Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 September 14, 2007 DA 07-3900 Released: September 14, 2007 CERTIFIED MAIL – RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Meredith Corporation WFSB(TV) Television Station WFSB(TV) 1716 Locust Street Des Moines, IA 50309 Re: Meredith Corporation WFSB(TV), Hartford, CT Facility ID No. 53115 File No. BRCT-20061201AGL Dear Licensee: This refers to your license renewal application for station WFSB(TV), Hartford, CT. Section 73.3526 of the Commission’s Rules (Rules) requires a commercial broadcast licensee to maintain a public inspection file containing specific types of information related to station operations.1 Pursuant to subsection 73.3526(e)(11)(ii), each commercial television broadcast station is required to place in its public inspection file, on a quarterly basis, records sufficient to allow substantiation of the licensee’s certification, in its renewal application, of its compliance with the children’s television commercial limits imposed by Section 73.670 of the Rules.2 Moreover, Section 73.3526(e)(7) provides that an EEO public file report is to be placed in a station’s public inspection file annually, on the anniversary of the date its renewal application is due to be filed. Where lapses occur in maintaining the public file, neither the negligent acts nor omissions of station employees or agents, nor the subsequent remedial actions undertaken by the licensee, excuse or nullify the licensee’s rule violation.3 On December 1, 2006, you filed the above-referenced license renewal application for station WFSB(TV). In response to Section IV, Question 3 of that application, you certify that, during 1 See 47 C.F.R. § 73.3526. 2 See 47 C.F.R. § 73.670. 3 See Padre Serra Communications, Inc., 14 FCC Rcd 9709 (1999) (citing Gaffney Broadcasting, Inc., 23 FCC 2d 912, 913 (1970) and Eleven Ten Broadcasting Corp., 33 FCC 706 (1962)); Surrey Range Limited Partnership, 71 RR 2d 882 (FOB 1992). 2 the previous license term, station WFSB(TV) failed to place in the public inspection file at the appropriate times, all of the documentation required by Section 73.3526 of the Commission’s Rules. In Exhibit 17 and in a May 9, 2007 amendment to the license renewal application, you state that in reviewing the public inspection file, it was discovered that records regarding compliance with the commercial limits on children’s programming for the third quarter of 2001, the second quarter of 2005, and the 2004 EEO public file report were missing. You maintain that copies of these missing records were located in non-public files and returned to the public inspection file in October 2006. Although we do not rule out more severe sanctions for violations of this nature in the future, based upon the record before us we have determined that an admonition is appropriate at this time. Therefore, based upon the facts and circumstances before us, we ADMONISH you for the admitted violations of Section 73.3526 of the Rules described in station WFSB(TV)’s renewal application. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, a copy of this Letter shall be sent by First Class and Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested to the licensee at the address listed above, and to its counsel, Kevin P. Latek, Esquire, Dow Lohnes PLLC, 1200 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20036. Sincerely, Barbara A. Kreisman Chief, Video Division Media Bureau