Maynard High to lose license?

[MassMusicMan]

Page 22 of today's Boston Herald has an item about WAVM, Maynard High School's station. Apparently, the FCC has decided to seize their frequency, and allocate 91.7 for a Christian format, citing that it would better serve the community.

I'm not going to go Parklane with this (in other words, you can disagree with me without being flamed), but am I the only person who has a problem with the outright seizing of a high school license for a broadcaster with a religious agenda? I'm not saying that religious formats don't belong on the public's airwaves, but for the FCC to refuse a renewal like this is even more egregious than any nipple-related decisions they've made. I especially like how the FCC played the "better use" card in defense of the Christian broadcaster. I'd love to know how they determined that.

 

[Stenopad]

"The Next Voice You Hear"

It reminds one of the Supreme Court decision this spring to allow eminent domain proceeding to go forth and take away private land and housing for commerical use and not just public use.

What kind of a lesson is this teaching those students? Might makes right, perhaps? But it does reveal the current slant of the FCC.

I would hope the school would appeal this and seek national publicity on this so that the FCC cannot sneak this one through. By the way, does it say which Christian outfit this is?

I would direct people to a play written in the late 30's or early 40's by I think Thorton Wilder called "The Next Voice You Hear". God wanted to talk to the world and He just took over ALL the radio stations. I think that is how GOD would operate if HE wanted to speak to us directly and not through voices of questionable authority. I for one would surely listen if He were on the radio.






> Page 22 of today's Boston Herald has an item about WAVM,
> Maynard High School's station. Apparently, the FCC has
> decided to seize their frequency, and allocate 91.7 for a
> Christian format, citing that it would better serve the
> community.
>
> I'm not going to go Parklane with this (in other words, you
> can disagree with me without being flamed), but am I the
> only person who has a problem with the outright seizing of a
> high school license for a broadcaster with a religious
> agenda? I'm not saying that religious formats don't belong
> on the public's airwaves, but for the FCC to refuse a
> renewal like this is even more egregious than any
> nipple-related decisions they've made. I especially like
> how the FCC played the "better use" card in defense of the
> Christian broadcaster. I'd love to know how they determined
> that.
>

 

[raccoonradio]

> Page 22 of today's Boston Herald has an item about WAVM,
> Maynard High School's station. Apparently, the FCC has
> decided to seize their frequency, and allocate 91.7 for a
> Christian format, citing that it would better serve the
> community.

Haven't read that yet...will check out. I thought WAVM was Maynard
Public Schools not Maynard High. They had a problem years ago when
WUMB wanted to pretty much knock them off the air with a translator
nearby and some kind of agreement was reached allowing them to
stay on.

Not sure if it was a case of them being off for too long (hello
Philips Academy, WPAA) and thus the lic. was revoked.

but for the FCC to refuse a
> renewal like this

OK, so it's refusing a renewal--did they break any FCC regs...? Got to
be a reason

There is a place for religious stations on the dial but college/high school/
public stations (serving the _local_ community, not a birdfed signal)
need one too.
<P ID="signature">______________
I am the REAL raccoonradio (2 c's). Accept
no substitutes!</P>

 

[raccoonradio]

link to Herald article

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=107694

so, the Funny Cookie Co. feels that since WAVM applied for more power that
a religious station can now enter the fray?

30 days to challenge it.

>>Maynard school Superintendent Mark Masterson has written a letter of appeal to the FCC and sent copies of it to every federal representative decrying the decision.<P ID="signature">______________
I am the REAL raccoonradio (2 c's). Accept
no substitutes!</P>

 

[JustinT]

Re: It's "Living Proof, Inc"

> But it does reveal the current slant
> of the FCC.

> I would hope the school would appeal this and seek national
> publicity on this so that the FCC cannot sneak this one
> through. By the way, does it say which Christian outfit this
> is?

It's something called "Living Proof, Inc.". What a joke. According to http://www.splc.org/report_detail.asp?id=1205&edition=36.

 

[MrAl]

Re: It's "Living Proof, Inc"

terrible... I'm getting really tired of this.

 

[hellohello]

WAHS - Winchester High Re: It's "Living Proof, Inc"

Wasn't WAHS Winchester High School a functioning station that
lost its license.

So what happened to that signal? Did it go "Christian" ?

The IBS regional is happening first week of November. They should make
this a crusade of their conference -

> terrible... I'm getting really tired of this.
>

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Re: link to Herald article

>>so, the Funny Cookie Co. feels that since WAVM applied for more power that a religious station can now enter the fray?<<

That has been the rule at the FCC for a long time. What the FCC never seems to understand is that they already have multiple PR problems, and this doesn't help. There are more than enough opportunistic religious outfits running radio stations and using them for the sole purpose of making some fundamentalist preacher in a funny suit rich...we really don't need any more.

And we won't even touch on the way religious organizations make a blatant joke out of the FM translator allocation process.

 

[OlderRadioGuy]

As I understand it, the FCC had no record of an application for license to cover changes, so after the CP expired, they had no license, thus making the frequency available for applications for new stations that met interference requirements. Neither the station or their technical consultant could produce evidence that the application was prepared and filed. So this is not a matter of "seizure", local service, or program content.

 

[MassMusicMan]

> As I understand it, the FCC had no record of an application
> for license to cover changes, so after the CP expired, they
> had no license, thus making the frequency available for
> applications for new stations that met interference
> requirements. Neither the station or their technical
> consultant could produce evidence that the application was
> prepared and filed. So this is not a matter of "seizure",
> local service, or program content.

If Maynard didn't want their license, then why is this an issue in the first place?

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Re: WAHS - Winchester High Re: It's

> Wasn't WAHS Winchester High School a functioning station
> that lost its license.
>
> So what happened to that signal? Did it go "Christian" ?

Winchester High School was 91.9 WHSR. It had a healthy ten watt signal that could be heard as far east as Cambridge, as far south as Newton. The FCC allowed WUMB, the professional Public Radio folk music station based at U. Mass Boston, to take over that frequency in the greater Boston area.

WAHS was an Arlington High School radio and cable TV station that was always closed circuit, not on the airwaves. It may still be active.

 

[wkrpfm]

Re: link to Herald article

ps--you have the BEST user name

 

[pqgeorge]

WAVM/91.7, somebody dropped the ball....

WAVM has had a Construction Permit to go to Class A since 1981. I am somewhat surprised that they did not fulfill the Construction Permit back in 1981-82. What were they waiting for? They are still Class D some 24 years later. Somebody dropped the ball at WAVM. I HOPE that this does not cause the total loss of license of the station. When a CP lapses, it basically opens up a Pandora's Box of "buzzards" waiting for "grab and take". I'd hate to see such a great community station like WAVM DIE due to somebody's negligence. Let's hope the FCC will not let this happen. <P ID="signature">______________
Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts</P>

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Re: It's "Living Proof, Inc"

I get the impression that Living Proof, Inc. would broadcast 24/7 religious birdfeed.

They might have gotten away with it if they had given nearly all of their airtime to local churches in the area for local religious programming.

If my memory serves me correct, WRPS-88.3 at Rockland High School is automated at all times when there is no live programming and as a result, is on the air 24/7.

Perhaps WAVM should try to raise funds to buy an automation system so they can be on the air 24/7, even when there's no live programming. That might help them in the fight to save their license. They could also offer to run the one half-hour program Living Proof produces each day in exchange for dropping the challenge.

 

[radiomike]

Re: WAHS - Winchester High Re: It's "Living Proof, Inc"

CBI, College Broadcasters, Inc., is having their national conference in Kansas City next week, and this is one of the issues that will be in a session with attorneys and FCC on the panel. CBI has been working with stations in renewal challenges of stations by religous broadcasters. However, the writing is on the wall, if these stations don't broadcast 12/365.

One of the things about WAVM is they were one of four in the MX group, CSN and UMASS were the others. It seems Living Proof claimed they would serve 1st and 2nd new non-commercial service populations, compared to the other applicants. Either these applicants did not make this claim, or they might have tried to fleece the FCC. With WERS and WGBH with a city grade signal over the LP area, I can not see how this could be true, and the MX group would proceed to the points hearing, where WAVM would prevail.

> The IBS regional is happening first week of November. They
> should make
> this a crusade of their conference -
>
> > terrible... I'm getting really tired of this.
> >
>