Flying-Dutchman said:
OH YES... You GO-GO-GO Dutchman! Without being "Mr Legalese", you just hit one out of the park! I swear... If I hear one more person rehash those tired and IRRELEVANT defense tactics - "But nobody in Connersville complained..." and "WQLK is only 18-miles away" - I'm going to self-induce premature hair loss by pulling each one out by hand. I addressed the first "justification" in as eloquent a fashion as humanly possible in the "WIFE-FM Goes Dark" thread. I don't care who didn't complain (and why) - It's irrelevant because NEVER have I found a Commission ruling based on "public comment" as opposed to communications policy and (unless "officially revised") - historic precedent. And NEVER have I seen an FCC grant of a "fundamental" proposal based ONLY on a "clean" comment folder. Unlike MANY on this board, I have NO SHORTAGE of actual real-life experience with "comments", "petitions", "counter-petitions", and competitive proposals formally filed before the FCC on behalf of licenses I held between my own fingers.
No, Brian - I did not file comments with the Commission on the WIFE-FM move. I tend to hold a belief that "when one doesn't own a pony - don't try to crash the parade". I had no "pony" in the WIFE "parade". I had not resided in Connersville since 1978. My knowledge of the matter occurred early in ’04 at the same time that community learned that 100.3 was moving - but a replacement FM was forthcoming. Frankly, I was very surprised at the grant of WIFE's application.
As for WQLK's transmitter location - I can assure you (again, from personal experience), Brewer Broadcasting has NO INTEREST in the community of Connersville that IS NOT directly tied to an advertising contract!
"License for sale - Will relocate"... That analogy has become a very sad reality - in part predicated by the WIFE-FM precedent - casually allowed by an FCC content to conveniently become derelict in their regulatory responsibilities when "certain entities" ask. Does this make Dave Rodgers a thief? Not really - he'd be crazy not to cash the check, but not nearly as crazy as Radio-One is for writing that check - to facilitate the birth of a 3.6kw 1.5-share "pocket station" in a market where full Class Bs have multiple coverage problems. Rodgers may be laughing all the way to the bank, but NOT I suspect at Connersville - he greatly improved what remained - when he could have "boxed it up" in the WFMG/WKBV broom closet. So the wealthy small guy is laughing at the crazy big guy while the FCC just looks for another "costume malfunction" to collect on!
