Federal Communications Commission DA 10-256 
Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
In the Matter of
Northwest Television, Inc. 
For a Construction Permit for a New Television 
Station, For New Digital Television Station, 
Channel 53, Galesburg, Illinois
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File No. BPCDT-19951215KK
Facility ID No 81946
ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION
Adopted:  February 16, 2010 Released:  February 17, 2010
By the Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau:
I. Introduction
1. In this Order on Reconsideration, we consider a petition for reconsideration filed by Quad 
Cities Television Acquisition Licensing, LLC (Quad Cities) of a letter decision by the Chief of the Video 
Division of the Media Bureau, DA 07-3333, released July 20, 2007 (Order), granting the above-captioned 
application of Northwest Television, Inc. (Northwest) for a construction permit for a new digital 
television station on Channel 53 at Galesburg, Illinois.  For the reasons set forth below, we deny Quad 
Cities’ petition for reconsideration.
II. Background
2. Northwest was one of four mutually exclusive applicants for a new television station on 
analog Channel 67 at Galesburg, Illinois.  The other applicants were Donald Bae and Melissa Bae d/b/a 
DM Partners (DM), Highland Broadcasting, Inc. (Highland) and Galesburg 67, LLC (Galesburg 67).  In 
2000, the parties entered into a universal settlement that called for the applications of DM, Highland and 
Galesburg 67 to be dismissed for individual monetary consideration and for the application of Northwest 
to be granted.    Subsequently, Northwest was able to change the channel assignment for Galesburg and 
amended its application to propose operation of a DTV-only station on Channel 53.
3. In a petition to deny Northwest’s application, Quad Cities argued (1) that a Loan and 
Option Agreement between Northwest and a third party, Second Generation of Iowa, Ltd. (Second 
Generation) contravened Commission policy; and (2) prior to a grant of its construction permit, 
Northwest engaged in premature construction of its new television station.
4. In the Order, we found that the option portion of the Loan and Option Agreement between 
Northwest and Second Generation was not permitted under the Commission’s prohibition of “white knight” 
settlements.  Nevertheless, the staff concluded that the option was not essential to the overall settlement of the 
proceeding and it therefore approved the settlement, conditioned on removal of the option.
5. We also agreed with Quad Cities that Northwest’s installation of a transmitter and mounting 
of an antenna for the new Galesburg station stepped over the line of permitted activities and constituted 
premature construction.  Although we admonished Northwest for premature construction, we concluded that 
such action did not prevent a grant of its application for the new Galesburg station.
Federal Communications Commission DA 10-256 
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III.  Discussion
6. Quad Cities’ petition for reconsideration is a rehash of the same facts and allegations in its 
petition to deny.  Quad Cities maintains that the staff should not have approved the settlement agreement  
with Second Generation of Iowa because it “was the linchpin of the settlement and, but for that Option 
Agreement, one can only reasonably conclude that the settlement, structured as it was, never would have 
occurred.”  We previously considered that argument and rejected it.  We found that the option was not 
essential to the overall settlement because Northwest represented that it is able to fund the settlement 
independent of a loan from Second Generation.  Northwest notes that it was “not required to borrow the funds 
from Second Generation and that only if it did borrow the funds would Second Generation have been given 
an option to purchase the station.”  Nothing that Quad Cities offers in its petition for reconsideration 
convinces us that we should reverse our earlier conclusion.
7. Quad Cities maintains that our imposition of an admonishment was not a sufficient penalty 
for our finding that Northwest engaged in premature construction.  Quad Cities argues that the staff should 
have denied Northwest’s settlement and application.  We disagree.  Despite the fact that we admonished 
Northwest for premature construction of the Galesburg station, we concluded that such action should not 
prevent a grant of its application.  The facts of this case show that a third party – Second Generation – was 
responsible for the actions that constituted premature construction.  Northwest maintained that these actions 
were taken without its knowledge or consent.  Although we found that Northwest was responsible for the acts 
and omissions of its employees and independent contractors,1 we continue to believe that admonishment was 
the appropriate penalty for this case.  Northwest’s actions in this regard did not rise to the level of a pattern of 
misconduct so as to warrant exploration of its conduct in an evidentiary hearing or outright denial of its 
application.  In this regard, we find that a substantial and material question of fact has not been raised with 
respect to Northwest’s qualifications to be a Commission licensee.      
8. The above facts considered, the petition for reconsideration of Quad Cities Television 
Acquisition Licensing, LLC IS DENIED.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Barbara A. Kreisman
Chief, Video Division 
Media Bureau
  
1 See Netcom Technologies, Inc., 16 FCC Rcd 9524, 9526 (Enf. Bur. 2001); MTD, Inc., 6 FCC Rcd 34, 35 (1991); 
Wagenvoord Broadcasting Co., 35 FCC 2d 361 (1972).