Appeal of fine yields fine result for Asheboro AM

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WZOO-AM Asheboro NC was nailed for the top drawer late license renewal fine of $7K. That’s what happens when the application is not only late (within four months of the actual license expiration date), but also continues past the expiration date, constituting unauthorized operation. WZOO appealed – and won.


Faith Enterprises Inc. acknowledged in its appeal that its application to renew the license was lacking a key component – the application fee. However, the application itself was timely filed, and it sent the fee along three weeks later, more than three months before the license expired.

The FCC kept the money, said Faith, and made no comment, leading Faith to believe that everything was hunky dory. It did not realize there was a problem until months later, when it was hit with the $7K notice of apparent liability. It immediately contacted counsel and procured an STA to keep the station on air legally while the late license filing issue was sorted out.

The FCC decided that Faith was correct. The $7K penalty was taken away, and all Faith is liable for is a 25% penalty over and above the already-paid filing fee.