With the issue of placing a station’s public files online in the news comes word that the FCC fined Rollins College, licensee of WPRK(FM), Winter Park, Fla., $10,000 for not maintaining a complete public file.
Responding to a complaint, in 2011 agents from the Enforcement Bureau’s Tampa office inspected the station that operates on 91.5 MHz. The station manager produced a public file that was missing all the programming lists after 2007 and couldn’t explain the discrepancy, according to the FCC.
Like commercial stations, noncommercial stations, too are required to maintain public station inspection files. Quarterly program lists, explaining the station’s most significant treatment of community issues, are part of the required public file documents.
Given that the station had no explanation for why the programming lists from 2008 to 2011 were missing, the agency proposed a $10,000 fine.
Rollins College has 30 days to appeal or pay the fine, as well as submit a sworn statement to the commission stating that the station is now maintaining a complete public file.
