KBMQ-FM Monroe LA and WWNQ-FM Forest Acres SC (in the Columbia SC Arbitron market) both admitted to having deficiencies in their public files. And even though the FCC holds the candor of its licensees in high esteem, the fact that the licensees of these two stations turned themselves in will not enable them to escape a stiff penalty.
The licensee of KBMQ is Media Ministries Inc.
Double O South Carolina Corporation is the licensee for WWNQ.
As is so often the case for stations with public files which fail to pass muster, both KBMQ and WWNQ were missing quarterly issues/program lists. When applying for license renewals, both checked the “No” box – a “Yes” would have meant that the files were complete.
In both cases, the fine will be the standard $10K.
And, in both cases, the FCC said that they did not detect a pattern of abuse and discerned that the stations were being operated in the public interest. Therefore, their applications for license renewals were granted.
The FCC did caution that if this particular violation is repeated, that may very well constitute a “pattern” of abuse, so the licensees will do well to stay on top of the file going forward.
RBR-TVBR observation: There should be at least two reliable people on the staff of every licensed broadcast station who know what goes into the public file, and who make sure it gets there. It’s hard enough to keep the bottom line in the black these days without taking on the burden of this kind of unnecessary expenditure.
