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FCC NEWS

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission Action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 516 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2003
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
Suzanne Tetreault (202) 418-7450



FCC PROPOSES TO FINE FOUR LICENSEES TOTAL OF $40,000 FOR JOINTLY VIOLATING RF RADIATION LIMITS

Washington, D.C. - Today, for the first time, the FCC proposed forfeitures against four licensees for violating the radiofrequency radiation maximum permissible exposure limits at a multi-user site where the power density level produced by each individual licensee was within acceptable limits, but the cumulative effect exceeded the limits established by the FCC. The transmitters at issue are located on Mt. Wilson, in Los Angeles, California. The Commission proposed a forfeiture of $10,000 for each station, for a total of $40,000.

FCC rules establish maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits for radiofrequency radiation (RFR) from FCC-regulated transmitters. If these limits are exceeded due to the cumulative RFR emissions of multiple transmitters, as at Mt. Wilson, then all of the licensees whose transmitters produce power density levels exceeding 5% of the power density exposure limit applicable to their particular transmitter share responsibility for reducing RFR to permissible levels.

FCC agents inspecting the Mt. Wilson transmitter site determined that RFR levels in a publicly accessible area, located approximately 100 feet from a U.S. Post Office, exceeded the maximum permissible exposure limits by 60.5%. Measurements taken by the agents revealed that transmitters for four stations, KBIG-FM, KKBT, KRTH-FM, and KWHY-TV, each were producing RFR power density levels at significantly more than 5% of the public RFR MPE limits in this area. In addition, the agents found that the licensees of the four stations failed to take adequate steps to prevent the public from accessing areas that exceeded the RFR exposure limits. Shortly after the violation was brought to the stations' attention by the FCC, however, they took steps to limit public access to the area where the radiofrequency radiation exceeded the maximum permissible exposure limits.

The Commission issued Notices of Apparent Liability for $10,000 each to AMFM Radio Licenses, L.L.C. (``AMFM''), licensee of FM radio station KBIG-FM; Radio One Licenses, LLC (``Radio One''), licensee of FM radio station KKBT; Infinity Broadcasting Operations, Inc. (``Infinity''), licensee of FM radio station KRTH-FM; and Telemundo of Los Angeles License Corporation (``Telemundo''), licensee of TV station KWHY-TV, all serving Los Angeles, California.

Action by the Commission on October 20, 2003, by Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (FCC 03-258). Chairman Powell, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps, Martin and Adelstein.

- FCC -

Enforcement Bureau Contacts: Suzanne Tetreault at (202) 418-7450 or Kathy Harvey at (202) 418-7514.

TTY: 1 (888) 835-5322