FCC Nixes Connoisseur Challenge To WOR Sale, Z100 Renewal

No, No, No

The FCC has rejected a challenge by CONNOISSEUR MEDIA to the sale of Talk WOR-A/NEW YORK by BUCKLEY BROADCASTING to CLEAR CHANNEL and the license renewal of CLEAR CHANNEL Top 40 WHTZ (Z100)/NEW YORK.  CONNOISSEUR complained that CLEAR CHANNEL and its ALOHA STATION TRUST had not divested all of the stations placed in the trust when CLEAR CHANNEL went private, and that its bid for one of the Trust stations would establish a "prima facie case" that the Trust is violating the Commission's order.  CONNOISSEUR asked for the Commission to set  six-month deadline for divestiture.  The Commission noted that the Trust is not a party to either the WOR deal or the WHTZ renewal and that the evidence foes not show improper influence nor control of the trust stations by CLEAR CHANNEL.

In addition, the Commission denied an objection by JAMES MCSORELY of YAMSTER COMMUNICATIONS to the sale of Classical WBQI (W-BACH)/BAR HARBOR, ME by WBIN MEDIA CO., INC. to BLUEBERRY BROADCASTING, LLC.  MCSORELY complained that the deal would put BLUEBERRY over the ownership caps and, with its ownership of towers on which competitors' antennae are located, could exercise undue influence over programming; the FCC said that BLUEBERRY is not over the limit and the tower ownership (as well as BLUEBERRY's use of simulcasts and trimulcasts) did not call for further inquiry.

The Commission also fined JAMES M. LOUT $3,000 for filing his Form 301 long-form application for the construction permit for a new FM in NEW LLANO, LA late; rejected ENTRAVISION's objection to a new FM granted to ABLE RADIO CORP. at AGUILA, AZ for which ENTRAVISION (which had seen its application for technical changes to KVVA/APACHE JUNCTION and KDVA/BUCKEYE dismissed) said ABLE did not have reasonable assurance of the ability of its transmitter site; approved an allocation swap to enable a frequency change for GEORGIA-CAROLINA RADIOCASTING CO., LLC Country WSCG/TIGNALL, GA; and reinstated the applications of CALVARY CHAPEL OF TURLOCK, INC and MODESTO PEACE/LIFE CENTER for a new noncommercial FM at WESTLEY, CA.

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