Truth Broadcasting Corporation had a plan to move its KTIA-FM out of Boone IA and take it to Johnston IA, a move that would leave Boone with three radio stations and provide Johnston with its first. It would also provide service to well over 300,000 more citizens. However, the FCC sees the proposal not as a move to Johnston, but as a move to Des Moines, and decided it was in the public interest for the station to stay put. Truth has the right to “provide additional information.”
Low power FM KFMG-LP objected to the plan – no doubt feeling threatened. The 99.1 MHz facility is first adjacent to the 99.3 MHz Truth outlet.
In a nutshell, the FCC determined that while there were some arguments one could make concerning the independence of the municipality of Johnston, the preponderance of evidence indicated that the community was part of the Des Moines urbanized area – it is only about eight miles from the edge of the city and 13.5 miles from the center of the city. The station would reach over three-fourths of the population in the market. Further, according to the FCC, Johnston is part of the Des Moines advertising market.
It believed it was better for the station to be the fourth in Boone, which is not part of any rated market, rather than the 17th station in Des Moines.
For these reasons the FCC called the Truth proposal “deficient” and has given it 30 days to cure the deficiencies.
