FCC Report 12/23: Four More AMs Gone For Good

License Cancellations

2B Productions has turned in the license of 1410 WEGO Concord NC. WEGO had been silent since January following the sale of its translator while the licensee explored other options for the station.

Snake River Radio has surrendered 1490 KPCQ Chubbuck/Pocatello ID claiming financial difficulties, loss of of its authorized tower site, and a short-term license renewal caused by the FCC hearing on its renewal applicaiton.

Westburg Broadcasting Alabama requested the cancellation of 1400 WXAL Demopolis AL. The station had been simulcasting sister Adult R&B “106.5 The River” WZNJ Demopolis.

The FCC has cancelled the license of Guam Power II, Inc’s 1530 KVOG Agana, Guam after the licensee failed to respond to a FCC letter of inquiry regarding the station’s operational status as the agency noted it has been off the air or operating with unauthorized facilities since August 2022.

Grinnell College has turned in the license of 88.5 KDIC Grinnell IA. The license had been deleted by the FCC in July 2022, but after the college successfully petitioned the FCC stating that because it was an educational license allowed to cease operation while its campus was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the license was restored in November 2022. It immediately filed a silent STA but never resumed operation.

Bustos Media has turned in the four boosters for Regional Mexican “La Gran D” 99.3 KDDS-FM Elma WA. The boosters were KDDS-FM1 Seattle, KDDS-FM3 Tukwila, KDDS-FM4 Kent, and KDDS-FM5 Riverton.

FCC Actions

The FCC has granted Birach Broadcasting Corporation’s “Radio La Raza” 1340 KJMU Sand Springs/Tulsa OK another limited one year license renewal. KJMU was given the same one year term instead of the regular eight in July 2022 as part of a Consent Decree to resolve issues related to being silent for 50% of its previous license period from February 25, 2014 to June 1, 2021. In the current term, KJMU was silent from January 8 until May 24, 2023 due to transmitter malfunctions and was operating with 25% daytime power and no nighttime operation. The FCC states that if “the Licensee’s conduct has again fallen short of that which would warrant routine license renewal, or if the Licensee has failed to restore the Station to unlimited operation at the power levels specified in its license, then we will either 1) place a condition on the grant of the next license renewal that specifies any additional license renewals will be conditioned on the Licensee returning the Station to unlimited operation during that license term or 2) designate the license for hearing based on the Licensee’s failure to serve the public interest.”

The FCC has affirmed the violations it found Northwest Rock N Roll Preservation Society’s 101.1 K266BM Olympia WA liable of when proposing a $20,000 fine against it in August, but is cancelling the penalty due to proof of financial hardship and instead admonishing the licensee for its violations. When it filed its License to Cover for the translator’s CP in 2019, they had yet to construct the facilities. K266BM filed its license to cover stating that the translator was operating with 250 watts rebroadcasting 920 KGTK Olympia ahead of the CP expiration in August 2019. They would later admit it did not increase its power from its previously licensed 10 watts or begin rebroadcasting KGTK until June 13, 2020.

It has also rejected Northwest Rock N Roll Preservation Society’s petition for reconsideration and reinstated Bustos Media’s CP for 101.1 K266CP Auburn WA. The decision upholds the FCC’s determination that NWRNRPS utilized portions of its 2013 licensed facilities for K266BM which had a “vastly different contour” than the 2019 license discussed above, which made it not rule-compliant and should have been dismissed.

Iroquois County Broadcasting Company has agreed to a Consent Decree with an $8000 civil penalty for two unauthorized transfers of control of Classic Country “The Buckle” 1360 WIBK/96.9 W245CV and AC/Classic Rock 94.1 WGFA-FM Watseka IL. The stations were held by Richard Martin until July 2017 when he transferred the stations into a trust and then following his death in March 2019, his son Samuel Martin succeeded him as the trustee neither with FCC approval of the change in control of the stations.

The FCC has amended the FM Table of Allotments to add a Tribal Allotment for a Class A on 92.9 in Lac du Flambeau WI proposed by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.

Pirate Actions

The FCC has issued Notices of Illegal Pirate Radio Broadcasting to the following property owners:

• Vincenza and Bruno Mancinelli for 94.5 in Lake Forest CA
• Wesley and Sandra Staley for 102.7 Sweet Home OR
• Lydia Torres Mojica for 87.7 Guaynabo PR

FM Changes

Townsquare Media applies to move Country 103.3 WJOD Asbury IA to the tower of its 1490 WDBQ and 105.3 KLYV Dubuque with 18kW/118m.

Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ AAA “The Route” 90.1 WITH Ithaca NY files to double power to 2kW/87.3m.

Mary Harris Foundation’s Christian Preaching 91.3 WHFG Broussard/Lafayette LA proposes to increase power from 11.6kW to 12.3kW from its current 112m antenna.

MyBridge Radio’s Christian AC “My Bridge Radio” 90.7 KMBV Valentine NE applies to downgrade from a Class C1 to C3 with 19kW/84m at its current tower site.

American Militia Association’s 89.1 WHYU-FM Myersdale PA seeks to increase power from 1.3kW to 1.61kW/24m.

Translator Changes

WP Data Tables

Call Letter Changes

88.7 NEW Odebolt IA -> KCLG (effective 12/25)
89.3 NEW Tower Hill IL -> WWJR (effective 12/29)
89.9 NEW Spencer IA -> KCSL (effective 12/25)
89.9 NEW Greenville MI -> WJCG (effective 12/29)
91.3 NEW Columbus NE -> KDUO (effective 12/25)
92.7 KREV Alameda CA -> KEXC (effective 3/19/2024)
102.7 KTBH-FM Kurtistown HI -> KKOA (effective sale consummation)
105.3 KBGX Keauu HI -> KHNU (effective sale consummation)
106.9 KWYI Kawaihae HI -> KOAH (effective sale consummation)
107.7 KKOA Volcano HI -> KOPI (effective sale consummation)

This story first appeared on radioinsight.com