Three equity interest holders of a pair of AM radio stations licensed to Taylorsville, N.C., passed away. But, the stations’ owner failed to file involuntary transfer of control paperwork with the FCC within 30 days of their passing.
As such, the FCC’s Media Bureau investigated the matter. Now, it has agreed to a Consent Decree with the licensee, which will make a small payment to the U.S. Treasury.
This settles an unauthorized transfer of control of Apple City Broadcasting Inc.‘s Class D WACB-AM 860 and Class B WTLK-AM 1570.
The Taylorsville stations serve a small community to the north of Charlotte, and while the deaths of the three shareholders should have triggered a FCC filing notifying them of their passing, the Audio Division of the FCC’s Media Bureau, led by Al Shuldiner (pictured, top left) found that Linda McClain assumed control of Apple City without prior approval from the FCC.
McClain gained control of Apple city after the death of Sara McClain Keever; William Norris Keever and Mary Alice Teague Brown, also equity interest holders in Apple City, had also passed away.
Apple City acknowledged these violations and requested a reduction in the forfeiture request originally handed to the company by the FCC, citing a financial hardship. The FCC obliged, as the Consent Decree stipulates a $1,000 civil penalty without the incident harming the stations’ permanent record at the Commission.
The FCC’s rules require that the commission must be informed of the death or legal disability of an individual who has control over a corporation that is a permittee or licensee within 30 days. An application must then be filed for consent to involuntary assignment of such permit or license or for involuntary transfer of control of such corporation.
— With reporting by Cameron Coats
