The Federal Communications Commission has changed its tentative selections in four groups of mutually exclusive applications to build new noncom educational FM stations.
These are among 231 groups of MX applications that emerged from the 2021 application window. After it announced tentative outcomes in batches, a 30-day filing window opened for others to file petitions to deny those choices.
The commission has been working through this MX process for many months, changing the tentative selections in some cases.
In its latest action it announced the results of a reassessment of six selections that were contested. The reasons cited by opponents included invalid application data and challenging the merit of the FCC’s tie-breaking decisions.
Four of them now are reversed, involving future FM stations in New Mexico, Iowa and Florida. Two are upheld, involving communities in Texas and North Dakota.
Here are the commission’s six conclusions:
Group 152 — In this group, after a tentative conclusion was announced, the commission responded to subsequent filings by conducting a new point analysis. The MX group consisted of applicants straddling the New Mexico/Arizona border: Good News Broadcasting Inc. and New Hope Baptist Church–Gallup, each proposing to serve Gallup, N.M.; and Gallup Public Radio, proposing to serve Saint Michaels, Ariz. The new tentative selectee is New Hope Baptist Church.
Group 54 — In this group, the commission deemed to have found population and coverage area errors after a tentative decision was made. Hoping to serve the community of Weeki Wachee, Fla., the filings of Call Communications Group Inc., New Media Humanity Association Inc., Ethree Group Inc., and Central Baptist Church of Ocala Inc., were considered. Call Communications Group Inc. is the new tentative selectee.
Group 76 — The commission also deemed to have found population and coverage area errors after a previous tentative decision and a new point analysis was conducted. For the community of Burlington, Iowa, two filings were considered from Heritage Baptist Church and Sound in Spirit Broadcasting Inc. The new tentative selectee is Heritage Baptist Church.
Group 51 — For Key West, Fla., the FCC received a tie-breaker challenge to reassess its decision between the filings of West Palm Beach Corp. and Newland Broadcasters Inc. The commission has reversed its decision, and the new tentative selectee is Newland Broadcasters Inc.
Group 200 — Amongst four filings serving different communities in Texas, the FCC considered a petition to deny its tentative selectee but has upheld the selection of Vida Ministry Inc. to serve the community of Central Gardens.
Group 122 — And for Grand Forks, N.D., the FCC considered a petition to deny its previous tentative selectee but has upheld its selection of Grand Forks Bible Study Group.
The challenges, calculations and rationales can be complicated to follow. You can read the FCC’s comparative consideration of these groups to dig into them.
