A variety of offenses at KBRN-AM in Boerne TX led to a $25K fine levied by the FCC on Bernal Evangelism, the station’s licensee. It was hit for main studio, EAS and public file infractions dating back to October of 2003. The company took a number of tacks in an attempt to wriggle out of the fine, but ultimately could not prove its innocence. It also argued that as a non-profit organization, the FCC was ultimately fining its donors who regardless of FCC findings were complete innocents in the matter, and thus counterproductively limiting Bernal’s ability to provide them with quality programming. It even failed to get a reduction on the general record of compliance peg, since Paulino Bernal the individual had been fined before. However, it has finally hit at least a modicum of pay dirt. It successfully argued that Paulino Bernal the individual owns no stock in the company Paulino Bernal Evangelism, which apparently does have a spotless record. PBE argued that the company should not be penalized for the individual’s prior malfeasance. The FCC agreed, and knocked the fine down $5K to $20K total.
