FCC fines KOME-FM $4,000, renews abbreviated license

The FCC has fined a Meridian FM station $4,000 after the station admitted in its 2013 FCC license renewal that it had quarterly issues lists deficiencies and had been silent for extended periods of time during the license term.

The FCC also granted LKCM Radio Group, LP, licensee of KOME-FM, an abbreviated two year license renewal instead of the full term of eight years.

The FCC said the station “apparently willfully and repeatedly violated Section 73.3526 of the rules by failing to retain all required documentation in the station’s public inspection file” as well as failing to “meet the public service commitment expected of licensees due to its repeated and prolonged periods of silence during the license term.”

As part of its 2013 license renewal KOME noted that it had been “unable to locate adequate documentation of quarterly issues-programs lists through 2010.  Records exist that demonstrate that ascertainment was conducted and it is believed that programming responsive to the ascertained issues aired, but proper documentation of the programming was missing from file.  KOME was forced to remain silent much of 2011 and 2012.”

The station noted that since it returned to the air in March 2013, it had “adjusted operating procedures to ensure proper documentation is timely filed and retained going forward.”