Federal Communications Commission	DA 21-320


DA 21-320
Released:  March 17, 2021

MEDIA BUREAU REVISES REQUIREMENT TO PROTECT FOUR FORMER ST. LOUIS AREA AM STATIONS BY EXTENDING ASSOCIATED FILING FREEZE 
MB Docket No. 19-156
AU Docket No. 21-39


By this Public Notice, the Media Bureau extends the temporary freeze, originally announced on March 20, 2020, on the acceptance of any AM minor change application that conflicts with the most recently licensed facilities of certain former AM radio stations in the St. Louis, Missouri market.  In a February 19, 2020, Order of Dismissal in MB Docket No. 19-156, 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 AM Stations).  Entertainment Media Trust, Order of Dismissal, MB Docket No. 19-156, FCC 20M-03 (ALJ Feb. 19, 2020) (Order).
   

On March 20, 2020, the Media Bureau announced that it would protect the previously licensed facility parameters of the Four AM Stations and, effective immediately, imposed a related filing freeze on the acceptance of AM minor change applications that would conflict with any of the Four AM Stations’ expired licenses. Media Bureau Announces Requirement to Protect Four Former St. Louis Area AM Stations and Implements an Associated Filing Freeze, MB Docket No. 19-156, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 2781 (MB 2020).  
  This freeze was intended to avoid the possibility of mutual exclusivity with applications submitted during a forthcoming auction filing window, and thus promote a more certain auction process.  The Media Bureau stated that the freeze would remain in effect “until the close of the window or an announcement otherwise modifying or lifting the freeze, whichever comes first.” Id. 
   

In the February 8, 2021, Auction 109 Comment Public Notice, the Office of Economics and Analytics, in conjunction with the Media Bureau, announced an upcoming auction of certain AM and FM broadcast construction permits, including construction permits for the previously licensed Four AM Stations. Auction of AM and FM Broadcast Construction Permits Scheduled for July 27, 2021; Comment Sought on Competitive Bidding Procedures for Auction 109, Public Notice, DA 21-131 (OEA/MB rel. Feb. 8, 2021) (Auction 109 Comment Public Notice).   Attachment A of the Auction 109 Comment Public Notice lists the community of license, channel, class, and coordinates for each included AM permit.   
  By this Public Notice, we announce that the ongoing filing freeze is extended and will now automatically terminate the day after the filing deadline for post-Auction 109 long-form applications.    The Bureau will continue to dismiss any AM minor change application filed during this freeze that does not protect the most recently licensed facilities of the Four AM Stations. See 47 CFR § 73.3566(a).


For additional information on this proceeding, contact James Bradshaw, Media Bureau, Audio Division, (202) 418-2739.  Direct press inquiries to Janice Wise at (202) 418-8165.  
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