The government of a small Texas city had hoped to launch an LPFM station, but the FCC has rejected its application.
The community of Henrietta in Clay County, not far from Wichita Falls, applied during the 2023 LPFM filing window.
The station would provide local news and a venue for local school districts “to inform and motivate teachers and students to learn about mass communications and explore their aptitude for this possible career.”
It also said the station would be available to the county sheriff’s office, fire departments and other county officials as needed.
In January the FCC Media Bureau dismissed its application for failure to meet minimum distance spacing requirements with respect to the co-channel license of KZMJ(FM), Gainesville, Texas.
The city then asked the commission to allow it to change the proposed frequency to 90.5 MHz or another of the commission’s choosing. Alternatively, it asked for a waiver of the co-channel spacing requirements, saying its station would not result in actual interference to KZMJ.
But as it has done in several other recent cases, the Media Bureau says its earlier decision was correct. It said applications submitted during an LPFM filing window that fail to meet spacing requirements will be dismissed without opportunity to amend, and it reminded the city that its Procedures Public Notice had warned LPFM applicants that would be no opportunity to correct these kinds of deficiencies.
[Read more coverage of recent FCC actions including other LPFM cases.]
