Was that before the 3 translators? What kind of payroll do they have? After thirty years they should have the station paid if they borrowed money to buy it.. With almost a half a million a year, IMHO it is ran a tax loss, and or a very expensive hobby for somebody with a lot of money.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
KSCO(AM), Santa Cruz, CA Whoops
- Thread starter Frequency1
- Start date
I can't even see how they lose $40,000 a year.^^^
Santa Cruz’s KSCO Radio operating at loss, looks to audience for aid - Santa Cruz Waves
By Nicholas Ibarra, Santa Cruz Sentinel SANTA CRUZ >> KSCO Radio is losing more than $40,000 each month and the nearly 70-year-old station broadcasting across the Monterey Bay is turning to its listeners for support. “KSCO has been my primary philanthropic project for over two decades...www.santacruzwaves.com
KSCO Radio is losing more than $40,000 each month (2017 article)
Kirk Bayne
I see the station solicits donations. Although they have some local programming, it's difficult to get someone to donate to a station that mostly plays commercially supported syndicated talk.
He also owns KOMY, which is another AM (1340) licensed to La Selva Beach (13 miles southwest of Santa Cruz). But $40,000 in losses a month five years ago---which is not gonna get better over the five years that has passed since? No way. He'd be long gone.
This is the kind of local operator that reminds me why working for corporations ain't all bad.
KOMY is also diplexed on the KSCO tower(s) since sometime in the 90s.
*I* Could make KSCO/KOMY lose $40,000 a year but id have to really try. .as in, that would be my full time job, making them lose money instead of earn it.. and im not sure even i could do that!
RadioWorld article: Apparently the FCC DID get complaints.
"In 2016, the Enforcement Bureau received complaints about KSCO’s operations. When the bureau contacted Zwerling about the complaints, it said, Zwerling admitted that the station was operating non-directionally at night at 1 kW, and said it had been operating in this manner pursuant to STA when Zwerling acquired it."
"In 2016, the Enforcement Bureau received complaints about KSCO’s operations. When the bureau contacted Zwerling about the complaints, it said, Zwerling admitted that the station was operating non-directionally at night at 1 kW, and said it had been operating in this manner pursuant to STA when Zwerling acquired it."
That was SIX years ago, and the FCC didn't order him to stop then?
This really is starting to read like a intriguing case for some young attorney that specializes in broadcast rules & laws to think about taking on...and no, I fail to qualify on a multitude of levels.
@boiseengineer post from Friday is ... curious.
One would think that KSCO was properly operating (day & night) at the time KOMY was diplexed to the antenna system of KSCO. I think that would certainly qualify as a step in the 'proof of performance' tests for both stations.
Now, if it wasn't -or- KOMY being diplexed to KSCO was the 'beginning' of the "out of spec for thirty years" period of time, only some detective work in both the FCC files and any files from the era that might still be at KSCO, could be helpful.
Again, not condoning any of the myriad of violations, but is this yet another symptom of 'deregulation'? Might be hard to prove it was simply 'engineering error'.
Six years ago:
"The Enforcement Bureau informed Zwerling that it needed to apply for an STA and then return the Station to its licensed parameters, or apply to modify the Station’s authorization to reflect the manner in which it had been operating. Despite this, Zwerling did not request STA or apply to modify the Station’s authorization." [1]
KSCO basically said "No thanks, that doesn't work for us. But thanks for checking in!"
So, six years later, it DOES apply to modify the station's authorization and the FCC tells them no. It seriously didn't occur to the FCC to follow up to see just what KSCO was doing??
They were given two choices: (1) file a modification, or, (2) return the Station to its licensed parameters.
The lack of a filing for modification means they chose to return to its licensed parameters in 2016.
However, in 2020, the FCC says they received an additional complaint. They inquired with KSCO about the parameters. It's not clear if the FCC did anything further until 2022.
I mean, I guess you just assume no licensee is reckless enough to do neither, but I just think if you got the 2016 letter, you'd say "Here are your two options. If we don't see a filing, we'll assume you've returned to licensed parameters. And since you've been out of compliance for so long, we're going to need proof."
Yeah, that's probably what should have happened. Looking at the timeline, it probably fell between the cracks during the COVID mayhem that had the FCC working from home.
That's a four-year crack between being told there was an issue in 2016 and COVID, Red.
I just meant the 2020 non-action after the additional 2020 complaint and 2020 inquiry as falling on the COVID timeline. Sorry for the lack of clarity.
That’s still four years between the 2016 order and the 2020 complaint.
If they’d violated the terms of their license for 40 years, could they have gotten renewed for five?
What the hell?
I guess that the FCC is just interested in collection fees. If they don't at least make a token effort enforcing interference, why should any broadcaster bother to take care of his facility? And if they do catch you it will take 30 or 40 years after the fact and you still keep you license if you pay a fine,
- Status