This week, the FCC issued orders to pay or show cause to two radio station licensees — one in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the other in Georgia — citing unpaid regulatory fees.
In Michigan, the commission has initiated proceedings to revoke the licenses held by Sovereign Communications due to unpaid fees, interest and penalties it said total approximately $37,000 for the years 2021 through 2024.
The affected stations in northern Michigan are 1400 WKNW(AM), 1230 WSOO(AM), 101.3 WSUE(FM) and 99.5 WYSS(FM) in Sault Ste. Marie; 93.9/1450 WNBY(AM/FM) in Newberry; and 105.5 WMKD(FM) in Pickford.
The commission noted that Sovereign has approximately $9,200 available from a prior overpayment that it can apply toward this debt.
In Georgia, meanwhile, Core Communications North faces similar scrutiny regarding two stations.
North of Atlanta, 94.5 WIPK(FM) in Calhoun owes approximately $21,000 in regulatory fees dating back to 2015. It missed payments each year since then, except for 2023, according to the Media Bureau.
Its sister station, 93.5 WMRG(FM) in Morgan, which is south of Columbus near Albany, owes approximately $6,500 for fees covering 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024.
Both Sovereign Communications and Core Communications North have 60 days to file evidence of full payment with the Media Bureau or show cause why the payment should be waived or deferred. Failure to comply within this timeframe may result in license revocation, the commission said.
Under FCC rules, the annual deadline for regulatory fees is typically in late September.
Late or incomplete payments incur a mandatory penalty equal to 25 percent of the unpaid fee, along with additional interest and administrative costs that accrue until the debt is paid in full.
[Related: “Radio Station Annual Fees Decline for 3rd Straight Year”]
