FORT MYERS, FLA. — In Lee County, there are two operations licensed to use the 95.7 MHz signal, a frequency that must protect 100kw Class C1 WBTP-FM in Clearwater, an iHeartMedia-owned station serving Tampa-St. Petersburg.
The bigger facility is highly directional 250 watt FM translator W239CL, owned by Fort Myers Broadcasting and licensed to Golden Gate. The other facility is a 22-watt LPFM licensed to Lehigh Acres that superserves the Jamaican community.
The LPFM isn’t too pleased about FCC approval of a modification to the FM translator’s signal pattern, which it claims caused interference to its operation. But, the LPFM’s arguments are moot — it waited too long to raise its concerns to Audio Division Chief Al Shuldiner.
There’s more, however: the LPFM fibbed about how it was transmitting its signal and is now on the hook for a potential fine.
