Following an informal objection and request for enforcement by Connoisseur Media, Edgewater Broadcasting has withdrawn its Construction Permit and License to Cover applications for 96.3 K242CI Casper WY to relocate to 102.5 in Billings MT.
Edgewater had applied for and was granted a CP to move K242CI to Billings rebroadcasting Sun Mountain Inc.’s 1340 KBSR Laurel MT where it was operating as AC “Magic 102.5“. Connoisseur claims that K242CI and 104.5 K283CP (licensed to rebroadcast 1450 KYLW Lockwood MT) have been operating illegally. Amongst Connoisseur’s claims were that K242CI began operating in late 2016 but did not file for a license to cover until March, neither originating AM have not operated for multiple years now and no tower constructed at the licensed site for either station, both translators were built at facilities not specified in their Construction Permit.
In its response Edgewater admitted that their contracted engineer Joshua Eversole built the translators on the wrong tower adjacent to its licensed one, but was unaware that the originating AMs were dark and immediately filed for Silent STA’s for the translators. Eversole, the contract engineer, was also the operator of both translators as K283CP debuted in November 2016 as Rhythmic CHR “Wild 104.5” under the operations of his Eversole Media Group joining similarly formatted translators he leased in Kalispell and Missoula MT.
Since then the FCC has deleted 1450 KYLW’s license for Red Light Delinquent fees due. In a Petition For Reconsideration filed in late May, owner Richard Solberg claimed he made periodic payments of fees due until multiple medical issues last year left him hospitalized for months.
In a follow-up letter, Connoisseur stated that following the Silent STA filings by Edgewater, 104.5 K283CP returned to the air on April 1 but after Connoisseur contacted Edgewater’s Consulting Engineer on April 4th the station once again went silent. A pair of Facebook posts by the station backs that timeline.