FCC Actions
In deciding a Petition For Reconsideration filed by New River Community Church’s Christian AC “Y102.5” WYPH-LP Manchester CT, the FCC has ordered WYPH-LP and Red Wolf Broadcasting Classic Hits “102.9 The Whale” WDRC-FM Hartford to jointly engage a third party engineer to perform on-off testing to determine if WYPH-LP is the source of the interference caused to WDRC-FM and jointly submit the results of such testing to the Bureau for review within 90 days.
WYPH-LP was forced to go Silent on April 23, 2020 until New River had remediated the interference caused to the reception of WDRC-FM. After a series of back and forth petitions that would also include Saga’s 102.1 WAQY Springfield MA, the FCC says WYPH-LP didn’t properly make its case that it isn’t the cause of WDRC-FM’s interference, but the third party engineering study will make that determination. Should WYPH-LP be deleted, Red Wolf will be able to eliminate the null over Hartford of their 102.5 W273DS Meridan.
Fairfield Educational Radio Station’s 90.5 KHOE Fairfield IA was issued a $3000 fine for a late license renewal, which was then rescinded after being informed that FCC’s media bureau staff had given permission for KHOE to file by November 2, 2020 as opposed to the October 1 filing deadline.
Cultural Energy’s 90.1 KCEI Red River NM was fined $3000 for filing a late license renewal. KCEI’s renewal applications was due to be filed by September 30, 2019 ahead of a license expiration of January 31, 2020 but was not filed until September 24, 2020.
Lighthouse Ministries of Northwest Ohio’s 103.5 WKJH-LP Bryan OH was fined $3500 for failing to file a timely license renewal application for the Station, and willfully and repeatedly violated section 301 of the Act by engaging in unauthorized operation of the Station after its authorization had expired. WKJH-LP was due to file its renewal by June 1, 2020 ahead of its October 1 expiration. The station was notified in a Public Notice on September 4 that it would be deleted if its renewal application was not received by 10/1. The renewal was filed on October 27 with Program Director James Hollin, stating that he mistakenly believed that the license renewal application was due in 2021, and that he had several family issues occurring at the time the renewal application was due.
Family Worship Center Church’s 88.7 W204BG Effingham IL was fined $1500 for filing a late license renewal. W204BG’s renewal application was supposed to be filed by August 3, 2020 but was not filed until November 16.
Delmarva Educational Association’s 92.7 W224DK Durham NC has been assessed a 25% penalty of its filing fees for failing to originally pay the filing fee. Triangle Access Broadcasting claimed that Delmarva avoided paying required application and regulatory fees by improperly claiming non-commercial and nonprofit exemptions. But because the translator is rebroadcasting a commercial signal, in this case Curtis Media’s 680 WPTF Raleigh, the translator is a commercial license. Delmarva was only assessed the 25% penalty because it eventually did pay the required filing fee.
avoided paying required application and regulatory fees by improperly claiming noncommercial educational (NCE) and nonprofit exemptions.2 Specifically, Triangle argues that Delmarva is not entitled to claim the NCE exemption for application and regulatory fees because WPTF(AM) is a commercial station, and thus, the Translator “is itself”
Here, the Application was inadvertently forwarded to Commission staff for substantive review without the requisite filing fee. As 30 days have elapsed from the date the Application was submitted with no fee, we could bill Delmarva retroactively and impose the 25 percent penalty.24 Because Delmarva paid its renewal filing fee on October 17, 2019,25 we will only require it to pay the 25 percent penalty for its deficient filing.
The following stations will expire if their license renewals are not filed by April 1 as they were due on December 1, 2020:
- Colorado Media Justice Foundation’s 93.9 KCMJ-LP Colorado Springs CO
- Calvary Chapel of Durango’s 96.1 KMZG-LP Durango CO
- Colorado Radio Marketing’s 102.3 K272AI Glenwood Springs CO
- Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce’s 106.3 K292AK Lake City CO
- 3G Learning Solutions’ 88.7 KMKZ Red Feather Lakes CO
- Professional Antenna Tower and Translator Service’s 95.1 K236BA Rifle CO
- Range Paging’s 103.9 K280AT Ely MN
- New Culture’s 97.9 KQEP-LP St. Paul MN
- Self Retire’s 1600 KPNP Watertown MN
- University of Montana – Western’s 90.9 KDWG Dillon MT
- Northern Montana College’s 90.1 KNMC Havre MT
- Helena Adventist Educational Media’s 100.7 KRUL-LP Helena MT
- Plains-Paradise Emergency Service’s 104.5 KWHP-LP Plains MT
- Poplar School Systems’ 96.9 KPLR-LP Poplar MT
- Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribe’s 105.3 KTBP-LP Poplar MT
- Seventh Generation Media Svcs’ 89.5 KLND Little Eagle SD
- Juan Diego Radio of Sioux Falls’ 104.3 KSTJ-LP Sioux Falls SD
Deletions
Fundacion Manitas Llenas’s 1400 KWXA Winnemucca NV has been deleted after being silent since May 2019. An inquiry sent by the FCC in December 2020 requesting proof of operation prior to May 27, 2020 was not responded to.
FM Changes
Phoenix Radio Broadcasting’s Beautiful Music 102.1 KAHM Prescott AZ applies to adjust its CP…