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                                   Before the

                       Federal Communications Commission

                             Washington, D.C. 20554


                                      )                                      
                                                                             
                                      )                                      
     In the Matter of                     File No.: EB-FIELDSCR-12-00000602  
                                      )                                      
     AERCO Broadcasting Corporation       NAL/Acct. No.: 201232680005        
                                      )                                      
     Licensee of Station WSJU-TV          FRN No.: 0003732435                
                                      )                                      
     San Juan, PR 00927                   Facility ID No.: 4077              
                                      )                                      
                                                                             
                                      )                                      



              NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY FOR FOFEITURE AND ORDER

   Adopted: July 30, 2012 Released: July 30, 2012

   By the Resident Agent, San Juan Office, South Central Region, Enforcement
   Bureau:

   I. INTRODUCTION

    1. In this Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture and Order (NAL),
       we find that AERCO Broadcasting Corporation (AERCO), licensee of
       Station WSJU-TV in San Juan,  Puerto Rico, apparently willfully and
       repeatedly violated Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as
       amended (Act), by operating a studio-to-transmitter link (STL) without
       FCC authorization. We conclude that AERCO is apparently liable for a
       forfeiture in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000). In
       addition, we direct AERCO to submit no later than thirty (30) calendar
       days from the date of this NAL a statement, signed under penalty of
       perjury, describing the steps it has taken to bring its unlicensed STL
       into compliance.

   II. BACKGROUND

    2. On February 29, and May 16 and 17, 2012, in response to a complaint of
       interference, agents from the Enforcement Bureau's San Juan Office
       (San Juan Office) used direction-finding techniques to locate the
       source of radio frequency transmissions on the frequency 2067.5 MHz.
       On each inspection date, the agents determined that the source of the
       transmission on 2067.5 MHz was Station WSJU-TV's main studio located
       at 1508 Bori Street, Urb. Antonsanti, San Juan.

    3. During the inspection of Station WSJU-TV on May 17, 2012, an agent
       from the San Juan Office observed that the Station was operating an
       aural broadcast STL on the frequency 2067.5 MHz. In response to the
       agent's request to see the license for the STL link, the Station
       employee on duty admitted that the Station did not have an
       authorization or license for the STL link. Later that same day, the
       agent spoke to the Station's engineer via telephone, and the Station's
       engineer also admitted that the Station was using 2067.5 MHz to
       transmit programming from the main studio to the transmitter site and
       that the Station had no license for the STL. The agent consulted the
       Commission's databases and confirmed that, indeed, AERCO does not hold
       a license to operate a STL on 2067.5 MHz from that or any other
       location.

   III. DISCUSSION

    4. 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. Section 312(f)(1) of the Act defines "willful" as the
       "conscious and deliberate commission or omission of [any] act,
       irrespective of any intent to violate" the law. The legislative
       history to Section 312(f)(1) of the Act clarifies that this definition
       of willful applies to both Sections 312 and 503(b) of the Act, and the
       Commission has so interpreted the term in the Section 503(b) context. 
       The Commission may also assess a forfeiture for violations that are
       merely repeated, and not willful.  The term "repeated" means the
       commission or omission of such act more than once or for more than one
       day.

     A. Operation of an Unlicensed Studio-to-Transmitter Link

    5. The evidence in this case establishes that AERCO violated Section 301
       of the Act. Section 301 of the Act requires that no person shall use
       or operate any apparatus for the transmission of energy or
       communications or signals by radio within the United States, except
       under and in accordance with the Act and with a license.  On February
       29, and May 16 and 17, 2012, agents from the San Juan Office
       determined that transmissions on the frequency 2067.5 MHz were
       emanating from Station WSJU-TV's main studio in San Juan. On May 17,
       2012, an agent observed that Station WSJU-TV was operating an STL on
       2067.5 MHz; and, in response to the agent's questions, AERCO staff
       admitted that the Station was operating an STL on 2067.5 MHz and that
       it did not have a license for the STL. An agent from the San Juan
       Office also confirmed after checking the Commission's databases that
       AERCO does not hold a license to operate on 2067.5 MHz from that or
       any other location. Thus, based on the evidence before us, we find
       that AERCO apparently willfully and repeatedly violated Section 301 of
       the Act by operating an unlicensed STL link on the frequency 2067.5
       MHz.

     A. Proposed Forfeiture Amount and Reporting Requirement

    6. Pursuant to the Commission's Forfeiture Policy Statement and Section
       1.80 of the Rules,  the base forfeiture amount for operation without
       an instrument of authorization 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, any history
       of prior offenses, ability to pay, and other such matters as justice
       may require. Applying the Forfeiture Policy Statement, Section 1.80 of
       the Rules, and the statutory factors to the instant case, we find no
       downward adjustments are warranted and conclude that AERCO is
       apparently liable for a forfeiture of $10,000 for operation of an
       unlicensed STL.

    7. We also direct AERCO to submit a written statement, pursuant to
       Section 1.16 of the Rules, signed under penalty of perjury by an
       officer or director of AERCO, stating that it is operating Station
       WSJU-TV and its associated STL in compliance with Section 301 of the
       Act, and detailing the specific actions taken by AERCO to come into
       compliance. This statement must be provided to the San Juan Office at
       the address listed in paragraph 13, below, within thirty (30) calendar
       days of the release date of this NAL.

   IV. ORDERING CLAUSES

    8. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to Section 503(b) of the
       Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and Sections 0.111, 0.204,
       0.311, 0.314, and 1.80 of the Commission's rules, AERCO Broadcasting
       Corporation is hereby NOTIFIED of this APPARENT LIABILITY FOR A
       FORFEITURE in the amount of ten  thousand dollars ($10,000) for
       violations of Section 301 of the Act.

    9. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, pursuant to Section 1.80 of the
       Commission's rules, within thirty (30) calendar days of the release
       date of this Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture and Order,
       AERCO Broadcasting Corporation SHALL PAY the full amount of the
       proposed forfeiture or SHALL FILE a written statement seeking
       reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.

   10. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that AERCO Broadcasting Corporation SHALL SUBMIT
       a statement as described in paragraph 7, above, to the San Juan Office
       within thirty (30) calendar days of the release date of this Notice of
       Apparent Liability for Forfeiture and Order. The statement must be
       mailed to Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau, South
       Central Region, San Juan Office, U.S. Federal Building, Room 762, Hato
       Rey, PR 00918-1731. AERCO Broadcasting Corporation shall also e-mail
       the written statement to SCR-Response@fcc.gov.

   11. Payment of the forfeiture must be made by check or similar instrument,
       wire transfer, or credit card, and must include the NAL/Account number
       and FRN referenced above. AERCO Broadcasting Corporation shall send
       electronic notification of payment to SCR-Response@fcc.gov on the date
       said payment is made. Regardless of the form of payment, a completed
       FCC Form 159 (Remittance Advice) must be submitted. When completing
       the FCC Form 159, enter the Account Number in block number 23A (call
       sign/other ID) and enter the letters "FORF" in block number 24A
       (payment type code).   Below are additional instructions you should
       follow based on the form of payment you select:

     * Payment by check or money order must be made payable to the order of
       the Federal Communications Commission.  Such payments (along with the
       completed Form 159) must be mailed to Federal Communications
       Commission, P.O. Box 979088, St. Louis, MO 63197-9000, or sent
       via overnight mail to U.S. Bank - Government Lockbox #979088,
       SL-MO-C2-GL, 1005 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63101. 

     * Payment by wire transfer must be made to ABA Number 021030004,
       receiving bank TREAS/NYC, and Account Number 27000001.  To complete
       the wire transfer and ensure appropriate crediting of the wired funds,
       a completed Form 159 must be faxed to U.S. Bank at (314) 418-4232 on
       the same business day the wire transfer is initiated. 

     * Payment by credit card must be made by providing the required credit
       card information on FCC Form 159 and signing and dating the Form 159
       to authorize the credit card payment. The completed Form 159 must then
       be mailed to Federal Communications Commission, P.O. Box 979088, St.
       Louis, MO 63197-9000, or sent via overnight mail to U.S. Bank -
       Government Lockbox #979088, SL-MO-C2-GL, 1005 Convention Plaza, St.
       Louis, MO 63101. 

   12. Any request for full payment under an installment plan should be sent
       to:  Chief Financial Officer-Financial Operations, Federal
       Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 1-A625,
       Washington, D.C.  20554.  If you have questions regarding payment
       procedures, please contact the Financial Operations Group Help Desk by
       phone, 1-877-480-3201, or by e-mail, ARINQUIRIES@fcc.gov.

   13. The written statement seeking reduction or cancellation of the
       proposed forfeiture, if any, must include a detailed factual statement
       supported by appropriate documentation and affidavits pursuant to
       Sections 1.16 and 1.80(f)(3) of the Rules. Mail the written statement
       to Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau, South
       Central Region, San Juan Office, U.S. Federal Building, Room 762, Hato
       Rey, PR 00918-1731, and include the NAL/Acct. No. referenced in the
       caption. AERCO Broadcasting Corporation also shall e-mail the written
       response to SCR-Response@fcc.gov.

   14. 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.

   15. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this Notice of Apparent Liability
       for Forfeiture and Order shall be sent by both Certified Mail, Return
       Receipt Requested, and First Class Mail to AERCO Broadcasting
       Corporation at 1508 Calle Bori, Urb. Antonsanti, San Juan, PR 00927.

   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

   William Berry

   Resident Agent

   San Juan Office

   South Central Region

   Enforcement Bureau

   47 U.S.C. S: 301.

   47 U.S.C. S: 503(b).

   47 U.S.C. S: 312(f)(1).

   H.R. Rep. No. 97-765, 97th Cong. 2d Sess. 51 (1982) ("This provision
   [inserted in Section 312] defines the terms `willful' and `repeated' for
   purposes of section 312, and for any other relevant section of the act
   (e.g., Section 503) . . . . As defined[,] . . . `willful' means that the
   licensee knew that he was doing the act in question, regardless of whether
   there was an intent to violate the law. `Repeated' means more than once,
   or where the act is continuous, for more than one day. Whether an act is
   considered to be `continuous' would depend upon the circumstances in each
   case. The definitions are intended primarily to clarify the language in
   Sections 312 and 503, and are consistent with the Commission's application
   of those terms . . . .").

   See, e.g., Application for Review of Southern California Broadcasting Co.,
   Memorandum Opinion and Order, 6 FCC Rcd 4387, 4388 (1991), recons. denied,
   7 FCC Rcd 3454 (1992).

   See, e.g., Callais Cablevision, Inc., Notice of Apparent Liability for
   Monetary Forfeiture, 16 FCC Rcd 1359, 1362, para. 10 (2001) (Callais
   Cablevision, Inc.) (proposing a forfeiture for, inter alia, a cable
   television operator's repeated signal leakage).

   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." See Callais Cablevision, Inc., 16 FCC Rcd  at
   1362.

   47 U.S.C. S: 301.

   The Commission's Forfeiture Policy Statement and Amendment of Section 1.80
   of the Rules to Incorporate the Forfeiture Guidelines, Report and Order,
   12 FCC Rcd 17087 (1997) (Forfeiture Policy Statement), recons. denied, 15
   FCC Rcd 303 (1999); 47 C.F.R. S: 1.80.

   The Enforcement Bureau has determined that unauthorized operation in any
   of the licensed services is a serious violation and will merit the base
   forfeiture of $10,000 prior to the application of the adjustment criteria
   listed in Section 503(b)(2)(E) of the Act. See BASF Corporation, Notice of
   Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, 25 FCC Rcd 17300, 17302-03, paras. 9-11
   (Enf. Bur. 2010) (applying the $10,000 base forfeiture for unauthorized
   operation of a station in the Private Land Mobile Radio Service, then
   upwardly adjusting the total forfeiture to $25,000 for that violation and
   for failure to file a timely renewal application for the station).

   47 U.S.C. S: 503(b)(2)(E).

   47 C.F.R. S: 1.16.

   47 U.S.C. S: 301.

   47 U.S.C. S:S: 301, 503(b); 47 C.F.R. S:S: 0.111, 0.204, 0.311, 0.314,
   1.80.

   An FCC Form 159 and detailed instructions for completing the form may be
   obtained at http://www.fcc.gov/Forms/Form159/159.pdf.

   See 47 C.F.R. S: 1.1914.

   47 C.F.R. S:S: 1.16, 1.80(f)(3).

   (...continued from previous page)

                                                              (continued....)

   Federal Communications Commission DA 12-1215

                                       5

   Federal Communications Commission DA 12-1215