The FCC has ordered Curtis Media Group’s 98.3 W252EL Cary/Raleigh NC off the air to address interference complaints from Lakes Media Country “US 98.3” WLUS-FM Clarksville VA.
W252EL had resumed operations last August via Program Test Authority with Lakes Media filing an objecting arguing that the application should be denied because it was again filing harmful interference to WLUS-FM. Curtis countered that the operations was within the parameters already determined to resolve previous complaints and no new complaints were including and Lakes was offering to receive a $500,000 payment to settle the matter. After the government shutdown, Lakes included ten new complaints plotting interference within the protected 45 dBu contour. After back and forth arguments, the FCC ordered today for W252EL to cease operations until it can resolve all valid listener complaints. It did warn Lakes that they were concerned about the the allegation that they were seeking financial incentive to resolve the interference and that any monetary settlement that results in the voluntary dismissal of an informal objection must be limited to the petitioner’s legitimate and prudent expenses in prosecuting the petition.
In a press statement, Lakes Media owner Thomas Birch said, “We pay thousands of dollars every year in FCC license fees to guarantee interference-free coverage of our 45 dBu contour. Yet we have been forced – again – to spend more money on lawyers and engineers to stop a translator from illegally disrupting our audience and violating federal law. And, in addition to the tens of thousands of dollars in legal and technical expenses we have incurred, we have lost thousands of dollars in advertising revenue. This is the third time WLUS-FM has been blocked from reaching its listeners. This is not an accident. This is not a technical glitch. This is a blatant and repeated assault on our licensed service area. First State should be required to reimburse every dollar we’ve spent to end this crime. This cannot continue. The FCC must shut this down – now.”
Birch followed, “We are, of course, happy that the Commission agreed with our filing and has ordered the termination of this illegal interference and we are hopeful that this will not happen again. I applaud our attorneys Dawn Sciarrino and Megan Wilson Davis on assisting us in our effort to shut down this unlawful interference.”
W252EL operated as part of the Classic Rock “Triangle’s Rock-FM” network originating at 570 WQDR Raleigh.
