FCC Report 1/2: Wichita Operator Fined & Granted Limited License Renewals
FCC Actions
Rocking M Media Wichita has agreed to a Consent Decree with a $7000 fine to settle the license renewal applications for six of its stations and to complete the sale of 92.3 KKGQ Newton KS to Pinnacle Media. Rocking M admitted in its license renewal applications that all six stations were silent for periods of time without STA’s filed or granted by the FCC. As part of the Consent Decree, the stations will all be given conditional one year license renewals as opposed to the usual seven year term. The other affected stations are 92.7 KWME Wellington, 97.1 KIBB Haven, 100.5 KVWF Augusta, 1130 KLEY Wellington (and translator 100.3 K262CQ Wellington), 1550 KKLE Winfield
The FCC has proposed a $17,500 fine against Birach Broadcasting’s 1440 KTUV and 99.9 K260DT Little Rock AR for multiple violations. Both signals went silent on March 6, 2020 following a “catastrophic failure” of KTUV’s transmitter, but the FCC was not notified until an objection to KTUV’s license renewal was filed on May 20. Birach applied for a Silent STA two days later, well beyond the ten days of silence they must notify the FCC. KTUV would resume operations on July 29, 2020 and the translator of September 25. The proposed fine also involves violations of the online public file rule and Birach failing to update the station’s pending license renewal application to notify the FCC of changes to its certifications.
The Estate of George V. Domerese has agreed to a $5000 civil penalty to settle multiple violations and its pending license renewal application for “Radio La Raza” 760 KMTL Sherwood/Little Rock AR and 97.9 K250CF Sherwood. Following an objection filed that the stations sought to have dismissed on procedural grounds, Domerese was issued a letter of inquiry by the FCC in which it admitted that K250CF was operational and either rebroadcasting a different station (the previously mentioned KTUV) or originating its own programming on seven days in March, May and June 2020, while they failed to maintain an online public file for KMTL.
Sonora Broadcasting’s 930 KAPR Douglas AZ has been issued a notice of apparent liability for forfeiture proposing a $3000 fine for failing to timely file its license renewal application. KAPR was due to filed it renewal by June 1, 2021, but did not do so until September 27, with no explanation provided for the late filing.
The following licensees entered Consent Decrees for failing to maintain their online political files:
KBUK Radio, Inc. licensee of KBUK and KVLG La Grange TX
Marvin Vosper licensee of KBUX and KCNL Quartzsite AZ
Millennium Media, Inc. licensee of KXXI, KYAT, and KYVA Gallup and KYVA-FM Church Rock NM
New West Broadcasting Systems, Inc. licensee of KGMN Kingman AZ
Rick L. Murphy licensee of KRCY-FM Lake Havasu City AZ
Wharton County Radio, Inc. licensee of KULP El Campo TX
After zero bids were made in either of the last two auctions, the FCC has proposed eliminating the following seven allocations from the FM Table of Allotments:
99.7 – Class C2 – Snowflake AZ
100.9 – C2 – Millerton OK
106.5 – C2 – Power OR
103.7 – A – Mount Enterprise TX
107.1 – C3 – Paint Rock TX
105.9 – A – Hardwick VT
99.7 – C3 – Meeteetse WY
Deletions
Radio by Grace, Inc. requested the deletion of 89.1 WLOG Markleysburg PA. WLOG previously served as originating station for the Christian “Freedom Radio FM” network of translators across the country. Those translators are now licensed to rebroadcast 88.5 WZXX Lawrenceburg TN following their donation into Radio By Grace’s network.
AM STAs […]
