A TV translator station serving a small town in Northern Nevada that saw the FCC strip it of its displacement construction permit has had it restored. The licensee’s application for a license to cover will be accepted, and soon the facility will be back on its way to getting on the air.
Oh, there’s also a small forfeiture it must pay for all to transpire.
The matter involves K42DZ-D in Battle Mountain, Nevada.
Here, Lander County General Improvement District #1 had a displacement CP to relocate the station from Channel 42 to Channel 34, with an expiry date of August 28, 2021.
But, it failed to file a license to cover upon completion of K42DZ’s facility and before that expiration date.
As such, in the eyes of the Commission, the displacement CP was automatically forfeited. Yet, the county officials reported to the FCC that operations on Channel 34 began on August 2019 — presenting a problem with respect to unlicensed transmissions.
On May 24, 2024, over two years after the displacement CP was forfeited and over four years after construction was completed, LCGID late-filed its application for a license to cover and subsequently filed a Petition for Reconsideration seeking reinstatement of the expired Displacement CP and grant of the application.
With the district operating with an all-volunteer board, it explained to the Commission that shortly after completing construction of the Channel 34 displacement facility, “several changes in board members occurred” and the board member who had been managing FCC filings passed away. In September 2022 an outside contractor was hired to handle all FCC matters.
Still, a rule violation occurred, and Media Bureau Video Division Chief Barbara Kreisman (pictured, top left) determined that a $1,000 fine was applicable here; Kreisman reduced the fine from the $3,000 base forfeiture amount after taking the district’s financial health into consideration.
K42DZ-D is used as a repeater for a Reno, Nev., television station.
