FCC Actions
A pair of stations have had fines proposed for failing to timely award a contest prize, thereby not conducting the contest substantially as announced or advertised. Townsquare Media’s Hot AC “93.1 Kiss-FM” KSII El Paso was issued a $6,000 notice of liability for failing to award a November 2016 contest winner the Elton John tickets he won. A $5200 penalty was levied against Gow Media Sports “ESPN 97.5” KFNC Mont Belviue/Houston because a winner of a 2016 fantasy football contest never received his trip to Mexico after the resort operator reneged on its commitment to provide the prize and the station’s promotions director failed to inform management. The station would later give the winner $3600 after it became aware of the complaint to the FCC.
The FCC has proposed a $15,000 fine against Plymouth Gathering Inc. Oldies “Pirate Radio 104.7” KELS-LP Greeley CO for running commercials. The FCC notes that over a three-month period in 2018, KELS-LP aired over 1600 commercials from 14 different advertisers.
The FCC has returned the following allocations to the table of allotments after their previous licenses were deleted. They will be made available in a future FCC auction or filing period:
- Avenal CA – 101.7 A
- Coalinga CA – 100.1 B
- Dos Palos CA – 95.9 A
- Firebaugh CA – 94.7 A
- Ford City CA – 102.1 A
- King City CA – 102.9 A
- Lindsay CA – 103.3 B1
- Calhan CO – 104.7 C3
- Idalia CO – 94.1 A
- Asbury IA – 98.7 A (replacing 95.5 A)
- Ganado TX – 94.9 C1
- Hereford TX – 103.5 C2
- Palacios TX – 99.7 C1
- Charlotte Amalie VI – 102.9 A
Pirate Actions
A pair of longtime Boston pirates reached settlements with the FCC to cease operations permanently.
After sending Notices of Apparent Liability last December, for in one case would have been the largest fine ever issued to a pirate operator, both agreed to a strict compliance plan over 20 years to prevent Acerome Jean Charles and Gerlens Cesar from ever being involved in an unlicensed operation.
Cesar’s “Radio TeleBoston” negotiated down from the original $453,015 fine levied to pay $5,000 but would also be liable for a further $225,000 if he ever violates the terms of the settlement. Cesar operated from three transmitters on 90.1 and 92.1 in different parts of Boston and continued to operate after multiple written notices from the FCC.
Acerome Jean Charles operated “Radio Concorde” on 106.3 in Boston causing interference to Beasley Media owned “Bloomberg 106.1” W291CZ Boston. A 2018 profile of the station by WGBH indicates that it began broadcasting in 1993. Charles’ settlement dropped his proposed fine from $151,005 to $4,000 and a further penalty of $75,000 if he is found in violation.
Both operators were required to inventory all of their transmission equipment and send to a recycling center within 30 days.