A total of six brand-new radio stations will be added to the Table of Allotments in the state of Hawaii, the FCC has announced by way of a trio of announcements from the Media Bureau.
And, thanks to a successful counterproposal, a Maui-based broadcast group led by Chuck Bergson is a winner.
As RBR+TVBR first reported in July 2023, Matthew Wesolowski — known across the industry as the General Manager of SSR Communications in Flora, Miss., and for serving as a key advocate for the FCC’s establishment of a “Class C4” FM radio facility — sought the Commission’s approval to create a Class A FM at 102.3 MHz in Koloa, Hawaii, and a new Class A FM at 104.7 MHz in Puhi, Hawaii.
Puhi is a suburb of Lihue, the largest municipality by population on Kauai, while Koloa is on the south shore of Kauai.
The Puhi facility as suggested by Wesolowski would have all but erased K283CQ at 104.5 MHz in Lihue, which enjoys near-island wide coverage and simulcasts Country KUAI-AM 570 — owned by Bergson-led Pacific Media Group.
As such, a counterproposal was submitted by PMG in August 2023. As the company helmed by Bergsonsuggested, rather than eliminate K283CQ, a Class C3 facility at 104.7 MHz in Kekaha, Hawaii, was a better idea. SSR responded that a multiple ownership rule violation would be created should this alternative proceed. PMG responded that Kauai is a non-Nielsen rated market and overlapping 70 dBU contours are the determining factor regarding local ownership rules, for which it would be within the FCC’s defined limits.
Further, PRG argued that the future FM in Kauai in contention is at the allotment stage, not the construction permit stage, and all that is being examined is whether PRG’s counterproposal will provide for a preferential arrangement of allotments.
While conflicting proposals are generally considered on a comparative basis, the FCC determined there are alternate channels available to accommodate the Puhi and Kehaha allotment requests with the need for that.
As such, the Puhi Class A can be allotted at 103.9 MHz, instead of 104.7 MHz. Presently on this signal is a Princeville-based FM translator for Pacific Media Group’s KSRF-FM “HI 95.” Thus, PMG has effectively upgraded the Island Music station.
Then, a first local service can come to Kehaha with the establishment of a Class C3 FM at 107.5 MHz.
This will likely bring an end to KRKW-LPFM at 107.3 in Waimea, an adjacent town.
Meanwhile, PMG filed a counterproposal to a Wesolowski-plan for a new Class A FM at 106.3 MHz in Lihue by instead adding to the Table of Allotments a Class C3 FM on 106.3 MHz licensed to Princeville. That didn’t pass muster with the Commission. However, it offered a solution for a new Class A in Lihue by giving the go-ahead for a new station at 107.1 MHz.
What about Princeville? It is gaining a Class C3 FM, but at 95.1 MHz.
Lastly, a SSR plan to create a new Class A FM on 102.3 MHz in Koloa was countered by PMG with a Class C3 FM proposal for 102.3 MHz in Waimea. Nope, said the Audio Division staff. But, it is instead going forward with the allotment of a new Class A at 100.7 in Koloa, as Waimea will get a Class C3 FM at 92.7 MHz.
Signing off on the decision for the Media Bureau is Assistant Chief of the Audio Division Nazifa Sawez.
