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FCC News & Actions 2-7-12
Radio Partners LLC Acquires Steamboat Springs CP
Radio Partners LLC has agreed to purchase a FM construction permit 970911MV, licensed to the ski town of Steamboat Springs, CO, for $125,000 from Ramsey Leasing, pending FCC approval. The buyer is headed by Don Tlapek who also owns an FM construction permit for Olathe, CO. The seller is headed by Kelly Ramsey who also
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Relevant Radio Comes to The East Coast with WBZS
Relevant Radio has agreed to acquire WBZS-AM (550)/Providence for $750,000 from Salem Communications. The deal was struck on January 6 and the FCC application was filed on January 17. The religious broadcaster also owns stations in Chicago, Minneapolis, Austin, Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Waus
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Absolute Closes on Purchase of Three Eagles Trio
Absolute Communications II LLC has closed on its purchase of AC KITN-FM (93.5), AC KWOA-FM (95.1) and News/Talk KWOA-AM (730) in Worthington, MN, from Three Eagles Communications for $2.2 million. "I've been talking to John Daniels about this for many years and he was in position to make the combination work at t
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Report: FCC Votes to Relax Cross-Ownership Rules
The FCC has voted to allow broadcast-newspaper cross-ownership in major markets while retaining current radio-TV ownership restrictions, sources tell Broadcasting & Cable. The new provisions are subject to public comment before a final vote at a public meeting. A recent ruling by a federal appeals court cited an absence of publ
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FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps to Exit January 1
FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps has set January 1, 2012 as his last day with the FCC. Copps was appointed to the agency by President George W. Bush in April, 2001, assuming the slot vacated by Susan Ness. In a statement, Copps said should the Senate confirm a successor prior to his departure date, or should the Senate adjourn before Jan
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NAB Petitions U.S. Supreme Court Over Ownership
In a petition filed Monday by NAB, the trade association is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to determine whether the Third Circuit correctly upheld and retained future jurisdiction over media broadcast ownership rules as set by the FCC. The DC Circuit previously held that the local television ownership rule approved by the Third C
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Cumulus Stations Move From Bankruptcy to Oxford
AR Broadcasting Holdings, which holds several Cumulus stations, is asking the FCC for permission to move CHR KCHZ-FM (95.7 The Vibe) and Urban AC KMJK-FM (Magic 107.3)/Kansas City along with Sports KFNC-FM (ESPN 97.5 The Ticket) and AAA KHJK-FM/Houston from debtor-in-possession status to Oxford Radio. Oxford, headed by bro
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EMF Completes Sale of WRCK/Utica-Rome for $1.22M
Educational Media Foundation is selling Christian CHR WRCK-FM (100.7) Utica-Rome, NY, to Roser Communications Network Inc. for $425,000. EMF purchased the outlet from Ed Levine's Galaxy Broadcasting for $1.22 million in October, 2007. Galaxy had to divest WRCK to comply with the FCC's ownership cap after the company said it woul
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Report: FCC Proposes No Change in Ownership Caps
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has proposed a new rule that would do away with broadcast cross-ownership rules, while leaving in place local market ownership caps reports Broadcasting & Cable's John Eggerton. This would preserve the FCC's prior loosening of the cross-ownership rule, passed under Republican FCC Chairm
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FCC Names Guice Director/OLA, Lewis Deputy Dir.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Thursday the appointment of Greg Guice as Director, Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA). Guice most recently served as Acting Director of OLA and as Special Counsel for House Affairs. Genachowski also announced the appointment of Christopher Lewis as Deputy Director of OLA. Lewis previou
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House Subcommittee Oks FCC Process Reform Act
The U.S. House Communications Subcommittee voted 14-9 on Wednesday to pass the FCC Process Reform Act of 2011, or HR 3309. The Act prohibits the Commission from issuing a notice of proposed rule making unless, during the 3-year period preceding the issuance of such notice, the Commission has sought public comment through a notic
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Court Asked to Void ''Vague'' FCC Indecency Rules
The Student Press Law Center, a nonprofit advocate for the First Amendment rights of student media, joined College Broadcasters Inc. in urging the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday to strike down the FCC's policy of fining broadcasters for "fleeting expletives." SPLC and CBI claims that the policy is forcing student broadcasters to censor thems
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Smith Encourages Quick Action on FCC Nominations
NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith has sent a letter to Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), who also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), a ranking member of the Committee, encouraging the Committee to act promptly on the FCC nominations of Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Varadaraj Pai. "Th
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Proposed Law Would Restrict FCC's Merger Authority
Republican lawmakers plan to introduce legislation to reduce the FCC's authority over mergers, reports Reuters. Republicans are seeking standardized FCC practices to replace the FCC's current "public interest" standard that is used when reviewing mergers. The "narrower standard" would be based on merger-specific harms.
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White House Nominates Rosenworcel, Ajit to FCC
President Obama has nominated Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai to become FCC Commissioners. The five-member panel has two slots open, one Republican and one Democratic. When confirmed, the Commission will have a 3-2 Democratic majority under Chairman Julius Genachowski. Rosenworcel is Senior Communications Counsel for the Senate Com
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FCC Fines Meade County $10,000 Over Public File
The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture and Order (NAL) to Meade County Communications, licensee of WMMG-AM/Brandenburg, KY, for $10,000 after it failed to maintain and make available the issues/program lists in the public inspection file. The Commission also ordered Meade to submit a written statement s
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