The license renewal of a low-powered television station serving the Bryan-College Station, Tex., market will proceed, but not without a small, proposed fine for engaging in unauthorized operation of the station after its Construction Permit had expired.
A $3,500 fine was handed to Castelli Media LLC, led by Vince Castelli, because he failed to file a license to cover prior to the expiration date of K35PH-D‘s original construction permit — granted on August 4, 2020, with a three-year construction period.
As such, the CP was forfeited, with the LPTV’s call sign deleted. This ended all authority to construct K35PH-D.
On October 12, more than two months after the CP was forfeited and nearly seven months after Castelli shared that construction of K35PH-D’s facilities was completed (in March 2023), Castelli sought reconsideration of the cancellation, reinstatement of the station’s expired CP, and permission to file an application for license to cover. Furthermore, Castelli said K35PH-D has been operating.
What happened, Castelli argues, is that it failed to file a timely application for license to cover due to an administrative error. Indeed, the consulting engineer included a statement that she overlooked filing the station’s license to cover. Plus, Castelli has initiated steps to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.
While that’s great, Castelli is still responsible for all filings, even as the consulting engineer took the blame — hence the proposed fine.
The good news: Castelli’s reinstated construction permit allows it to file an application to cover.
