No More 'Stonewalling': FCC Orders Parties In Central CA Station Transactions To Answer Interrogatories, Provide Documents

Order

The saga of the attempted "distress sale" of five CENTRAL CALIFORNIA stations continues at the FCC, with Chief Administrative Law Judge RICHARD L. SIPPEL saying that "Once again, a party represented by (WILLIAM L.) ZAWILA has engaged in stonewalling through general objections without reasoned and/or factual explanation," ordering the estate of LYNDA WARE d/b/a LINDSAY BROADCASTING to respond to the Enforcement Bureau's interrogatories and document requests from last JULY. Another similar motion was granted to compel the estate of H.L. CHARLES d/b/a FORD CITY BROADCASTING to comply with interrogatories and requests for documents and admissions.

The issues surround the attempt to sell five construction permits -- LINDSAY selling KZPO/LINDSAY, CA, CHARLES selling KZPE/FORD CITY, CA, ZAWILA selling KBGS/COALINGA, CA, AVENAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, INC. selling KAAX/AVENAL, CA, and CENTRAL VALLEY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES selling KYAF/FIREBAUGH, CA -- to JESSE PORTILLO's BIG RADIO PRO INC. for $2.7 million, a sale denied by the FCC. The Commission has previously issued a show-cause order to ZAWILA, AVENAL, CENTRAL VALLEY, and CHARLES asking why the KAAX and KYAF permits should not be revoked.

An on-the-record status conference is scheduled for MARCH 29th in WASHINGTON to take inventory of discovery completed and needed.

« see more Net News