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Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
)
In the Matter of )
Hodson Broadcasting ) File Number: EB-08-DV-0216
Permittee of KHOD(FM) ) NAL/Acct. No.: 200932800001
Des Moines, New Mexico ) FRN: 0004297180
Facility ID # 165982 )
)
NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY FOR FORFEITURE
Released: November 17, 2008
By the District Director, Denver Office, Western Region, Enforcement
Bureau:
I. INTRODUCTION
1. In this Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture ("NAL"), we find
that Hodson Broadcasting ("Hodson"), permittee of station KHOD(FM), in
Des Moines, New Mexico, apparently willfully and repeatedly violated
Section 73.1620 of the Commission's Rules ("Rules") for operating
KHOD(FM) at variance from its authorization. We conclude, pursuant to
Section 503(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended ("Act"),
that Hodson is apparently liable for a forfeiture in the amount of ten
thousand dollars ($10,000).
II. BACKGROUND
2. On June 28, 2006, the Commission granted Hodson a construction permit,
authorizing the construction of a new Channel 287, Class C FM station
serving Des Moines, New Mexico, with an antenna height of radiation
center above ground of 14 meters on an antenna structure with an
overall height above ground of 32 meters. The construction permit is
due to expire on June 28, 2009. No authorization for program test
authority or operational authority has been issued by the FCC for
KHOD(FM). As of the date of this NAL, no further modifications of the
permit have been received or granted by the Commission.
3. On May 12, 2008, the Enforcement Bureau's Denver Office received an
email complaint that KHOD(FM) was operating from a location in Raton,
New Mexico, at variance from its construction permit. The complainant
stated the KHOD(FM) signal was discovered on the air during the
previous week, that the station operated continuously, using a
vertical antenna fed with coaxial cable located on a hotel rooftop,
and that the station could be heard from a distance of six miles.
4. On May 13, 2008, the Denver Office received an email that KHOD(FM)
signed off the air and announced that it would be back on the air in
60-90 days from its mountain top transmitter.
5. On June 20, 2008, the Denver Office received a telephone complaint
that KHOD(FM) was back on the at a higher power and that it was still
broadcasting from the hotel rooftop. An agent from the Denver Office
contacted the complainant who confirmed that KHOD(FM) was still on the
air, identifying as "KHOD, Revolution of Raton."
6. On June 24, 2008, a Denver agent investigated KHOD(FM)'s operation.
The agent observed that the station was in operation and was being
operated from a location in Raton, New Mexico, some 34 miles northwest
of its authorized location in Des Moines, New Mexico.
7. On June 25, 2008, the Denver agent inspected KHOD(FM) and observed
that the station continued to operate from the Raton, New Mexico,
studio/transmitter site. The inspection revealed that KHOD(FM) had no
special temporary authorization ("STA")/waiver to operate on-air, or
to operate from its current location, no public inspection file, and
no operating emergency alert system ("EAS") equipment. The agent
interviewed the owner of Hodson Broadcasting. Hodson acknowledged that
the KHOD(FM) signal in Raton, New Mexico, does not reach the KHOD(FM)
construction permit's community of license of Des Moines, New Mexico.
The agent warned Hodson concerning the unauthorized operation but
Hodson insisted that KHOD(FM) must stay on the air to serve Raton, New
Mexico.
8. On July 1, 2008, the Denver agent contacted Hodson and inquired about
KHOD(FM)'s on air status. Hodson stated KHOD(FM) was still on the air
and the Denver agent verbally warned Hodson about continued KHOD(FM)
operation.
9. On October 7, 2008, the Denver Office received a telephone complaint
concerning interference to home electronic entertainment equipment
("HEEE") from a nearby business. The complainant alleged that the
interference started on October 6, 2008, and that KHOD(FM) could be
heard across the entire FM band.
10. On October 9, 2008, the Denver Office received another telephone
complaint concerning interference to HEEE from a business in Raton,
New Mexico. The complainant alleged that the interference recently
started and KHOD(FM) could be heard across the entire FM band.
11. As of the date of this NAL, a search of the Commission's database
reveals that KHOD(FM)'s construction permit is in "Off Air" status,
and no STAs or waivers had been granted to Hodson concerning the
operation of KHOD(FM).
III. DISCUSSION
12. Section 503(b) of the Act provides that any person who willfully or
repeatedly fails to comply substantially with the terms and conditions
of any license, or willfully or repeatedly fails to comply with any of
the provisions of the Act or of any rule, regulation or order issued
by the Commission thereunder, shall be liable for a forfeiture
penalty. The term "willful" as used in Section 503(b) has been
interpreted to mean simply that the acts or omissions are committed
knowingly. The term "repeated" means the commission or omission of
such act more than once or for more than one day.
13. Section 73.1620 of the Commission's rules provides, in pertinent part,
that program tests may be conducted by permittees, upon completion of
construction, so long as the Commission is notified of the program
tests and a license application is filed within 10 days thereafter.
A special operating condition/ restriction was placed on the KHOD(FM)
construction permit which states "[t]he automatic program test
provisions of Section 73.1620 of the Commission's rules do not apply
in this case. A formal request for program test authority must be
filed in conjunction with FCC Form 302-FM, application for license,
before program tests will be authorized." Moreover, the facilities
tested must have been constructed in accordance with the terms of the
construction permit and the technical provisions of the application in
order to avert air navigation hazards and avoid interference to other
broadcast stations. Otherwise, the station is subject to revocation
of license or permit, or imposition of a forfeiture.
14. Hodson was authorized by the Commission to construct a Class C station
with an ERP of 82 kW and an antenna height of radiation center above
ground at 14 meters on an antenna structure that is 32 meters above
ground, to serve the community of Des Moines, New Mexico. At the time
of inspection on June 25, 2008, KHOD(FM) was located over thirty miles
from its authorized location, operating with less than Class C FM
facilities, from a building rooftop versus the authorized antenna
structure. Hodson, the permittee of KHOD(FM) acknowledged that it was
intentionally operating KHOD(FM) to serve the community of Raton, New
Mexico as opposed to its authorized community of Des Moines, New
Mexico. Reports to the Denver Office show that Hodson's unauthorized
operation of KHOD(FM) in Raton, New Mexico, continued after warnings
to Hodson from the Denver agent.
15. Hodson has failed to construct KHOD(FM) in accordance with its
construction permit and has failed to request program test authority,
in violation of its construction permit and Section 73.1620 of the
Rules. Consequently, Hodson's operation of KHOD(FM) to this date has
been unauthorized. Based on the evidence before us, we find that
Hodson apparently willfully and repeatedly violated Section 73.1620 of
the Rules by operating KHOD(FM) at variance from the terms of the
KHOD(FM) construction permit.
16. Pursuant to The Commission's Forfeiture Policy Statement and Amendment
of Section 1.80 of the Rules to Incorporate the Forfeiture Guidelines,
("Forfeiture Policy Statement"), and Section 1.80 of the Rules, the
base forfeiture amount for construction and/or operation without an
instrument of authorization for the service is $10,000. In assessing
the monetary forfeiture amount, we must also take into account the
statutory factors set forth in Section 503(b)(2)(E) of the Act, which
include the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the
violations, and with respect to the violator, the degree of
culpability, and history of prior offenses, ability to pay, and other
such matters as justice may require. Applying the Forfeiture Policy
Statement, Section 1.80, and the statutory factors to the instant
case, we conclude that Hodson is apparently liable for a $10,000
forfeiture.
IV. ORDERING CLAUSES
17. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to Section 503(b) of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and Sections 0.111, 0.311,
0.314 and 1.80 of the Commission's Rules, Hodson Broadcasting is
hereby NOTIFIED of this APPARENT LIABILITY FOR A FORFEITURE in the
amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for violation of Section
73.1620 of the Rules.
18. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, pursuant to Section 1.80 of the
Commission's Rules within thirty days of the release date of this
Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, Hodson Broadcasting SHALL
PAY the full amount of the proposed forfeiture or SHALL FILE a written
statement seeking reduction or cancellation of the proposed
forfeiture.
19. Payment of the forfeiture must be made by check or similar instrument,
payable to the order of the Federal Communications Commission. The
payment must include the NAL/Account Number and FRN Number referenced
above. Payment by check or money order may be mailed to Federal
Communications Commission, P.O. Box 979088, St. Louis, MO 63197-9000.
Payment by overnight mail may be sent to U.S. Bank - Government
Lockbox #979088, SL-MO-C2-GL, 1005 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, MO
63101. Payment by wire transfer may be made to ABA Number 021030004,
receiving bank TREAS/NYC, and account number 27000001. For payment by
credit card, an FCC Form 159 (Remittance Advice) must be submitted.
When completing the FCC Form 159, enter the NAL/Account number in
block number 23A (call sign/other ID), and enter the letters "FORF" in
block number 24A (payment type code). Requests for full payment under
an installment plan should be sent to: Chief Financial Officer --
Financial Operations, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 1-A625, Washington,
D.C. 20554. Please contact the Financial Operations Group Help
Desk at 1-877-480-3201 or Email: ARINQUIRIES@fcc.gov with any
questions regarding payment procedures. Hodson Broadcasting will also
send electronic notification on the date said payment is made to
WR-Response@fcc.gov.
20. The response, if any, must be mailed to Federal Communications
Commission, Enforcement Bureau, Western Region, Denver Office, 215 S.
Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 303, Lakewood, Colorado, 80226 and must include
the NAL/Acct. No. referenced in the caption. An electronic copy shall
be sent to WR-Response@fcc.gov.
21. The Commission will not consider reducing or canceling a forfeiture in
response to a claim of inability to pay unless the petitioner submits:
(1) federal tax returns for the most recent three-year period; (2)
financial statements prepared according to generally accepted
accounting practices ("GAAP"); or (3) some other reliable and
objective documentation that accurately reflects the petitioner's
current financial status. Any claim of inability to pay must
specifically identify the basis for the claim by reference to the
financial documentation submitted.
22. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this Notice of Apparent Liability
for Forfeiture shall be sent by Certified Mail, Return Receipt
Requested, and regular mail, to Hodson Broadcasting.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Nikki P. Shears
District Director
Denver District Office
Western Region
Enforcement Bureau
47 C.F.R. S: 73.1620.
47 U.S.C. S: 503(b).
See File. No. BNPH-20060309ADA.
The agent also noted that the station was being operated with a power
level, antenna height, and antenna structure at variance from its
construction permit. Specifically, KHOD(FM) operated with less than Class
C FM facilities by operating with less than 20 watts transmitter power
output, an ERP less than 82 kW, and operated from a building rooftop
versus the authorized antenna structure.
Section 312(f)(1) of the Act, 47 U.S.C. S: 312(f)(1), which applies to
violations for which forfeitures are assessed under Section 503(b) of the
Act, provides that "[t]he term 'willful', when used with reference to the
commission or omission of any act, means the conscious and deliberate
commission or omission of such act, irrespective of any intent to violate
any provision of this Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission
authorized by this Act...." See Southern California Broadcasting Co., 6
FCC Rcd 4387 (1991).
Section 312(f)(2) of the Act, 47 U.S.C. S: 312(f)(2), which also applies
to violations for which forfeitures are assessed under Section 503(b) of
the Act, provides that "[t]he term 'repeated', when used with reference to
the commission or omission of any act, means the commission or omission of
such act more than once or, if such commission or omission is continuous,
for more than one day."
47 C.F.R. S: 73.1620.
KHOD(FM) Construction Permit, granted June 28, 2006.
Id; 47 C.F.R. S: 73.1620, 47 U.S.C. S: 319(c).
See 47 U.S.C. S:S: 312(a)(2), 319(c), and 503(b)(1)(A) (forfeiture
appropriate for willful or repeated failure to comply substantially with
the terms and conditions of any permit or other authorization issued by
the Commission).
See BNPH-20060309ADA.
See Lauren A. Colby, Esq., 21 FCC Rcd 1248 (2006).
12 FCC Rcd 17087 (1997), recon. denied, 15 FCC Rcd 303 (1999); 47 C.F.R.
S:1.80.
47 U.S.C. S: 503(b)(2)(E).
47 U.S.C. S: 503(b), 47 C.F.R. S:S: 0.111, 0.311, 0.314, 1.80, 73.1620.
See 47 C.F.R. S: 1.1914.
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Federal Communications Commission
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Federal Communications Commission