It took nearly seven years, but in the end, the Federal Communications Commission said “no” to a broadcaster looking to have its a Michigan station reauthorized, and two other applications incompatible with it thrown out.
In July of 2009 the Christian Family Network sought review of a previously dismissed petition in which it objected to the grant of applications to two Spring Arbor University stations. Spring Arbor had applied for minor modification of facilities to two Michigan stations — WJKN(AM) in Jackson and KTGG(AM) in Okemos — for a new directional antenna and a change of city of license and frequency, respectively.
But CFN cried foul and argued that the Media Bureau had made a mistake in granting the Spring Arbor applications, for two main reasons: the grants conflicted with expired facilities of its former station DWOLY(AM) in Battle Creek, Mich.; and the decision negated the bureau’s ability to grant relief that CFN requested in June 2009. That relief included an application renewal request for DWOLY — ultimately rejected by the bureau — and subsequent termination of the station’s authorization.
Almost seven years from the filing of the application to the commission decision, but it was not to be. The commission found no basis to modify the bureau decision and concluded that CFN failed to demonstrate that the bureau erred in its original conclusion. As a result, the original decisions were upheld and the CFN application for review was denied.
This is the latest unfavorable ruling for CFN related to that station. In 2007, the FCC fined the network $10,000 for operating WOLY after its license had expired.
