Beacon Broadcasting gets fined

An FCC Agent from the Philadelphia Field Office paid a visit to Greenville-licensed WGRP-AM; WEXC-FM and their “STL” WQGQ238 last November and has since found the stations liable for $18,000 after violation of three rules.

The first violation was listed as failing to maintain radio issues/programs lists in the public inspection file. According to the FCC report, the public file did not contain any such lists since the grant of the latest WGRP renewal application in July 2006. In that renewal, Beacon did acknowledge that no such lists existed prior to September 2005 because former station principals had not prepared them. Therefore the FCC found the violation to be willful and repeated.

The second violation was failure to operate its broadcast station in a manner which complies with the terms of the station authorization. The enforcement agent conducted field strength mesurements of 940 AM (WGRP) twice during the two-day visit November 18/19, 2009 and found antenna input power readings to be higher than licensed. Additionally the WGRP transmitter was programmed to automatically reduce to an unauthorized nighttime power level.

Finally, an inspection of the STL revealed that the frequency of 951.500 MHz was being used without authorization as WQGW238. That callsign was licensed for 948.000 MHz. Beacon had requested that the FCC cancel the license for WPYK361 (for 951.500) in March 2007 but apparently continued to operate that frequency.

The complete report is here.

Hat tip: Tom Taylor