I’m making progress in integrating the FCC license history into the Station Notes.\u00a0\u00a0 The FCC\u00a0 CDBS system – as nice as it is – isn’t designed to be easy to use.\u00a0 It’s very slow at times and requires clicking back and worth without being able to the see the “big picture”.<\/p>\n
Here is an example of “seeing the big picture”<\/p>\n
http:\/\/streamingradioguide.com\/station-notes.php?stationid=23341<\/a><\/p>\n This is the history of WHJA-AM, a 10,000 watt daytime only station\u00a0 in Laurel Mississippi.<\/p>\n In 2000, the station was sold from Cumulus to Clear Channel which operated it until 2008.<\/p>\n In mid 2009, after Clear Channel “went private”, Clear Channel turned off the transmitter with this explanation:<\/p>\n “THE STATION EXPERIENCED A MASSIVE TRANSMITTER FAILURE ON AUGUST 25, 2008 AND REPAIR OF THE FACILITY MY [sic] NOT BE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE. PERMISSION TO REMAIN SILENT IS REQUESTED AS THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE STATION IS ASSESSED IN LIGHT OF THE NEEDED TECHNICAL EXPENDITURES. <\/span>”<\/p>\n The rule (even under relaxed FCC enforcement) is that the radio station license is automatically forfeited if a station stays off the air for a year (except in very limited circumstances like Hurricane Katrina washing away an entire town).<\/p>\n As Clear Channel was about to lose the license, someone came up with a plan – donate the station (and several other nonviable stations to the Coalition of Minority Advocacy Coalitions.\u00a0\u00a0 The MMTC offered itself as intending to rehabilitate radio stations and provide them as a place for young minority people to learn how to do radio, even if the stations couldn’t make a profit. \u00a0 What the MMTC turns out to be is a “flipper” of radio station licenses. \u00a0\u00a0 They solicit station licenses like these and then turn around and try to get white people (or women) to buy them back at a profit. \u00a0 I’m not aware of any MMTC owned radio station that is actually in operation.<\/p>\n On August 25, 2010 – the two year anniversary of when the transmitter failed, Clear Channel donated the station license (but not the physical tower and studio) to the MMTC.\u00a0\u00a0 The MMTC isn’t stupid enough to spend money to build a brand new AM radio station in rural Mississippi, but they do hold the Shield of Racial Immunity Card(tm) and probably earned Diversity Trading Points for Clear Channel..<\/p>\n October 2011 – 14 months after the transfer – the FCC dismissed the MMTC’s request to keep the license but not operate the station (now 3 years since it went dark).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The MMTC tried this:<\/p>\n “VIA OUR CLEAR CHANNEL OWNERSHIP DIVERSITY INITIATIVE WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD TRANSFER OF THIS FACILITY AS A DONATION FOR THE TRAINING AND INCUBATION OF MINORITY AND WOMEN BROADCAST OWNERSHIP.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0IN THE INTERIM IT IS UNECONOMICAL FOR THE CURRENT LICENSEE TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS OF THE STATION.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0EXTENSION OF THE STA TO REMAIN SILENT IS REQUESTED AS THE LICENSEE EXPECTS THE STATION TO BE SILENT FOR A PERIOD EXCEEDING 30 DAYS. <\/span>”<\/p>\n Note the box they’re in – Clear Channel donated the license, but not the station.<\/p>\n The MMTC made up a new story (or made a phone call to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue) and offered up this explanation that was approved:<\/p>\n “LICENSEE REQUESTS SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY FOR STATION WHJA, LAUREL, MS. THE STATION BRIEFLY RESUMED SERVICE IN MID-MAY. HOWEVER, SERVICE HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED DUE TO A MAJOR AND LONGSTANDING PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMITTER. SERVICE WILL BE RESUMED AS SOON AS PRACTIBLE AND THE COMMISSION WILL BE NOTIFIED.<\/span>”<\/p>\n There is no way for the FCC to know if anything at all happened in May 2011, and certainly not in the spirit of the STA rules about resuming operations.\u00a0\u00a0 They did file the “Resumption of operations” on June 2nd, however – but if there is a transmitter (not likely) and it was briefly operated in May (if at all, it was probably a portable 5 watt transmitter on the back of a pickup truck)\u00a0 the MMTC had an obligation to immediately notify the FCC again when operations ceased, not wait until October.<\/p>\n So in October 2011, the FCC blessed the station remaining off the air but also warned that the license would expire in May 2012 unless the station was on the air.<\/p>\n The station license was up for renewal in May 2012 as part of the routine 8 year licensing cycle now for radio stations.\u00a0\u00a0 The license was renewed despite no evidence (other than the statement of the MMTC) that the station had been on the air since 2008.\u00a0\u00a0 The renewal was granted.<\/p>\n After the license was renewed and after the “drop dead” date for losing the license, the MMTC filed yet another request to keep staying silent saying<\/p>\n “WHJA WAS DONATED TO MMTC BY CAPSTAR AND WAS HAVING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS AT THE TIME. MMTC DOES NOT BELIEVE IT IS ECONOMIC TO OPERATE KYHN AS A SINGLETON AND HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND A QUALIFIED BUYER-LMA PARTNER. IT IS USING ITS BEST EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES. MEANWHILE, IN ORDER TO CONSERVE CAPITAL, MMTC IS SEEKING AUTHORITY TO DISCONTINUE REGULAR OPERATIONS ON AN INTERIM BASIS.<\/span>”<\/p>\n That application was filed this morning.<\/p>\n Think the FCC will grab the “License Cancelled” stamp and end this charade?<\/p>\n The FCC exists to regulate and to issue fines.\u00a0\u00a0 There is no upside to cancelling a radio license, and a large down side when this station is currently in the “Owned by Minority” column showing the progress the FCC has been making in encouraging Diversity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’m making progress in integrating the FCC license history into the Station Notes.\u00a0\u00a0 The FCC\u00a0 CDBS system – as nice as it is – isn’t designed to be easy to use.\u00a0 It’s very slow at times and requires clicking back … Continue reading