And now for this week’s rundown of some of the top stories from around the translator world.
Broadcast Towers Inc. signed a consent decree with the FCC to shut down operations in Florida after the company used roadside locations to temporary operate its translators as it attempted to move them from the Florida Keys into the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. Five translators have been deleted by the FCC: W224BW Key Largo, W237DK Leisure City, W237CI Miami Beach, W258AQ Homestead, and W296BP Coral Gables. A sixth translator, W285EH Key West must be sold by December 31. More details at RadioWorld.
Spanish radio comes to the FM dial in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. Beacon Broadcasting has leased 8 watt 99.5 W258BM Easton, PA to Matthew Braccili, owner of “Hola Radio” 1600 WHOL Allentown and 1400 WEST Easton, the latter of which will be the originating station for the translator. It had been simulcasting Beacon’s 89.3 WJCS Allentown.
A new sign-on in the Phoenix market may spell trouble for an attempted translator move-in on the other side of the Valley of the Sun. Magnolia Radio Corporation, owners of 99.5 KRPH Morristown, AZ and its booster in Wittman, AZ on the western end of the Phoenix market and Deportes y Musica Comunicaciones LLC, the pending purchaser of said station have filed petitions to deny against the application of K258BY Tortilla Flat to upgrade from 10 watts to 99 watts and move its transmitter to the eastern fringe of the market.
Clear Channel will soon be bringing News/Talk 1290 WTKS Savannah, GA to the FM band as the FCC approves the purchase of 97.7 W249BS from Edgewater Broadcasting. Concurrently the translator has applied to downgrade from 27 watts to 8 watts.
Radio Power Inc. continues the move of its East Troy, WI licensed translator into Milwaukee. 98.1 W251BO has been granted a permit to move northeast up I-43 to just west of Muskego, WI about 16 miles southwest of downtown Milwaukee.
Hope Christian Church of Marlton, NJ is moving two of its translators towards larger cities. 96.5 W243BR York, PA has been granted a CP to move the translator to a point halfway between York and Harrisburg. Down in Baltimore, on top of the 97.5 upgrade that was granted a few weeks ago, the Church has been granted an upgrade of 98.3 W252BR Edgemere, MD from 5 watts to 250 watts.
