After a federal appeals court struck down part of the new foreign sponsorship rules in July, removing the part that required licensees to independently check two federal databases to verify whether a lessee is a “foreign governmental entity”, the FCC has released a new rulemaking proposal.

The new rulemaking proposes that a broadcaster must certify that it has informed its lessee of the foreign sponsorship identification rules and obtained, or sought to obtain, a certification from its lessee stating whether the lessee is or is not a “foreign governmental entity”. In addition the lessee must submit a certification in response to the the request, proposes to standardize certification language for use in certifications, and alternative proposal that the lessee must obtain the documentation showing it does not appear on the federal databases.

The notice also seeks comments on a pending petition to distinguish between advertising and brokered programming by establishing a presumption that any content that is two minutes in length or shorter is advertising that is exempt from the foreign sponsorship rules.

FCC Actions

The FCC has rescinded the grant of two non-commercial licenses from last year’s filing window to Charles Keiler’s Ethree Group, Inc. following petitions to deny stating that their applications contained inaccurate service population totals. The grants, for 90.5 Cypress Quarters and 90.3 Key Colony Beach FL, will now go back to the FCC to make a determination under their points system.

The Worship Center of Kingsville’s 1590 KDAE Sinton TX was issued a Notice of Violation as parts of its antenna fencing had fallen and no longer enclosed the tower.

Assyrian American Civic Club of Turlock, Inc. has entered a consent decree for failing to comply with the filing deadline and public file rules for its 90.9 KBDG Turlock CA. The group will pay a $1500 civil penalty as it failed to file its license renewal application until one day before its license would have expired on December 1, 2021 as opposed to the required August 1. KBDG also did not properly maintain its online public file.

The following licensees entered consent decrees for failing to maintain their online political files:

• 3G Broadcasting licensee of 1540 WADK Newport RI
• Lloyd Lane Inc. licensee of 1140 WCJW Warsaw NY

Deletions

Two licensees held by James Su have turned in their licenses. Major Radio LLC surrenders 890 WJTP Lithia Springs/Atlanta GA, while Trade Route Media surrenders 1090 KULF Bellville/Houston. Both stations previously aired programming from co-owned EDI Media and China Radio International as “iCiti News“.

Silent Notifications

• Association Des Haitiens Vivant A L’etranger Pour Le Develop’s 88.3 WBIY La Belle FL (antenna destroyed by Hurricane Ian)
• Family Stations’ 1190 WAMT Pine Castle Sky Lake FL (water damage to transmitter from Hurricane Ian)
• Unity Broadcasting’s 1600 WLAA Winter Garden FL (tower destroyed by Hurricane Ian)
• Southwest Montana Media’s 580 KANA Anaconda MT (tower lease expired)
• Zip2 LLC’s 850 WKGE Johnstown PA (transmitter failure)
• Family Life Broadcasting’s 920 KFLB Odessa TX (RF module failure)

AM Changes

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s Christian Preaching 850 KFUO Clayton MO