The Federal Communications Commission has sent a notice about a potential forfeiture to two LPFM broadcasters for the amount of $1,500 each.
A Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture was sent on Oct. 12 to Corning Christian Radio Corp. after the Media Bureau discovered that the licensee had failed to file its license renewal application for station WLRG(LP) in Corning, N.Y.
A similar letter was sent to Erie Christian Broadcasting Inc. on the same day after the bureau found that the application to renew for WBIT(LP) in Erie, Pa., had not been submitted on time.
The rules state that applications for license renewal must be filed no later than the first day of the fourth full calendar month before the license’s expiration date. For Erie, the application for renewal of WBIT should have been filed by April 1, 2022, but that the renewal application was not filed until July 28, with no explanation for the delay provided.
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In the case of Corning, the application should have been filed by Feb. 1. The bureau said the application was not filed until May 31, again with no explanation.
Commission rules establish a base forfeiture of $3,000 for licensees who fail to file a required form. However, the bureau can adjust the base amount up or down depending on the circumstances.
In both of these cases, the bureau found that, although the licensees did not file a renewal application on time, each did file their renewal application prior to the outright expiration of the station’s license. Taking all factors into account, the bureau agreed to cut the proposed forfeiture in half.
Each LPFM has 30 days to pay the forfeiture or submit a written statement justifying a reduction or cancellation.
