FCC Report 3/17: $16,200 Penalty & Translator Cancellation Proposed Against Georgia AM
A proposed $16,200 forfeiture has been proposed against Southern Media Interactive’s 790 WSFN Brunswick GA for multiple violations as well as the cancellation of its translator 103.7 W279BC Brunswick.
WSFN’s violations included discontinued operation from 9/1/2022 and 1/1/2023 and at various times in 2023, but didn’t file a Silent STA until October 31, 2022 and never did in 2023. The station also continued to broadcast from facilities specified in an engineering STA after it expired and would not file for a new STA until a few months later. Additionally, the commission finds that there was an unauthorized transfer of control to Shanks Broadcasting on September 1, 2022 when WSFN, 1400 WSEG Savannah and 1350 WFNS Blackshear began simulcasting Shanks’ “Sports Superstations” network based at 1150 WXKO Fort Valley/Macon. Southern Media Interactive did not comply with the FCC’s two letters of inquiry as it failed to provide information including the agreements with Shanks, station logs, EAS logs, and utility bills to show compliance with FCC rules.
The FCC notes that the translator had been operating from an unauthorized location for more than a year deeming its license cancelled. W279BC’s tower was dismantled on January 4, 2023 with an FCC field agent noting in April that the translator was operating from a tower 3 miles north without any authorization. As the translator had not operated from its licensed site in over 365 days its license was considered expired on January 4, 2024.
The FCC has restored fourteen allocations to the FM Table of Allotments following previous license cancellations and unbuilt CPs. The allocations will be added to a future FM auction:
97.1A North English IA
101.3A Colfax LA
102.3A Calhoun City MS
98.5C2 Battle Mountain NV
102.7C0 Independence OR
106.7C1 Huntington OR
103.9C3 Monument OR
100.9A Murdo SD
105.5A Selmer TN
98.1C3 Camp Wood TX
105.7A Cotulla TX
98.5C2 Los Ybanez TX
102.9A Ozona TX
94.5A Stamford TX
Pirate Actions
A Notice of Illegal Pirate Broadcasting has been issued to George Miller of Cedar Hill TX for operating on 88.9.
License Cancellations
Audacy has turned in the licenses of 720 KDWN Las Vegas and 1140 KXST North Las Vegas NV after not completing the move of both stations to the site of 840 KXNT after selling their former tower site for $40 million.
The FCC has cancelled the licenses of High Plains Radio Networks’ 980 KICA Clovis NM and 98.3 KICA-FM Farwell TX. Both stations went silent at the end of 2022 after losing their tower site lease.
Maranatha Church of Laredo has surrendered the license of 90.5 KMPI McCoy TX.
After being silent since May 2023, Cumulus Media has surrendered 1190 KNEK Washington LA. The station went silent after experiencing significant transmitter issues.
Silent Notifications
New Beginnings Movement’s 88.5 WNPP Cole IN (Equipment failure)
Cantico Nuevo Ministry’s 910 WRKL New City NY (Transmitter damaged due to flooding)
Family Stations’ 1560 WFME New York NY (Electronic system interference with Goddard School; sale of transmitter building/land)
Latino Media Networks’ 96.1 KBTQ Harlingen TX (Tower dismantled after guy wires detatched)
FM Changes
Claro Communications proposes upgrading 98.3 KMZZ Bishop/Corpus Christi TX […]
