The Beasley Broadcast Group (BBGI) and one of its subsidiaries agreed to enter into a consent decree with the Federal Communications Commission over a series of unauthorized assignments and transfers made by the radio broadcaster.
The issue involves transfer of applications between one subsidiary company to another, which Beasley sought to have granted nunc pro tunc, or retroactively, after they were made on Dec. 31, 2017.
But the actions violated Section 310 of the Communications Act and Section 73.3540 of the FCC Rules, which say no station license can be transferred before being approved by the commission.
[Read: Beasley Reports Q4 2017 Tally]
In December of last year, the parent company BBGI set up assignments and license transfers as part of an internal corporate restructuring of its subsidiaries. Then in January, Beasley Media Group Licenses LLC (BMGLL) filed an application requesting nunc pro tunc grant of the assignments/transfers. The FCC ruled that grant was unauthorized.
Specifically, Beasley applied to transfer stations held by WDAS License Limited Partnership, WKIS License Limited Partnership, WPOW License Limited Partnership, WQAM License Limited Partnership and WXTU License Limited Partnership. Beasley sought consent to assign licenses held by the various limited partnership subsidiaries of BBGI to BMGLL. A sixth and final application involved the conversation of Beasley Media Group Inc. (a member of BMGLL) from a corporation to Beasley Media Group LLC.
BMGLL admitted to the violation and agreed to make a civil penalty of $15,000 within 30 days and partake in a three-year compliance plan to avoid similar violations.
