Uniontown May Soon Be Losing It's Only Radio Service

[R.D.P.]

Taken from Radio Insight:

The FCC is opening a license revocation proceeding against Jones Communications Ltd.’s R&B Oldies/Gospel 107.5 WVFG Uniontown AL for failure to pay delinquent regulatory fees and associated interest, administrative costs, and penalties owed. Jones is required to pay the $2,851.28 in fees owed for 2021 and 2022 or show cause why the payment demanded is inapplicable or should otherwise be waived or deferred.

For those wondering, the community is located west of Selma, heading towards Meridian Mississippi.

Dan <><​

 

[Voicetrack of Reason]

The FCC should give them a payment plan. There's so little value given for these regulatory fees, that's it's almost laughable. Peter Doyle's "Rural Radio Act" is a crock (of what, I won't say 😆) Bureaucrats like him should be required to spend a month in places like Uniontown, AL to show all of us wayward broadcasters what we're doing wrong. I'd gladly buy tickets for that show!

 

[davideduardo]

How can a station that can't pay its FCC fees pay other taxes, fees and expenses? More than that, how can it pay its staff to operate as a community service

 

[boiseengineer]

Looks like a very depressed area. "Downtown" mostly empty decrepit buildings.

 

[R.D.P.]

Been there many times and yes @boiseengineer you are so right. They no longer have a grocery store. The one they had closed down, a short time ago. The residents now have to travel to Demopolis, Linden, Thomaston or Selma to get their groceries, unless they can find what they need at the local Family Dollar or Dollar General store. Not much to offer in that place. How they've been able to support one radio station, is still mind boggling to me. ​

Dan <><

 

[radiofan2023]

This site says that the median household income there is a little over $19,000:

Uniontown, AL | Data USA

In 2020, Uniontown, AL had a population of 1.92k people with a median age of 36.4 and a median household income of $19,408. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Uniontown, AL grew from 1,880 to 1,918, a 2.02% increase and its median household income grew from $17,000 to $19,408, a 14.2% increase.

datausa.io

 

[Voicetrack of Reason]

The station is basically a "rimshot" for Demopolis, from looking at radio locator, and that's not much to brag about.

 

[R.D.P.]

@Voicetrack of Reason Amen! I can hear them in Selma too but mostly with a marginal to weak signal and that's not much to brag about either.​

Dan <><

P.S. For those wondering about their coverage area visit: WVFG-FM Radio Station Coverage Map

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

This guy has been through some trouble before... my fuzzy memory recalls the station burnt down over a decade ago. HE's had some run ins with the FCC before as well, I think. The owner, Charles Jones Jr used to own a Sears store in the area, I also seem to recall he might worked with the school in Uniontown or Demopolis, I think, hes a Demopolis city council member and president of Bishop state community college

 

[R.D.P.]

For their history visit: Technical Profile: WVFG

Dan <><