Following the deletion of the license of WJDF Orange MA last week, the person operating the station via LMA is intending to sue the owners for $1.8 million.

The Athol Daily News reports that Steve Wendell was never notified by the Deane’s of the owed money or that WJDF’s 2014 license renewal was never granted. He says that the $1.8 million amount comes from the transmitter repairs he made following the damage caused by lightning last summer, the value of the license, and lost revenue. Wendell also owns Talk 1340 WGAW Gardner MA.

Co-owner Donn Deane told the newspaper, “We’ll have something more to say at some point. We do want to thank everyone in North Quabbin for the support they’ve shown us over the years and especially at this time. We’re really not sure what’s going on, but we’ll be coming out with a statement when we have a clearer picture of what’s happening.”

Original Report 4/5: The FCC has revoked Deane Brothers Broadcasting’s license for Classic Hits 97.3 WJDF Orange MA over unpaid regulatory fees from 2014 through 2018.

The company had been issued an Order To Pay or Show Cause for the $7,743.37 in November 2018 for the fees owed to the agency in that time span. The letters from the FCC and the Secretary of Treasury who was required to collect the delinquent debt all went unanswered brining the FCC to delete the license for the station. The FCC’s order stated that “failure to provide evidence of payment or show cause within the time specified could result in revocation of the Station’s license.”

WJDF served the north central portions of Massachusetts including the Athol and Greenfield areas.