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WKAL asking for more time

B

Bob1370

Guest
Rome's WKAL is asking the FCC for an extension of its silent STA, saying it can't complete rebuilding its studios to originate programming by the time the current STA runs out in March.

They'll probably get an extension, since the FCC usually cuts slack for stations forced off the air by major facilities problems and gives them ample time to rebuild, especially if they get this much advance notice of serious problems.

Wonder what the station will program when it does eventually return to the air?
 
therealjm12 said:
So did they get one (extension)?
Click to expand...

On the FCC website, the latest STA app is still listed as "accepted for filing." Means it's not approved yet, but the FCC currently has no objections, either.

Even though an STA usually allows up to 180 days, the FCC will not allow a station to remain dark for more than one year... so even if this new STA application is approved, Tune In Broadcasting must resume operations by May 8, 2013, or the WKAL broadcast license will automatically expire.

When they faced that one-year deadline in 2012, they signed-on for a few days, just enough to say they did it, and then they signed back off. Of course, last year, they still didn't have a new "main studio" built. I've heard that they do now have office space for a studio, so perhaps the next sign-on will be more permanent.
 
For the moment, to save the license they theoretically could just hook an iPod into the transmitter's audio stage and just run it in an endless loop, provided it had legal IDs every 60 minutes, couldn't they?

Since some stations actually sound like they're being run that way, that might not even be noticed...
 
A few weeks ago, WKAL-1450 Rome was on-the-air running what seemed to be an automated "geezer" format. Checked today and it is off-the-air.
 
I am planning on heading in that direction this weekend (Memorial Day). I'll try to check out 1450 and report back.
 
I was in Rome last weekend (May 18) to DJ a wedding reception, and I also heard nothing on 1450AM.
I'll be back through the area again this weekend, but if it's off-air again, I realize that doesn't automatically mean it's been silent for the entire week. Anyone on this thread able to tune in WKAL every day and see what's going on? I'm in Syracuse, a bit too far away to try to tune it in myself.

If memory serves right, being off the air for 10 days or more requires the licensee to file a "silent notification" with the FCC. The licensee must file an STA if the silence hits 30 days (and it can be filed even sooner, if they already anticipate 30+ days of silence).

I did quickly check the FCC records database yesterday, and didn't see any indication of this silence being filed with the FCC. Haven't had a chance to check again today. But again, since I can't hear WKAL every day, I'm not sure if it has reached the point where an FCC filing would even be required in the first place. It was definitely on-air a few weeks ago, as I reported on CNYRadio.com earlier this month. But I haven't had time to really pursue enough information to post a newer story since finding it silent last weekend. For all I know, they could be signing-on every few days just to satisfy the requirements.

I'm just curious as to why it has taken more than two years and the station still isn't back on-air full-time. Even with the circumstances of the sale, does that seem like an extremely long time, or does anyone disagree?
 
CNYRadio.com said:
Anyone on this thread able to tune in WKAL every day and see what's going on? I'm in Syracuse, a bit too far away to try to tune it in myself.
Click to expand...

Nothing is going on, still off the air
 
WKAL on the air March 11,2014

WKAL began broadcasting Tuesday, March 11, 2014. Local talk program following local news.
 
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