/ 01.13.2011 12:00AM
FCC Releases Feb. 15 DTV License Auction Details
WASHINGTON: Eight applicants have met the initial criteria to bid
for two full-power TV station licenses. The Federal Communications Commission
today released the status of short-form applications in the upcoming auction of
VHF licenses for Atlantic City, N.J., and Seaford, Del. Neither state had a full-power VHF
licensee after the June 2009 DTV transition. Federal law requires each state to
have at least one.
The eight applicants successfully completing the initial phase of the process
include Avinash C. Ahuja, Ann Brueggemann, George S. Flinn, Jr., Mi Hyon Lim,
Loop Media, LLC; PMCM TV, S&B Broadcasting Co., and Word of God Fellowship,
Inc. Loop and Word of God applied for single permits while the other six
applied for two.
PMCM TV is a privately owned company in Wall, N.J., with at least four radio
stations. PMCM has held TV stations licenses in Nevada and Wyoming. It
donated KVNV-LP to the City of Ely, Nev., in 2009, according to the
The Ely
Times. It still owns KJWY-TV in Jackson, Wyo. It petitioned the FCC in
2009 to have the KJWY license moved to New Jersey, but was denied.
Word of God Fellowship is the business holding company of the Daystar
Television Network in Dallas, led by Marcus and Joni Lamb. Daystar has around
28 affiliate stations nationwide. Marcus Lamb became embroiled in controversy
last month when he admitted an affair with an employee of the company. Three
former employees have sued Daystar, which countersued, according to
KXAS-TV,
the Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate.
S&B Broadcasting Co., is listed
online
as the owner of an AM radio station in West Haverstraw, N.Y. Details on the
remaining bidders are not readily available. Two--Revolution Transport Services
and Western Pacific Broadcast--did not properly complete the short-form
application process.
The eight bidders in compliance will have to submit a deposit of $200,000 by 6
p.m. Eastern on Friday, Jan. 21. The amount is the commission’s minimum for
both licenses--Ch. 4 in Atlanta City and Ch. 5 in Seaford. Applicants also have
until Jan. 21 to submit corrections.
A mock auction will commence Feb. 11, 2011 to allow the qualifying bidders to
become familiar with the FCC’s auction system. The list of the final qualifying
bidders will be published 10 days before the first official round of bidding
opens on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
--
Deborah D. McAdams