FCC Report 1/26: A New Political Era Begins
FCC Actions
With the new administration taking over this week, there were no radio related actions made by the FCC. However, some actions on television petitions could show where the new leadership is heading.
In the final week under FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, different complaints about “news distortion” against owned & operated stations of the big four television networks were dismissed with Rosenworcel stating that they “seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment.” The complaints were against CBS’ WCBS-TV for a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris that a Trump lawsuit said was edited in a misleading way, NBC’s WNBC-TV for allowing Harris to appear on Saturday Night Live which Trump claimed was an Equal Time violation even though NBC gave Trump equal time the next day, and ABC’s WPVI-TV about how ABC moderated a debate between Trump and Biden last summer. Following Brendan Carr’s rise to the Chair of the commission, the first action was to restore the complaints stating they were rejected “prematurely based on an insufficient investigatory record”.
A fourth petition against Fox’s WTXF-TV saying the network “intentionally manipulated its audience” was also dismissed by Rosenworcel, but not restored.
Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez argued against the restoration commenting, ““As I stated last week, we cannot allow our licensing authority to be weaponized to curtail freedom of the press. The First Amendment is a pillar of American democracy, and our country needs a press free from interference from regulators like me. In fact, the Communications Act explicitly prohibits the Commission from censoring broadcasters. We must respect the protections of the First Amendment and the restrictions in the Communications Act.”
With Carr previously threatening to scrutinize the already approved bankruptcy restructuring of Audacy due to an investment fund founded by liberal activist George Soros becoming the controlling shareholder, we should soon see whether that FCC will begin to politicize other deals.
License Cancellations
Lincoln County Broadcasters turned in the licenses of Soft Oldies 101.7 KTNY and Country 1230 KLCB Libby MT with both stations ceasing operation on January 1.
Ahead of its CP expiration, Iowa Public Radio surrendered 90.7 KICQ Manly IA.
Silent Notifications
Moreno Equities’ 1210 KQEQ Fowler CA (Studios not included in station sale)
Rubin Broadcasting’s 92.7 KUNK Mendocino CA (Allow conditions permitting move to 105.1 to be reviewed)
Adelman Broadcasting’s 1360 KWDJ Ridgecrest CA (Copper theft)
Royal Gorge Broadcasting’s 1400 KRLN Canon City CO (Company reorganization)
Royal Gorge Broadcasting’s 104.5 KSTY Canon City CO (Company reorganization)
Radio Training Network’s 103.5 WRBA Springfield FL (Build of new CP)
Best Country Broadcasting’s 920 WBOX Bogalusa LA (Transmitter damage)
Unica Media Broadcasting’s 89.7 KUMB Hollywood MS (Snow storm damage)
Salem Media Group’s 1640 KDZR Lake Oswego OR (Blown transmitter capacitors)
CSN International’s 90.7 WAUO Hohenwald TN (Needs repairs)
FM Changes
Telesouth Communications Rock “97.9 CPR” WCPR-FM D’Iberville/Biloxi MS applies […]
