- Flood Communications licensee of KUSO Albion NE
- Flood Communications of Omaha licensee of KBBX-FM Nebraska City NE
- KTRS-AM License LLC. licensee of KTRS St. Louis MO
- Magic Air Communications licensee of KDZN Glendive MT
- Red Beacon Communications licensee of KNEN Norfolk NE
Deletions
Migala Communications Corporation ceased operations of 1450 WCEV Cicero/Chicago IL in January 2020. As the station never resumed operations within one year, the FCC deleted the license for WCEV. WCEV previously operated on a timeshare basis from 1-10pm Monday through Friday, 1-8:30pm Saturday and 5am-10pm on Sundays with Midway Broadcasting’s “The Real” 1450 WRLL Cicero operating at all other times. WRLL has had an application pending since March to move to 24 hour operation.
College of the Desert has surrendered the licenses of 1450 KCOD Palm Springs and 99.9 K260DE Palm Desert CA. The college took the stations silent in August 2020 due to significant financial distress and attempting to sell the licenses. The station’s Alternative “Coachella-FM” programming moved to online only operations at that time.
Jesus Pena Acosta’s 98.5 KJJT Los Ybanez TX was deleted for being Silent for over one year.
Two of the so-called Franken-FM’s have surrendered its license after the shutdown of analog broadcasts. Delta Media Corporation turned in KXKW-LP Lafayette LA. That station had been simulcasting Regional Mexican “Caliente 105.3” KSLO-FM Simmesport.
Viva Media, which operates three FM’s around Amarillo TX, has surrendered the license of what had been Spanish Christian “M87.7” KBEX-LP Amarillo rather than convert it to digital television. Due to a filing issue, the FCC first deleted and then restored the license for Viva’s Regional Mexican “La Poderosa 96.1” KBEX Dalhart TX.
The following stations were deleted for failing to file their license renewal applications:
- Stellar Media’s 1230 KOZA Odessa TX
- Chapel of Light’s 1530 KLBW New Boston TX
- Plains Independent School District’s 90.3 KPHS Plains TX
AM Changes
Centro Familiar Cristiano applies to move Spanish Christian 1230 KDYM Sunnyside WA to