Federal Communications Commission	[[DA 18-XXX]]


DA 20-299
March 20, 2020

MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES REQUIREMENT TO PROTECT FOUR FORMER ST. LOUIS AREA AM STATIONS AND IMPLEMENTS AN ASSOCIATED FILING FREEZE 
MB Docket No. 19-156

In a February 19, 2020 Order of Dismissal in MB Docket No. 19-156, Entertainment Media Trust, Order of Dismissal, MB Docket No. 19-156, FCC 20M-03 (ALJ Feb. 19, 2020) (Order).
 Administrative Law Judge Jane Hinckley Halprin dismissed with prejudice applications to renew and for consent to assign the licenses of the following four AM radio stations in the St. Louis area:  KFTK(AM), East St. Louis, Illinois, Facility ID No. 72815; WQQW(AM), Highland, Illinois, Facility ID No. 90598; KZQZ(AM), St. Louis, Missouri, Facility ID No. 72391; and KQQZ(AM), DeSoto, Missouri, Facility ID No. 5281 (collectively, the Four Stations).  

The Order is now final, and all authority to operate the Four Stations pursuant to Section 307(c)(3) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, has ended and the call signs will be deleted. See 47 U.S.C. § 307(c)(3).
  In anticipation of a future decision potentially allowing for the acceptance of mutually exclusive applications for the frequencies previously licensed to the Four Stations, the Media Bureau (Bureau) will require continued protection of the four formerly-licensed facilities and announces a related filing freeze.  

AM minor modification applications are governed by first come/first served processing procedures and generally may be filed at any time. See 47 CFR § 73.3571(f).
  However, to avoid the possibility of mutual exclusivity with new and major change applications submitted during a potential auction filing window, the Bureau will, effective immediately, institute a temporary freeze on the acceptance of AM minor change applications that would conflict with any of the Four Stations’ expired licenses.  The freeze will remain in effect until the close of the window or an announcement otherwise modifying or lifting the freeze, whichever comes first.  The Bureau will dismiss any AM minor change application filed during this freeze that does not protect the most recently licensed facilities of the Four Stations. See id. § 73.3566(a).

For additional information on this proceeding, contact Irene Bleiweiss, Media Bureau, Audio Division, (202) 418-2785.  Direct press inquiries to Janice Wise at (202) 418-8165.  
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