FCC Report 7/2: A Final Salvation For Franken-FMs?

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From Radio Insight:

At its July open meeting on July 20, the FCC commissioners will vote on the permanent operation of the thirteen LPTV stations on channel 6 to continue providing analog audio-only service to radio audiences as an ancillary or supplementary service of their TV service.
The so-called “Franken-FM’s” had been operating on borrowed time with the conversion of all television signals to digital originally set for 2015 but eventually delayed until July 13, 2021. In advance of that date, some of the stations received temporary permission to operate with an analog audio signal on 87.75 FM in its ATSC 3.0 digital video signal. The rulemaking would also require the stations to provide at least one stream of synchronized video and audio programming on the ATSC 3.0 portion of the spectrum at any time the station is operating.
The thirteen stations that would be permitted to continue permanent operations on 87.75 are: KZNO-LD Big Bear Lake CA, KEFM-LD Sacramento CA, KRPE-LD San Diego CA, KBKF-LD San Jose CA, KXDP-LD Denver CO, WEYS-LD Miami FL, WTBS-LD Atlanta GA, WRME-LD Chicago IL, KGHD-LD Las Vegas NV, WNYZ-LD New York NY, WDCN-LD Fairfax VA, and WMTO-LD Norfolk VA. This order will make their operation permanent but other than the pending CP of WVOA-LD Westvale/Syracuse NY, no new signals will be permitted to commence operation in this manner.

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GLR Southern California LLC has applied for an STA “to deliver a full range of English language programming primarily consisting of syndicated news, talk shows and sports programs, along with paid advertising” on 690 XEWW Rosarito MX. The FCC ordered GLR to stop its US originating programming on XEWW in 2020 which was produced by entities associated with the Chinese government.

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Hope Broadcasting Inc’s 1180 WFGN Gaffney SC has been issued an Order to Pay or to Show Cause for not paying regulatory fees in 2010, 2012-16, and 2022. The licensee has sixty days to pay the $8204.22 owed or face a license revocation proceeding.

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The FCC has proposed a $7500 fine against WIN Radio Broadcasting Corp.’s 94.3 W232DE Potomac MD for operating with an unauthorized antenna. W232DE’s license to cover was rescinded in May 2019 following a Petition to Deny by Historic Takoma?s 94.3 WOWD-LP Takoma Park MD specifying the translator’s license should have expired and been deleted on September 8, 2018 after a year of silence and unauthorized operation. W232DE was moved to Potomac as part of the 2016 translator waiver move to rebroadcast 950 WCTN Potomac-Cabin John and has dealt with interference complaints from WOWD-LP since its sign-on in 2017. The translator now holds a CP to relocate to 101.5 pending grant of its license renewal application.

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Ruby Lopez’s Regional Mexican “La Z” 93.9 W230CO Seaford DE has been issued a Notice of Violation for operating beyond its licensed Transmitter Power Output. Prior to an FCC inspection, on December 8, 2022, field strength measurements noted W230CO operating with a TPO of 1498 watts, while licensed for 128 watts. When the FCC agents requested permission to inspect the station, the TPO was reduced to 148 watts. W230CO rebroadcasts 1280 WSUX Seaford.
Silent Notifications

• Super W Media Group’s 1280 WIPC Lake Wales FL (Loss of transmitter site)
• Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting’s 1490 KFCR Custer SD (Station equipment failure)

FM Changes

Cumulus Media Alternative “Alt 92.3” WZRH LaPlace/New Orleans has found its new home after the August 2021 destruction of the 2000′ tower it shared with iHeartMedia’s 104.1 KVDU.
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