Ghost Radio Station In Dayton-Area

[Bob in Dayton]

The applicant for WGJM-LP 97.9, Englewood, M&M Community Development, had to do battle with the FCC to get Construction Permit BNPL 20010122AGM issued on July 20, 2006. They let the CP lapse on January 20, 2008, and the FCC eventually rescinded the CP. Now, more than 5 months later, interesting to note that M&M has put in a License to Cover application BLL 20080702ACT. A bit late, huh? The filed Form 319 reads like a cheap paperback novel. They claim the station actually went on the air back in January, got burglarized, and is back on the air now. Really?

I regularly listen to WNCI Columbus while in that area; and NEVER heard this Englewood station on the air. I never read anything about criminals stealing all the equipment from a local radio station.

Has anyone ever heard WGJM-LP Englewood broadcasting on 97.9?

It also is interesting is that they were to use a 100 foot tower located at 39-53-05N, 84-19-01W. According to my GPS, that puts it at the west end of Rankin Road in Englewood. Drive up there, and you’ll see a house and some farmland. No tower. Unless it is well-hidden under Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak.

What is going on here? Something stinks……

 

[techie2]

I've never heard this thing on the air. Of course it's one of the "M&M Community Development of <insert place here>" stations that runs some canned "Jam Central" rap format. The paperwork sure is fun trying to figure out who's really behind it. Plus their "order invoice" shows an exciter ordered on 92.7? Ummmm, ok.

Google Street View shows me some houses and an empty field at the proposed tower site. If they are transmitting, I wonder where from?

Something tells me this application will be dismissed as untimely filed.

 

[pbr]

The writer of this application contends that the receipt for the equipment "proves" that they were on the air.

I tried calling the listed number (937-275-8921) for M&M, and got a recording, "number has been disconnected".

Unfortunately, the FCC may well not scrutinize the application and rubber-stamp its approval.

 

[techie2]

Turns out all of the "M & M Community Development of <insert place here>" are just nonprofit shell licensees set up to qualify for the license. The whole operation is the brainchild of this Tony Gray out of Chicago who is an urban format consultant.

Anyone want to bother going out to Englewood and see if it's actually on the air, or file an objection to the application?

 

[Timewarp]

So, who is wanting to do in a little low power station? Is it Clear Channel? Is it Radio One? Is
it Cox? No! Nio! No!

I'd bet it's other low power community broadcasters! How Lame!!! How lame!!!

Better make sure your own board and paperwork are up to snuff. The FCC does not like it
when you play them when you are a competitor.

 

[Bob in Dayton]

Interesting how this discussion that I started has taken a nasty turn with Timewarp’s accusatory posting. Timewarp should try to meaningfully contribute to the subject under discussion. Does Timewarp think that this ghost station should be granted a license? If Timewarp is somehow affiliated with the folks that are filing for WGJM-LP, maybe clear up some of the questions relating to the filing of their License to Cover.

I suspect that one of the responders to my thread may well be a volunteer with a LPFM station. Big deal! Everyone who participates in Radio-Info has an interest in radio – or we’d be wasting our time elsewhere. Is a ghost low power hip-hop station competition to any station in the Dayton market? Does the posting here do in a little low power station? You’ve got to be kidding! Does anyone really think that the FCC pays attention to the banter here on Radio-Info?

I suspect that this mysterious M&M Community Development group probably did itself in. I agree with the prediction that the application will be dismissed as untimely filed. If anyone is convinced that this group is applying for a license under false pretenses, there is a process to file an objection with the FCC.

Back to my original posting and the on-subject responses. I think we’ve established two things:
- The station is not on the air. Someone would have heard it!
- Their filing is inaccurate. I can’t say for sure that it is false, since I have no way of knowing M&M’s intent.

 

[Timewarp]

The back-stabbing and infighting in the community radio cause has made me turn my butt towards all of you.
I once supported low power community broadcasting. No More.
I know of a couple stations that have played games with the FCC and broken the law. (Maybe yours)

Don't throw stones when you live in a glass house.

 

[Flying-Dutchman]

97.9 WNCI at 175,000 watts is one of the most powerful FM stations in the USA. With a little help from tropo skip,
I'd bet they frequently have 1 mv/m in Dayton. This could limit the LPFM to it's own neighborhood. Also, you have
a full power station moving in on 97.7. Then there are Dayton area LPFMs on 97.7 and 98.1 These factors would
severly hamper a signal on 97.9 .

Reading the FCC filings, this has been a tough case for the applicant. They could have filed for an 18 month
extension and got it. They can tranfer it and someone else can get an extension.

The FCC has plenty of facts in this case. Who knows what communications have taken place between the
FCC and the applicant by phone. I do not know what the Commission told them they should do or file.

Sounds like an interesting case. I will wait and see.

 

[Timewarp]

Low power community radio is always blaming the big corporations, claiming these bad people are
out to get them. But, the truth is Radio One and Clear Channel have been very generous to educational
radio stations.
Most low power complaints to the FCC are filed by other low power advocates. Hostile takeovers of
community radio boards are by other community broadcasters. You guys are doing yourselves in.
Please don't worry about me turning in anyone. You guys do a great job of turning yourselves
in.

 

[pbr]

Thanks, Timewarp, for your intelligent and thoughtful comments. :<] I hope others will weigh in on the Ghost LPFM topic.

True - there are some full-power broadcasters that help NCEs. When it doesn't affect or is advantageous to their own operation.

But few would ever hesitate to displace a secondary broadcaster to improve their own facilities. With full-power commercial broadcasters, it's all about money - improving their population coverage, improving their "numbers", getting more advertising revenue, and increasing the value of their stations. Are they "out to get" the small broadcaster? Not overtly - but don't get in the way if they are trying to do something for themselves.

Commercial radio is big business.

With FCC deregulation, the commercial broadcasters have succeeded in getting more and more favorable treatment by the FCC. The most recent example is the relaxed rule on changing "City of License". If there is an opportunity to move a rural station to the big city, most will do it. Don't get in their way.

I think most unbiased, knowledgeable people will agree that there are LPFMs doing a better job of serving their specific City of License that the big corporate broadcasters. Too many rim-shots only mention their Community of License begrudgingly when required to run an hourly ID. They'll bury that ID, and spend every other break touting themselves as a part of the big city.

Some (but thankfully not all) of those big broadcasters see the non-com LPFMs as a threat to their domination of their market. Sad.

 

[Bob in Dayton]

Looks like the FCC bought the application for License to Cover - it's approved!

Pretty amazing for a station that apparently has never been on the air.