Class A TV slammed for multiple FCC violations

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FCCNobody wants to spend money for nothing, especially when margins are tight to begin with. But the expense piled up for a Class A station in Kansas that suffered a cascading series of rule violations.


The station is KGPT-CD Wichita, licensed to Great Plains Television Network LLC.

It’s violations included:
1) failing to file electronically the Station’s quarterly TV issues/programs lists
(2) failing to file timely with the Commission the Station’s Children’s Television Programming Reports
(3) failing to file timely the Station’s license renewal application
(4) failing to report certain violations in the renewal application

Violation #1 cost the station $10K, and each of the other three carried a penalty, in this instance, of $3K for a grand total of $19K.

The FCC noted a way that Great Plains can avoid the fine – if it allows the station’s license to be reduced from Class A status to a standard LPTV license, the station would no longer be “apparently liable” for the $19K.

The station now has the opportunity to appeal the FCC’s finding, accept the downgrade to LPTV status or simply pay the fine.