FCC Issues Heavy Punishment to LPTV Broadcaster

On March 7, 2022, the FCC entered into a significant Consent Decree with a low power television station licensee.  The licensee had relocated several stations multiple times in violation of the FCC’s policy requiring that facilities be permanently constructed.  In one case, a station had been “hopped” to different temporary locations eight times in order to move it to a desired location.  A 2017 FCC decision had fined another broadcaster for similar violations.

In exchange for retaining some of its licensed stations or permits, the licensee agreed to pay a $250,000 fine, relinquish 10 stations and 85 construction permits, and assign an additional 23 licenses and 12 permits to unrelated third parties.