Source: http://www.fcc.gov/print/node/48827
Timestamp: 2013-12-13 13:50:14
Document Index: 611847930

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 11', '§ 73', '§ 1', '§ 503', '§ 1', '§ 503']

Word Document [1]PDF Document [2]Text Document [3]	Released: April 25, 2013
FCC 13-55
Licensee of Station KRAL(AM)
File Numbers: EB-08-DV-0166
EB-08-DV-0169
Station KIQZ(FM)
NAL/Acct. No.: 200932800003
Facility ID No. 46736
Station WHB734
Facility ID No. 46737
Adopted: April 22, 2013
In this Order on Review (Order on Review), we deny the Application for Review1 filed by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc. (Mt. Rushmore), licensee of Stations KRAL(AM), KIQZ(FM), and WHB734, in Rawlins, Wyoming, pursuant to Section 1.115 of the Commission’s Rules (Rules). Mt. Rushmore seeks review of the Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) issued by the Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) in this proceeding.2 In that MO&O, the Bureau denied Mt. Rushmore’s Petition for Reconsideration of a $17,500 forfeiture for failing to ensure the operational readiness of the Station KRAL(AM) and Station KIQZ(FM) Emergency Alert System (EAS) equipment;3 failing to maintain a complete public inspection file for Stations KRAL(AM) and KIQZ(FM);4 and failing to operate Station WHB734, an aural studio-transmitter-link (STL), from its licensed location.5 For the reasons stated below, we affirm the Bureau’s MO&O.
1 Application for Review, Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc. EB-08-DV-0166, filed October 13, 2011 (Application for Review).
2 Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc., Memorandum Opinion and Order, 26 FCC Rcd 12845 (Enf. Bur. 2011), (MO&O), aff’g Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc., Forfeiture Order, 25 FCC Rcd 95 (Enf. Bur. Western Region 2010) (Forfeiture Order), aff’g Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, NAL/Acct. No. 200932800003 (Enf. Bur., Western Region, Denver District Office, rel. December 10, 2008) (NAL).
3 47 C.F.R. § 11.35(a).4 47 C.F.R. § 73.3526.5 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.903(a), 1.947(a), 74.532(e).
The Forfeiture Order and MO&O fully stated the facts of this proceeding so we will not repeat them here.6 In the MO&O,7 the Bureau affirmed findings made by the Bureau’s Western Region (Region) concerning Mt. Rushmore’s violations of the EAS and public inspection file rules, in connection with its operation of Stations KRAL(AM) and KIQZ(FM); and Mt. Rushmore’s failure to operate Station WHB734 in accordance with its authorization.8 The Bureau found that Mt. Rushmore did not dispute the facts or the violations as detailed in the NAL or the Forfeiture Order, and that Mt. Rushmore substantially reiterated all of the arguments previously considered and rejected by the Region in its request that the forfeiture be cancelled or substantially reduced. The Bureau found that Mt. Rushmore failed either to demonstrate error or to present new facts or changed circumstances, as required, to compel reconsideration of the Forfeiture Order. The Bureau also found that, because Mt. Rushmore had provided no financial documentation of its overall operations to support its repeated request for reduction of the forfeiture amount based on its inability to pay, its request could not be considered.9 III.
In this Order on Review, we deny Mt. Rushmore’s Application for Review and affirm the Bureau’s MO&O. The forfeiture amount in this case was assessed in accordance with Section 503(b)(2)(E) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act).10 That provision states that any person who willfully or repeatedly fails to comply with any of the provisions of the Act or of any rule, regulation or order issued by the Commission thereunder, shall be liable for a forfeiture penalty.11 Section 503’s legislative history states that the definitions of “willful” and “repeated” recited in Section 312(f) of the Act also apply to Section 50312 and the Commission has so interpreted the terms.13 Thus, 6 Forfeiture Order, 25 FCC Rcd at 95-96; MO&O, 26 FCC Rcd at 12845–12847. According to the Application for Review, both stations went silent on June 21, 2011. See File No. BLSTA-20110713AAI, granted August 10, 2011 (KRAL(AM) 2011 STA Request); File No. BLSTA - 20110713AAJ, granted October 6, 2011 (KIQZ(FM) 2011 STA Request). See also File No. 20120221ABD, granted March 8, 2012 (KRAL(AM) STA Extension Request granted until June 21, 2012); File No. BLESTA- 20120319AHV, granted April 18, 2012 (KIQZ(FM) STA Extension Request granted until June 21, 2012). According to Commission records, Station KRAL(AM) resumed operations on June 18, 2012, and Station KIQZ(FM) resumed operations on June 19, 2012, and then both stations went silent again on June 21, 2012. See File No. BLSTA-20120622ACM, granted September 24, 2012 (KRAL (AM) 2012 STA Request); File No. BLSTA - 20120622ACN, granted September 7, 2012 (KIQZ(FM) 2012 STA Request).
7 MO&O, 26 FCC Rcd at 12846–12847.8 See MO&O, 26 FCC Rcd at 12847; see also Forfeiture Order, 25 FCC Rcd at 97-100.9 MO&O, 26 FCC Rcd at 12847.10 47 U.S.C. § 503(b)(2)(E). See also 47 C.F.R. § 1.80 (b)(4); The Commission’s Forfeiture Policy Statement and Amendment of Section 1.80 of the Rules to Incorporate the Forfeiture Guidelines, Report and Order, 12 FCC Rcd 17087 (1997) (Forfeiture Policy Statement), recons. denied, 15 FCC Rcd 303 (1999).
11 47 U.S.C. § 503(b).12 H.R. Rep. No. 97-765, 97th Cong. 2d Sess. 51 (1982) (“This provision [inserted in Section 312] defines the terms ‘willful’ and ‘repeated’ for purposes of section 312, and for any other relevant Section of the act (e.g., Section 503) . . . . As defined . . . ‘willful’ means that the licensee knew that he was doing the act in question, regardless of whether there was an intent to violate the law. ‘Repeated’ means more than once, or where the act is co