Could Detroit's 104.7 The Oasis Be Shut Down?

Interfering With WIOT?

A war of FCC filings has broken out between CLEAR CHANNEL and TIM MARTZ's RADIO POWER INC., which recently signed on SMOOTH JAZZ 104.7" (THE OASIS), on FM translator W284BQ in DETROIT (NET NEWS 4/20). The station simulcasts on 107.5 WGPR HD-2.

Last THURSDAY (5/19), CLEAR CHANNEL filed a petition claiming that 250 watt W284BQ signal is interfering with the reception of CLEAR CHANNEL Rocker WIOT/TOLEDO.

CLEAR CHANNEL, filing as CITICASTERS LICENSES, wrote "CITICASTERS LICENSES INC. ("CITICASTERS"), the licensee of full-power radio station WIOT (FM), Channel 284B (104.7 MHz), TOLEDO, OHIO, Facility ID No. 19628, hereby submits this Complaint pursuant to Section 74.1203(a) of the Commission's Rules. CITICASTERS requests immediate Commission action to discontinue interference to bona fide listeners of WIOT (FM) from co-channel FM translator W284BQ, Channel 284 (104.7 MHz), DETROIT, MICHIGAN, Facility ID No. 143173, licensed to RADIO POWER INC. ("RPI").

Read the full filing here.

MARTZ told ALL ACCESS, "Following an on-air and online plea for affected WIOT listeners, CLEAR CHANNEL attached a list of 13 listeners who claimed THE OASIS interfered with their reception of WIOT, not in TOLEDO or even close to TOLEDO, but in the DETROIT metro area."

RADIO POWER responded YESTERDAY (5/23), writing, "RADIO POWER INC. ("RADIO POWER"), licensee of FM Translator Station W284BQ, DETROIT, MI, Facility Identification Number 143173, hereby files this Opposition to the Complaint filed by CITICASTERS INC. ("CITICASTERS") on MAY 19th, 2011. CITICASTERS claims that W284BQ causes interference to the over the air reception of WIOT (FM) TOLEDO, OHIO, Facility Identification Number 19628. The Commission should defer action on the Complaint until RADIO POWER has had a reasonable opportunity to examine and where required resolve the interference complaints attached to the Complaint.

Read that full filing here. 

THE OASIS is appealing to its audience, with a posting on their website that reads, "Help Save Smooth Jazz In DETROIT. In the month since we started broadcasting, the outpouring of love and support from DETROIT has been overwhelming and humbling. Unfortunately, your Smooth Jazz radio station is under attack ... from CLEAR CHANNEL RADIO. Not content to dominate the U.S. radio industry with more than 890 radio stations including seven radio stations in DETROIT, this TEXAS-based multi-national corporation is trying to shut down an independent small business and silence your Smooth Jazz station. Late last THURSDAY (MAY 19) CLEAR CHANNEL's lawyers filed a Complaint with the FCC demanding that the FCC order us off the air."

ALL ACCESS contacted CLEAR CHANNEL for a comment on this story.

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