FCC Report 9/17: $8000 Penalty For Gaining Controlling Interest Without Previous Approval

FCC Actions

The FCC has agreed to a Consent Decree with Fiorini Broadcasting LLC after reviewing its transfer of control application that revealed that Joseph E. Fiorini acquired a controlling interest in the company without prior FCC approval.

Fiorini will pay an $8000 civil penalty. As part of a divorce settlement in December 2020, Joseph Fiorini acquired his ex-wife’s Susan Whipple’s 40.5% stake in the company giving him 81% making him the controlling stakeholder. The transfer of control application, however, was not filed until November 2022. Fiorini Broadcasting owns “Classic Country 104.5” 1480 WCXS/104.5 W283DB Arcadia and Conservative Talk 1530 WENG Englewood/98.1 W251CU Port Charlotte/107.5 W298AV Nokomis FL.

License Cancellations

After being mostly silent the past few years, North Texas Radio Group has surrendered the license of 1580 KTLU Rusk TX. KTLU’s translator 103.9 K280CL Rusk has a CP to relocate to Jacksonville on 103.5 where it will rebroadcast 1400 KEBE.

Silent Notifications

  • Phoenix Broadcasting Group’s 107.3 KQXF Osceola AR (Storm damage)
  • Jeff Chang’s 99.5 KRPH Morrisville AZ (Requires new tower lease)
  • Bankruptcy Trustee of Ed Stolz’ Major Market Radio LLC 97.7 KRCK-FM Mecca CA (Programming supplier not yet providing programming)
  • Kol Halev 2020 Corporation’s 90.5 WBGY Naples FL (Partial tower collapse)
  • Estuardo Valdemar Rodriguez’s 1220 WREV Reidsville NC (Storm damage)
  • 97.5 Licensee’s 920 KQBU El Paso TX (Moving antenna to new site)

AM Changes

W&B Broadcasting Classic Hits 620 WAKY Louisville KY applies to dismantle

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This story first appeared on radioinsight.com