We have reached the end of the first MX settlement window but it is not over. There are several MX groups that are still not resolved. Some may take months or maybe years to settle. Let's look region by region at how things went.
Alaska
RAGE INC.. has been granted their construction permit and the call sign KEGR-LP. ALASKA REVIVAL RADIO moves to 96.9, accepted for filing and is still waiting their constuction permit.
Arizona
The Old Pueblo of Tucson is going to be blessed with many new LPFM stations. IGLESIA CENTRO DE SANIDAD on 90.1, STOPABORTION.ORG on 93.3, LPFM DOWNTOWN TUCSON on 99.1, XEROCRAFT, INC. on 261, PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE on 100.7 and the TOHONO O'DHAM NATION on 102.5. LUZ Y VIDA PARA FAMILIA took a wrong turn and was dismissed due to a short spacing with a translator that was recently moved to the channel. A Petition for Reconsideration is still pending. 91.7 is still being challenged by MESSAGE RADIO and GLOBAL CHANGE MULTI-MEDIA. Global Change has filed an objection to Message Radio's application. If the objection is denied, then these organizations will have to share the channel. Early in the window, AH-MUT PIPA FOUNDATION in Winterhaven, CA moved to 105.1 while on the other side of the Colorado River, YUMA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL stays on 92.5. Both applicants are on cut-off. In the high-country, the FCC has already granted CPs to WAVEL, INC. on 94.5, CALVARY CHAPEL OF FLAGSTAFF on 94.9 and SUNNYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION takes 101.5 FM. NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY's move to 107.1 is still pending a grant.
California
The fiercest battle is going on right now in America's largest MX group. On 101.5 in Los Angeles, there were 21 equally qualified applicants. Many of them broke up into factions. A faction lead by the NATIONAL HISPANIC MEDIA COALITION was able to bring on six other applicants including educational institutions BOYLE HEIGHTS ARTS CONSERVATORY and LOS ANGELES ACADEMY OF ARTS AND ENTERPRISE, traditional dance troupes BALLET FOLKLORICO OLLIN and THE EMPEROR'S CIRCLE OF SHEN YUN, THE PRISM CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES and community programmer CATALYST LONG BEACH. A second faction lead by FUTURE ROOTS also includes other media arts related organizations such as CRAFT AND FOLK ART MUSEUM, THE MACHINE PROJECT, MATERIALS & APPLICATIONS and ECHO PARK FILM CENTER. The third faction to file was the REC supported 101.5 MegaGroup which included HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT which is planning to broadcast from the historic 1930s-era radio tower for the old KRKD radio (the tower still has the old call sign on it!), GLENDALE HUMANE SOCIETY which is planning a community public service for the Crescenta Valley, LONG BEACH TELEVISION AND MEDIA CORPORATION, EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL in West Covina and THE CHURCH IN ANAHIEM. During the Petition to Deny period, members of the MegaGroup filed against the Future Roots faction alleging collusion and lack of site assurance. One of the applicants, Eagle Rock Cultural Association decided to back out of the group and the "Westside 6" became the "Westside 5". Objections have been filed on several NHMC backed applicants for technical, legal and zoning reasons. When the time share agreements were filed, REC Networks filed against the Westside 5 because the time share schedule included simultaneous operations. REC also called attention to the NHMC group as only two of the seven applicants actually filed amendments to their applications as instructed in the Public Notice. Issues have also been raised in this group and in a Portland group due to confusion on the Public Notice as to what the deadline was and if there were actually three deadlines which the public notice did not specifically state. REC has raised the issue of the unclear public notice stating that a large number of LPFM applicants have limited resources for attorneys and therefore were basing the deadline on the actual deadline date (October 8, 2014 at 6:00PM EDT) and not counting the days. REC has asked the FCC that if the deadlines for the filing of time share agreements and technical changes were not the same that the Commission grant an 18 hour extension for this window only and then provide guidance for the second window already in progress. 4-point applicant G-FINAL CUT managed to cut away from the 101.5 mess and find sanctuary in Carson on 99.1.
On 92.7, three applicants gave way for punk rock programmer RAZORCAKE/GORSKY PRESS. Razorcake is facing a Petition to Deny filed by Educational Media Foundation (KYLA) who claims that because there is a predicted contour overlap on co-channel (despite being legally spaced), that the LPFM is not eligible for a second adjacent waiver per the Local Community Radio Act. The same attorney acting on behalf of Point 4 (KCAQ, Oxnard) is making a similar argument against the 104.7 MX group in Orange County. In this group, LATINO CENTER FOR THE PREVENTION & ACTION IN HEALTH AND WELFARE and CENTRO CULTURAL DE MEXICO EN EL CONDANO DE ORANGE have filed a 10 point aggregation. In the case in Orange County, the attorney is using Longley/Rice data to show potential interference to two stations on 104.7 FM. On 99.1, a 10-point aggregation agreement was reached between STRATEGIC INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES of Simi Valley and REACH FOR THE TOP of Venice. In the final two hours, LOS ANGELES SOCIAL JUSTICE RADIO PROJECT moved to 107.9 at a site by the Chatsworth Reservior and became a singleton. On 106.3, CINEFAMILY managed to move to 96.7 to serve the Sunland-Tujunga area while SOCIETY FOR THE ACTIVATION OF SOCIAL SPACE THROUGH ART & SOUND remained between Power and KROQ. In Santa Clarita, SANTA CLARITA PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTERS (KZNQ-LP) moves to 101.5 while SANTA CLARITA ORGANIZATION FOR PLANNING THE ENVIRONMENT stays on 107.9. Both applications have been granted.
In San Diego, LA MEAESTRA FAMILY CLINIC and POSITIVE HOPE INC. were not able to settle and will be sharing 101.1, each with 12 hour non-renewable licenses. Hopefully that's what it will take to get them to settle. On 93.7, 5-point SAN DIEGO CATHOLIC RADIO is up against 4-point applicant HI NEIGHBOR. A Petition to Deny has been filed against SD Catholic Radio by ART PULSE who moved to 106.1. They are facing their own Petition to Deny filed by SD Catholic. In Bakersfield, ROOTSRADIO and PALABRA DE FE are trying to get 94.7 and 94.5 respectively. Palabra has filed against Rootsradio claiming that they already have an interest in KRHM-LP, which is also in Bakersfield. Also in Southern California, CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN CHURCH in Wildomar moves to 104.9 while the JENNIFER SMART FOUNDATION remains on 101.7 in Lake Elsinore. CALVARY CHAPEL YUCAIPA stays on 102.9 while THE JOSIAH MINISTRY in Redlands moves to 107.3. Meanwhile on 94.3, CALVARY CHAPEL OF REDLANDS and YUCAPIA CENTER FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY WELLBEING did not reach an agreement and will be sharing time on this channel. In the Victor Valley, CALVARY CHAPEL OF VICTOR VALLEY is giving up their LPFM station KPTG-LP in Adelanto to take this new station on 107.1, also in Adelanto. CENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE ORACION, a Cesar Guel client that has been legitimized by REC will move to 98.7 in Victorville.
As we move up the coast, Ventura County is getting some new stations. VENTURA COUNTY is going to operate public safety stations on 99.3 from Red Mountain and on 93.3 north of Ojai. Also in Ojai, OJAI COMMUNITY RADIO on 101.3. In the Oxnard area, CENTRO EVANGELICO EMMANUEL has been granted as KOXC-LP, while COMMUNITY ADVOCACY COALITION OF VENTURA COUNTY and LA IGLESIA CRISTIANA DE OXNARD are waiting on 99.1 and 93.3 respectively. Both of these applicants have objections filed against them. La Iglesia was included in the REC Cesar Guel informal objection while Community Advocacy Coalition is being accused by La Iglesia of having a convicted felon as a principal. Moving further north to Santa Barbara, CALVARY CHAPEL OF SANTA BARBARA stays on 99.5 while SOUTH COAST COMMUNITY MEDIA ACCESS CENTER moves to 96.9.
On the Central Coast, 107.9 will be shared by UNITED WAY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY and CENTRAL COAST MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION of Nipomo. 107.9 will also be used by the fully spaced facility for the PACIFIC COAST CONSERVATION ALLIANCE in Paso Robles. SANTA MARIA VALLEY MEDIA MINISTRY moves to 105.5 and REFUGE CHURCH OF ATASCADERO is on 103.9. IGLESIA PENTECOSTAL NUEVA VIDA takes 103.1 in Salinas while CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY MONTEREY BAY moves to 104.7 in Seaside.
Moving inland, CREATIVE FRESNO moves to 93.3 while DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION OF FRESNO and IDEFUA FOUNDATION FOR AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE will default to involunary time share on 103.3. In the state capitol, six new stations will be created including WOMEN'S CIVIC IMPROVEMENT CLUB OF SACRAMENTO on 92.1, UBUNTU GREEN on 95.7, SACRAMENTO FRENCH CULTURAL SOCIETY on 97.3, SACRAMENTO BICYCLE KITCHEN on 98.9, VERGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS 103.1 and SACRAMENTO AREA PEACE ACTION on 106.1. Verge Center has already been granted. In Hanford, HANFORD YOUTH SERVICES moved to 92.5 to give way to FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH OF HANFORD on 104.5 FM. In Marysville, ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH will take 94.3 while in Yuba City, QUEENS AVENUE COMMUNITY CHURCH has been granted on 93.3 and RHYTHM FOUNDATION is waiting for approval to use 99.5 FM. Three new stations are planned for Stockton including PEACE AND JUSTICE NETWORK OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY on 92.1, DREAM AHEAD on 95.5 and WITH OUR WORDS on 98.1
Now onward to the area that some may call one of the birthplaces of the modern LPFM radio movement, the Bay Area. Let's start in the the City and East Bay and then move outward. On 96.1, ALAMEDA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, POOR MAGAZINE and ALAMEDA COMMUNITY RADIO will voluntarily take their turns on the mic. On 96.9, another three-way time share group has emerged between PERALTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, SOUND OF HOPE RADIO NETWORK and CHINESE CULTURE AND ART HERITAGE FOUNDATION. CALVARY CHAPEL OF HAYWARD will also be on 96.9 fully spaced from the time share group. EAST BAY ORIENTIAL RADIO in Oakland will take 97.7. GOLDEN GATE SOCIETY FOR COATINGS TECHNOLOGY on 100.1. There is a battle for 102.5 as the 4 applicants break up into two factions with SF INDIEFEST and SF COMMUNITY RADIO on one side and SF PUBLIC PRESS and OUTSOUND on the other. All four groups have Petitions to Deny against them over various issues including alleged gamesmanship, the use of a residence as a main studio (which also came up against Ballet Folklorico Ollin in the Los Angeles 101.5 group) and cross-ownerhip issues. If the FCC denies all of the petitions, the group will be declared a tie and the involuntary time share group will include Indefest, Outsound and Public Press.
In the San Jose area, what started as a 5-applicant MX group that was daisy chained by San Jose Food Not Bombs (dismissed with reconsideration denied in July) has been divided into two groups with 5-point FOUNDATION FOR A BEAUTIFUL LIFE and 4-point SOUTH BAY PUBLIC RADIO on 92.9 and on 92.7, CENTERS FOR CAREERS AND TRAINING and SAN JOSE PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER did not reach an agreement. Foundation for a Beautiful Life does have an informal objection against it by South Bay Public Radio for an interference issue. We will be watching this group to see what the FCC does in this case, especially since this is now 2 MX groups. Elsewhere, Santa Rosa is in a similar situation as 102.5 in San Francisco but without all of the objections. Two factions of applications including CARDINAL NEWMAN HS and FAITH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF SONOMA COUNTY files a 10-point aggregation agreement for 92.3 against REDWOOD JUSTICE FUND and SANTA ROSA COMMUNITY MEDIA ACCESS CENTER on 92.5. The FCC is expected to declare a tie in this group and Faith Christian Fellowship will be dismissed as the 4th place applicant. Also in Santa Rosa, YA-KA-AMA INDIAN EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT could not reach a settlement with CITY OF TRUTH for 100.5. Ya-ka-ama opposes City of Truth's application claiming the organization is not NCE qualified and has a missing board member. In the Napa Valley, 103.3 will fall into an involuntary 3-way time share between SONOMA CHARTER SCHOOL, PETALUMA COMMUNITY ACCESS and JEAN ARNOLD GROUP FOUNDATION. In Vallejo, ST. VINCENT FERRER PARISH stays on 106.5 while MIRA THEATRE GUILD moves to 100.3.
Colorado
In Denver, CHRIST'S CHURCH APOSTOLIC and ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY TELEVISION will share 93.9 by aggregating their points. NICE CORP. will operate from Boulder on 95.1. CITY OF LOUISVILLE will operate a public safety station on 95.3 and OPEN MEDIA FOUNDATION on 104.7. On the Western Slope, ROCA ETERNA will take 94.7 and GRAND VALLEY PEACE AND JUSTICE will grab 100.3 in Grand Junction.
Hawaii
CORVALLIAN WAVES on 95.3 and FAITH UP! on 107.3 have been granted on the Big Island.
Kansas City KS/MO
Four new stations were formed out of this bi-state MX group. CENTRO CRISTIANO AGUA VIVA on 97.7, THE INT. RADIO PROJECT OF KANSAS CITY on 100.1, IGLESIA PENTECOSTAL CASA DE DIOS PARA LAS NACIONES on 100.7 and MUTUAL MUSICIANS FOUNDATION on 104.7. Iglesia Pentecostal is part of the REC Cesar Guel informal objection.
Nebraska
All applicants in the Omaha MX groups were able to find channels. MINISTERIO PRINCEPE DE PAZ INERNACIONAL on 91.9, OMAHA COMMUNITY BROADCASTING on 95.7, INDEPENDENT OMAHA RADIO PROJECT on 98.1, MILLARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS on 99.3, Cesar Guel-assisted SOUTH OMAHA HISPANIC EDUCATION FAMILY FUNDATION on 101.1 and for 101.3, a 2-way voluntary timeshare (with a very strange schedule) between MALCOLM X MEMORIAL FOUNDATION and NORTH OMAHA LOVES JAZZ CULTURAL ARTS AND HUMANITES COMPLEX (that's a long name!). GOSPEL MUSIC OMAHA has been granted and will broadcast from North Omaha.
Nevada
In Reno, SONRISE CHURCH has been granted 93.3, NORTH RENO HISPANIC EDUCATION FAMILY FUNDATION on 94.9 is on hold while the FCC deals with the REC objection to the Guel-assisted applications, RENO BIKE PROJECT on 97.7 and MINISTERIO PALABRA DE VIDA on 100.5. In Las Vegas, LAS VEGAS PUBLIC RADIO has been granted on 97.9, LIBERTY BAPTIST CHURCH on 101.1, CHINESE VOICE OF GOLDEN CITY managed to move to 103.1 while READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC went to 107.1. 95.9 in Sin City will go to a three-way involuntary time share between CITY OF THE WORLD, IGLESIA CRISTIANA VOZ DE SALVACION nad BLACKBIRD ARTS, INC. Lastly, over the hump, PAHRUMP FILM FESTIVAL gets 97.7.
Oregon
We have an ongoing issue in Portland in the MX group for 100.7. Russian-based organizations JEHOVAH JIREH and SLAVIC COMMUNITY CENTER OF NW both filed a 10-point aggregation agreement well ahead of the window deadline. On October 8, OREGON CENTER FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS, METROEAST COMMUNITY MEDIA and CREATIVE MUSIC GUILD filed a 15-point time share agreement. As we mentioned in 101.5 for Los Angeles, REC has made the FCC aware of the way the public notice was written which suggested in one place that there were two deadlines where some believe that there are three. If the FCC considers the deadline for aggregation agreements as October 8, it will impact the outcome of this MX group. Stay tuned.
Also in Portland, COMMUNITY ALLIANCE OF TENANTS and OPEL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE move 15 miles apart from each other to simultaneously operate on 96.9, ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN NETWORK will broadcast on 89.5, and like on 96.9, TOOL SHED PDX and CASCDE COMMUNITY RADIO located more than 15 miles apart to use 101.5. 105.5 remains in dispute as Portland State University is disputing losing their broadcast diveristy point because while at the time of filing, they were a part of the University of Oregon system, legislation did pass to make them in independent organization. If their score is sustained then THE REED INSTITUTE and PORTLAND RUSSIAN MEDIA CENTER will be given an involuntary 12-hour timeshare.
Elsewhere in Oregon, OREGON PEACEWORKS takes 91.1 in Salem while SALEM PROGESSIVE FILM SERIES grabs 105.5. There were quite a few applications filed in rural Oregon that were assisted by Robert Lund. Many of them were objected to claiming common silent ownership of the stations. Lund also assisted the two MX stations in Hawaii. In Siverton, A LIFE WORTH SUSTANING slipped past the objectors and was granted on 102.5. Lund's A HOME FOR EVERYONE is subject to involuntary time sharing with RONALD R. ERICKSON MINISTRIES on 92.7 in Lebanon. Unrelated station LEBANON CALVARY CHAPEL moved to 94.1. In Albany, FUSION FAITH CENTER is fighting Lund's YOU MATTER for 105.3 and Corvalls-based VETERANS FOR PEACE is challenging Lund's OHOP on 105.7 Albany. In Bend, the Lund-assisted BLUE STONE MEDIA ACTIVISTS moves to 95.3 while the DIOCESE OF BAKER stays on 93.5.
South Dakota
In Rapid City, WESTERN DAKOTA TECHNICAL INSTITUTE wins 92.7 while DIOCESE OF RAPID CITY has been authroized 95.5.
Utah
AGGIE RADIO in Logan was authorized on 92.3 while HYRUM CITY CORPORATION is still pending on 94.9.
Washington
One of the most LPFM-excited areas during the window was definitely Seattle. The radio-gods have rewarded the Puget Sound area with some great radio. IGLESIA SANDANO LAS HERIDAS will broadcast on 92.9 from Renton. EARTH ON-THE-AIR is awaitng approval to use 96.9 while facing an objection by a full power station questioning the historical significance of their proposed antenna site on a bell tower among other issues. IGLESIA CASE DE MILAGROS is waiting for 98.5 while approved stations include FAB-5 in Tacoma on 95.3, HOLLOW EARTH RADIO and (over 15 miles away) UKRANIAN CHURCH OF EVANGELICAL FAITH on 100.3, a two-way voluntary time share on 101.1 between SAND POINT ARTS AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE and KMIH.ORG RADIO BOOSTER CLUB. The CITY OF KENT will also operate on 101.1 from over 15 miles away. SOUTHEAST EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT has been granted 105.7. In Tacoma, no settlement was made on 101.9, therefore will result in an involuntary timeshare between ASIA PACIFIC CULTURAL CENTER nad THE BRIDGE.
Elsewhere in Washington, SAM-SNO EDUCATIONAL MEDIA will operate on 101.9 from Olympia while OLYMPIA ALL AGES PROJECT is facing an objection to use 100.3. The three members of the Pasco MX group have found places to go to. COLUMBIA BASIN COLLEGE stays on 92.9 while CENTRO CRISTIANO ZION MINISTERIOS LLAMADA FINAL moves to 107.9 and CHURCH OF THE SALVATION ARC moves to 94.3. In Bellingham, RADIO VIA N LIFE gets a special waiver towards Canada to operate on 94.1 while NEW GENERATION YOUTH CENTER is waiting for 107.3. In Walla Walla, ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY CATHOLIC PARISH will operate on 103.9 and STATELINE COMMUNITY CHURCH has been approved for 105.9. In Wenatchee, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER GIFT SHOP will broadcast on 98.7 and COR CHRISTI on 107.9 QUEEN OF PEACE has moved to 94.1 in Deer Park to make way for INTREPID GROUP on 97.7 in Chatteroy.
Congratulations and best of luck to the winners of the first MX window. Stay tuned to REC as there are still potential developments in the group. It is not over yet.
