WTIC License Renewed by FCC Following Nearly 3-Year Odyssey

Concluding a process that dragged on for nearly three years, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has renewed the broadcast license of Hartford’s WTIC-AM. The FCC action, confirmed to CT by the Numbers, comes three months after a federal appeals court upheld former Gov. John G. Rowland’s conviction for violating federal campaign laws.  Just days after that ruling, the FCC lifted a years-long enforcement hold on the station’s license renewal, which then allowed the agency to consider the long-pending license renewal.

The station’s broadcast license expired 2 ½ years ago, on April 1, 2014.  In accordance with FCC procedures, the station filed a license renewal application on November 27, 2013.  By September 2014, the FCC’s enforcement division placed the renewal application on “enforcement hold.”  It remained on enforcement hold – which precluded consideration of the application – until June of this year.

The license was renewed  on September 13, 2016 for the customary period of eight years, retroactive to the expiration date of the previous broadcast license in 2014.  It comes at a time when CBS Radio, which owns WTIC-AM, is seeking to sell or spin off its radio holdings. The agency’s renewal of the WTIC-AM broadcast license is scheduled to expire on April 1, 2022.

“We’re pleased with the FCC’s decision to renew the station’s license and look forward to many more years of providing the Hartford community with local news and engaging talk radio,” WTIC-AM 1080 Program Director Jenneen Lee said.

At the time that Rowland was accused of secretly accepting pay as a political consultant, he was also an afternoon radio host on WTIC-AM. His use of the airwaves in order to favor the candidate, Lisa Wilson-Foley, whose spouse was paying Rowland at the time, was raised during his trial.  Rowland recently retained a new legal team and appears to be planning to pursue an appeal this fall at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The station could – and did - continue broadcasting while the FCC held the renewal application. Stations in such a status routinely continue to operate without any interruption until a decision on license renewal is made.  As the agency’s Enforcement Bureau considered “an alleged violation of FCC rules,” the agency’s Media Bureau could not proceed with a decision on whether or not to renew the station’s broadcast license.

FCC officials have indicated that most often enforcement holds are instituted due to a complaint being filed that requires investigation, but they would not confirm whether that was true in this instance.  That information is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, according to an FCC official.  Hartford Attorney Ken Krayeske filed an informal objection on October 1, 2014 to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal, alleging that the station “demonstrated serious malfeasance” and “helped conceal violations of federal law.”  The FCC confirmed the receipt of that objection.

Rowland resigned from his drive-time talk show on WTIC-AM in April 2014.  The station currently airs a locally-originated sports talk program in that time slot.

CBS Radio operates 117 radio stations in 26 U.S. markets, including Hartford’s WTIC-AM, WTIC-FM, WRCH-FM, and WZMX-FM.

Enforcement Hold Lifted, FCC Will Now Consider License Renewal Application of WTIC-AM, Pending for Two Years

Just days after a federal appeals court upheld former Gov. John G. Rowland’s conviction for violating federal campaign laws, the Federal Communications Commission lifted an enforcement hold on WTIC-AM's license renewal. At the time that Rowland was accused of secretly accepting pay as a political consultant, he was also an afternoon radio host on WTIC-AM. His use of the airwaves in order to favor the candidate, Lisa Wilson-Foley, whose spouse was paying Rowland at the time, was raised during his trial.

The FCC is now “in a position to consider the objections that have been filed regarding the renewal application,”  an agency official told CT by the Numbers.  There is no timetable for that review, which is just beginning now that the agency’s enforcement hold has been “lifted,” or for a final decision on the station’s license renewal application.

The station’s broadcast license expired almost 27 months ago, on April 1, 2014.  In accordance with FCC procedures, the station filed a license renewal application on November 27, 2013.  By September 2014, the FCC’s enforcement division placed the renewal application on “enforcement hold,” which precluded any action by the agency on the renewal.

The station, owned by CBS Radio, could continue broadcasting while the FCC held the renewal application. Stations in such a status routinely continue to operate without any interruption until a decision on license renewal is made.

Even as the station remained on the air, the license renewal has been in limbo. As the agency’s Enforcement Bureau considered “an alleged violation of FCC rules,” the agency’s Media Bureau could not proceed with a decision on whether or not to renew the station’s broadcast license, typically an 8-year renewal.

The FCC has not provided the reason that the license application was put on hold.  FCC officials have indicated that most often enforcement holds are instituted due to a complaint being filed that requires investigation, but they would not confirm whether that was true in this instance.  That information is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, according to an FCC official.

Now that the license renewal application has reached the agency’s Media Bureau, they will consider “how the allegation of violation was resolved,” as well as a range of other factors in deciding whether or not to renew the station’s license.  The other, more routine, factors include whether any other objections have been raised about the station, whether the station has been adequately serving the public in their area of license, their history of compliance with FCC regulations, and their overall performance.

Hartford Attorney Ken Krayeske filed an informal objection on October 1, 2014 to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal, alleging that the station “demonstrated serious malfeasance” and “helped conceal violations of federal law.”  The FCC has confirmed the receipt of that objection.

Rowland resigned from his drive-time talk show on WTIC-AM in April 2014.  The station currently airs a locally-originated sports talk program in that time slot. The FCC had no comment on whether the now more than two-year delay in making a determination on the license renewal is among the longest in FCC history.

No Word on When or Whether WTIC-AM Broadcast License Will Be Renewed by FCC

“This application remains on hold and I cannot say when it will be resolved.”  That is the latest update from the Federal Communications Commission on the pending license renewal application of radio station WTIC-AM in Hartford.  The station filed its license renewal application more than two years ago, on November 27, 2013. As the agency’s Enforcement Bureau considers “an alleged violation of FCC rules,” the agency’s Media Bureau cannot proceed with a decision on whether or not to renew the station’s broadcast license. The application was placed on “enforcement hold,” amidst speculation that the action was related to use of the station’s airwaves by former Governor and station talk show host John Rowland, who was previously and subsequently convicted of federal corruption and campaign-related charges.

The FCC had no comment on whether the delay in making a determination on the license renewal is among the longest in FCC history, and a spokesman this week said that the agency does not comment on the status of the license application.    Although the station’s broadcast license expired on April 1, 2014, more than 22 months ago, WTIC can continue to broadcast until the FCC makes a determination on its license renewal application, which was filed just days before the deadline back in 2013.  Stations in such a status routinely continue to operate without any interruption until a decision on license renewal is made.

If the station’s license renewal is granted, it would be for an 8-year period. There has been no comment by the FCC on specifically when or why the federal agency’s enforcement division placed the application on hold, or when it might be lifted.  FCC officials have indicated that most often enforcement holds are instituted due to a complaint being filed that requires investigation.  The reason for the enforcement hold is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, the FCC has said.

The station is owned by CBS radio, which this month announced that revenues from its radio stations were down 5 percent in the 4^th quarter of 2015.  The website Radio Online attributed the decline to “continued softness in the ad radio ad marketplace and lower political advertising.”  One of the mainstays of the WTIC talk line-up, nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh, was recently ranked as the second most popular national talk show, behind Michael Savage, which airs in Connecticut on other stations.

When the license renewal application does reach the agency’s Media Bureau, they will consider “how the allegation of violation was resolved,” as well as a range of other factors in deciding whether or not to renew the station’s license.  The other, more routine, factors include whether any other objections have been raised about the station, whether the station has been adequately serving the public in their area of license, their history of compliance with FCC regulations, and their overall performance.

Hartford Attorney Ken Krayeske filed an informal objection on October 1, 2014 to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal, alleging that the station “demonstrated serious malfeasance” and “helped conceal violations of federal law.”

As for the pace at which the FCC finalizes action on pending license applications, one indication came last week, when the FCC announced it had denied an objection to a station license renewal that was filed in October of 2013 in regards to station KKZZ in Port Hueneme, CA.  The AM station’s application for renewal was granted by the FCC on February 9, 2016 – more than two years after it was filed.

FEMA to Upgrade Emergency System at WTIC-AM Tower As Station's License Renewal Remains Unresolved

As the license renewal application of WTIC-AM radio continues to languish at the Federal Communications Commission, nearly one year after the station’s broadcast license expired, another federal agency is proceeding with WTIC on a local project aimed at assuring the availability of broadcast communication in the event of an emergency. This week the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, testified at the Avon Planning and Zoning Commission outlining a plan to upgrade the Primary Entry Point System (PEP) facility which is located on Avon Mountain at the site of the station's transmitter and operated in conjunction with WTIC. 

The facility is part of a nationwide network of about 70 such installations, which for the past 30 years have provided a “broadcast-based capability to communicate critical life-saving information to the public in times of extreme emergencies,” according to FEMA officials.  FEMA coordinates with local broadcast stations with the most far-reaching signals in their respective regions.  WTIC is the only PEP station in Connecticut.

Also this week, an official at the FCC indicated that the "enforcement hold" status of the station’s license renewal was "unchanged," and the station continues to operate until a decision is made, as is customary with delayed renewal applications. The WTIC-AM license renewal application has been on enforcement hold at the FCC since the license expiration date of April 1, 2014, as the agency’s Enforcement Bureau continues to consider “an alleged violation of FCC rules,” according to an FCC official. The renewal application was filed by the station almost 16 months ago, on November 27, 2013. Stations must file an application for license renewal) four months prior to the expiration date of the station’s license.

The facility at the WTIC broadcast tower and antenna in Avon would be the last in the country to be upgraded by FEMA.  After hearing a FEMA presentation and comments from local residents, the Avon Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the plan and construction is slated to begin later this spring.

FEMA, noting that the PEP system “proved invaluable” to the New Orleans community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, places back-up generators and diesel power at the transmitter sites of key commercial radio stations, to assure that they stay on the air to broadcast emergency information if other media is off-line due to power outages or other “extreme emergencies.”  Such was the case in New Orleans with WWL-AM, which, like WTIC-AM, is a 50,000 watt broadcast station.

Federal officials noted that “WTIC is the only original PEP station that has not been upgraded with long-term back-up components.  This leaves Connecticut and its local communities in a very vulnerable position when a major disaster strikes.”  The plan approved this week calls for installation of a new emergency back-up transmitter, two state-of-the-art generators and diesel fuel tank that would enable the station to transmit broadcast signals for longer than two months if necessary.  Nationally, FEMA continues to upgrade and expand the PEP system. The agency's website indicates that direct coverage of the nation’s population will expand from approximately 67 percent in 2009 to over 90 percent through 77 PEP stations by the end of this year.

WTIC-AM, which is licensed to Hartford but operates from studios in Farmington and has its broadcast tower on Avon Mountain, can continue broadcasting under the license that expired  on April 1, 2014, until the FCC acts on its renewal application. Until the enforcement hold is lifted the FCC Media Bureau cannot proceed with a decision on whether or not to renew the station’s broadcast license.  The Enforcement Bureau must first determine whether or not a violation of FCC rules has occurred.  If the allegation is substantiated, the agency has a range of options, such as warning that the violation not be repeated or imposing a monetary fine on the station, officials said.

Precisely what the allegation under review involves is not made known to the public, officials reiterated this week.  That information is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, FCC official have said. The agency can, and often does, communicate with the station as part of their review process.  WTIC has declined to comment on the ongoing review process at the FCC.

Hartford Attorney Ken Krayeske filed an informal objection last fall to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal, alleging that the station “demonstrated serious malfeasance” and “helped conceal violations of federal law,” related to former talk show host John G. Rowland’s use of his radio program to promote the Congressional campaign of Lisa Wilson-Foley. Krayeske had filed a previous complaint in 2012 that did not result in FCC action against the station.

When the license renewal application does reach the agency’s Media Bureau, they will consider “how the allegation of violation was resolved,” as well as a range of other factors in deciding whether or not to renew the station’s license.  The other, more routine, factors include whether any other objections have been raised about the station, whether the station has been adequately serving the public in their area of license, their history of compliance with FCC regulations, and their overall performance.  License renewals for radio stations are issued by the FCC for a period of eight years.

License Renewal of WTIC-AM on “Enforcement Hold” at FCC

The Federal Communications Commission has the pending license renewal of WTIC-AM radio on “enforcement hold,” nearly six months after the station’s broadcast license technically expired.  The station can continue broadcasting under the license that expired on April 1, 2014 until the FCC acts on its renewal application, which was filed last year on November 27, just days ahead of the renewal application deadline. In the wake of the corruption conviction earlier this month of former Governor and former WTIC talk show host John G. Rowland, questions have been raised about the radio station that employed Rowland.  Although FCC officials say that “while it is too late to file a formal Petition to Deny the license renewal,” because the renewal date has passed, “an informal objection can still be filed to the license renewal” at any time prior to action on the pending renewal application.

The FCC explains that an "informal objection," which is an official process, “may take the form of a letter signed by the objector” and should “contain sufficient information to establish any violation alleged.”   FCC officials indicate that no objections to the station’s renewal have been filed as of this week.  If the station’s license renewal is granted, it would be for an 8-year period.

There is no indication when the hold was placed on the renewal application by the FCC’s enforcement division, what the reason was, or when it might be lifted.  FCC officials indicate that most often enforcement holds are instituted due to a complaint being filed that requires investigation, but they would not confirm whether that was true in this instance.  That information is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, according to an FCC official. 

Action on the license renewal application remains possible at any time.  Should an informal objection be filed, the FCC would, in most instances, need to deal with any issues raised in the objection before it would act on the license renewal application.

In April 2014, Rowland resigned as a WTIC-AM radio host as his drive-time talk show, with a federal indictment imminent related in part to Rowland’s relationship with the campaign of then-Congressional candidate Lisa Wilson-Foley. Rowland had remained on the air on WTIC, even after it was revealed that his relationship with the Wilson-Foley campaign had sparked a federal grand jury investigation.

During this month’s trial, according to published reports, a former campaign operative for Wilson-Foley described ways Rowland allegedly coordinated topics on his WTIC talk show with the messages he wanted the campaign to get out.

In May 2012, responding to a complaint filed that month by Kenneth James Krayeske to the FCC regarding Rowland’s unstated relationship with the Wilson-Foley campaign, Mark Berlin of the FCC’s Policy Division Media Bureau indicated that “the FCC has no control over who a station might employ either on-air or off the air, and there is no requirement that a station disclose any current or prior political relationship of its employees.”

“We accept Mr. Rowland’s decision to step down at this time," Jenneen Lee, the station's program director, said in a statement posted on the station's website soon after Rowland went off the air earlier this year, CT Mirror reported.  The Rev. Will Marotti, who was Rowland's spiritual adviser and served as his co-host when Rowland went on the air at the station in September 2010, took over as host of the weekday afternoon program and remains on the air.

Back in 2012, the Torrington Register-Citizen reported that “according to a WTIC-AM representative, former Gov. Rowland disclosed the fact that he was working with Republican Lisa Wilson-Foley’s campaign ‘months ago,’ but said the 5th congressional district race is avoided on air, intentionally. ‘He actually stays away from it on purpose,’ Jeneen Lee said. ‘To date, there’s been no conversation on the air about the campaign.’”  Editorials published in the months following the campaign-related revelations called for additional disclosure by WTIC.

Rowland, who resigned as Governor a decade ago in a corruption scandal and served 10 months in prison, was convicted this month of federal charges that he conspired to hide payment for work on two congressional campaigns, in 2010 and 2012, including the Wilson-Foley campaign.

WTIC is owned by CBS Radio.