Federal Communications Commission DA 26-540 DA 26-540 Released: May 29, 2026 FCC’S MEDIA BUREAU ESTABLISHES PLEADING CYCLE AND EX PARTE PROCEDURES FOR THE EARLY RENEWAL APPLICATIONS OF BRIDGE NEWS, LLC’S LICENSES MB Docket No. 26-130 Petition to Deny Date: June 29, 2026 Opposition Date: July 29, 2026 Reply Date: August 5, 2026 On April 27, 2026, the Video Division of the Media Bureau issued an Order directing Bridge News, LLC (Bridge) to file license renewals for all of its licensed TV stations. Bridge News, LLC, Order, DA 26-413 (MB Apr. 27, 2026) (Early Renewal Order). On May 27, 2026, Bridge filed renewal applications for its 83 television licenses. A list of the applications is included in the Appendix. By this Public Notice, we accept Bridge’s renewal applications for filing and announce procedures related to their consideration. The license renewal applications referred to in this Public Notice have been accepted for filing upon initial review. The Commission reserves the right to return any application if, upon further examination, it is determined to be defective and not in conformance with the Commission’s rules or policies. The FCC licenses that the agency grants to broadcast TV stations like those granted to Bridge authorize them to operate for 8 years. 47 U.S.C. § 307(c)(1). Generally speaking, upon expiration of their 8-year license term, broadcast TV stations are allowed to continue operating while the FCC determines whether or not to renew their license for another term of years. 47 U.S.C. § 307(c)(3). While none of Bridge’s licenses would ordinarily be due for renewal until 2028, at the earliest, The Commission staggers license expiration dates based on the state where the station is licensed. 47 CFR § 73.1020 (Station license period). the FCC is permitted under section 73.3539 of its rules to call for the early renewal of licenses when the agency determines that doing so is essential to the proper conduct of an investigation. 47 CFR § 73.3539. As stated in the Early Renewal Order, “the FCC has been investigating Bridge News, LLC, for possible violations of the FCC’s prohibition on unauthorized transfers of control of the station licenses.” Early Renewal Order at para. 1. In the course of conducting that investigation, the FCC determined that calling in Bridge’s licenses for early renewal was necessary to the proper conduct of that ongoing investigation. Id. at para 2. Calling the licenses in now for early renewal also provides the FCC the opportunity to determine whether Bridge has been operating in the public interest, as required by its FCC licenses. See, e.g., 47 U.S.C. §§ 303, 307(a), & 309(a); FCC v. National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting, 436 U.S. 775, 795 (1978) (stating that “the physical scarcity of broadcast frequencies, as well as problems of interference between broadcast signals, led Congress to delegate broad authority to the Commission to allocate broadcast licenses in the ‘public interest’”); FCC Reminds Broadcasters of Their Public Interest Obligations, Public Notice, DA 26-520 (MB May 28, 2026). As trustees of the nation’s airwaves, See Office of Communication of United Church of Christ v. FCC, 707 F.2d 1413, 1427 (D.C. Cir. 1983) (“The clear intent of the Act was that the award of a broadcasting license should be a ‘public trust.’”). broadcasters must operate in the public interest and, among other requirements, must maintain the character to hold a broadcast license. 47 U.S.C. § 308(b) (referencing character in the context of “[a]ll applications for station licenses, or modifications, or renewals thereof”); Policy Regarding Character Qualifications In Broadcast Licensing Amendment of Rules of Broadcast Practice and Procedure Relating to Written Responses to Commission Inquiries and Making of Misrepresentations to the Commission by Permittees and Licensees, Report, Order, and Policy Statement, 102 F.C.C.2d 1179 (1986 Character Policy Statement), recon. dismissed/denied¸1 FCC Rcd 421 (1986); Policy Regarding Character Qualifications in Broadcast Licensing, Policy Statement and Order, 5 FCC Rcd 3252 (1990) (1990 Character Policy Statement), modified, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 6 FCC Rcd 3448 (1991), further modified, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 7 FCC Rcd 6564 (1992). Standard of Review. Pursuant to section 309(k)(1) of the Act, the Commission shall grant an application for license renewal if it finds, “with respect to that station, during the preceding license term of its license,” 47 USC § 309(k)(1). the following: (A) the station has served the public interest, convenience, and necessity; (B) there have been no serious violations by the licensee of the Communications Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission; and (C) there have been no other violations by the licensee of the Communications Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission which, taken together, would constitute a pattern of abuse. Id. If a broadcaster fails to meet these requirements, the FCC may move to either deny the application after notice and opportunity for hearing or grant it “on terms and conditions as are appropriate, a term less than the maximum otherwise permitted.” 47 U.S.C. § 309(k)(2). See also 47 U.S.C. § 307(c)(1) (Terms of Licenses – Initial and Renewal Licenses). If, after notice and the opportunity for hearing, the FCC determines that a licensee has failed to meet the standard for renewal under section 309(k)(1) of the Act and that no mitigating factors justify the imposition of lesser sanctions, the FCC will issue an order denying a license renewal application and make the former licensee’s channel available to other interested parties. See 47 U.S.C. § 309(k)(3)(A)-(B). Pending the outcome of the proceeding the licenses continue to remain in effect. 47 U.S.C. § 307(c)(3). If the FCC determines, after a hearing, that a licensee has met the standard for renewal, the FCC will issue an order renewing the license. PROCEDURAL MATTERS Ex Parte Status. In order to assure FCC staff’s ability to discuss and obtain information needed to resolve the issues presented in this proceeding and pursuant to section 1.1200(a) of the Rules, 47 CFR § 1.1200(a). we establish MB Docket No. 26-130 for this proceeding. The proceeding announced in this Public Notice shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding 47 CFR § 1.1206. in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. 47 CFR § 1.1200 et seq. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation. 47 CFR § 1.1206(b)(2)(iii). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. 47 CFR § 1.1206(b)(1). If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter’s written comments, memoranda, or other filings in the proceeding, then the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Id. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with section 1.1206(b) of the Rules. 47 CFR § 1.1206(b). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules. 47 CFR § 1.1200 et seq. We strongly urge parties to use the Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) to file ex parte submissions. See 47 CFR § 1.1200(b)(2)(i). All ex parte filings must be clearly labeled as such and must reference MB Docket No. 26-130. Petitions to Deny. Interested persons must file petitions to deny no later than June 29, 2026. For purposes of filing a Petition to Deny against a license renewal application, the Commission’s rules only establish a deadline in reference to “timely filed” and “not timely filed” applications. 47 CFR § 73.3516(e); Media Bureau Announces June 18, 2026 Effective Date for Amendment of Parts 1, 73, 74, and 76 of the Commission’s Rules to Update Rules Applicable to Broadcast Stations, MB Docket No. 24-626 & GN Docket No. 25-133, DA 26-500 (MB May 19, 2026) (redesignating 47 CFR § 73.3516(e) as § 73.3584(f) effective June 18, 2026). In the absence of a specific rule governing the deadline for filing a petition to deny for an early license renewal, we rely on the requirements of the Act, which requires that interested parties be provided no less than thirty days to file and restricts grant of a license renewal application to no early than 30 days following the public notice announcing the application’s acceptance of filing. 47 U.S.C. §§ 309(b) & (d). See 47 CFR § 1.939 (setting forth requirements for a petition to deny). Oppositions to petitions to deny must be filed no later than July 29, 2026. Replies must be filed no later than August 5, 2026. 47 CFR § 73.3584(b) (establishing filing deadlines for oppositions and replies). See 47 CFR § 1.939 (setting forth filing requirements for oppositions and replies). To the extent the reply deadline specified here provides for a shorter time period than provided as a general matter in the FCC’s rules, we hereby waive that rule for good cause. 47 C.F.R. § 1.3. Specifically, the FCC has determined that, in the context of this proceeding, replies, if any, can be prepared and filed within the timeframe specified here and the FCC’s interest in moving efficiently in this matter to provide the licensees and stakeholders with certainty about the pleading cycle outweighs the interest in applying the general provision here. Persons and entities that properly file petitions to deny become parties to the proceeding and must be served in accordance with FCC rules. 47 CFR § 1.47. To allow the Commission to consider fully all substantive issues regarding the applications in as timely and efficient a manner as possible, petitioners and objectors should raise all issues in their initial filings. Replies may only address matters raised in oppositions. 47 CFR § 1.45(c). Filing Procedures. All filings concerning matters referenced in this Public Notice should refer to MB Docket No. 26-130, as well as the specific file numbers of the individual applications or other matters to which the filings pertain. Submissions in this proceeding must be filed electronically (i.e., through ECFS) or by filing paper copies. · Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs. · Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail, or by hand delivery. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission and reference MB Docket No. 26-130. o Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. o Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the FCC’s mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building. Availability of Documents. Applications in this proceeding are available electronically through the Commission’s Licensing and Management System (LMS) at the file numbers in the Attachment. All other documents (e.g., ex parte submissions, petitions to deny, oppositions, and replies) will be publicly available online through ECFS. People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). For further information, contact David Brown at (202) 418-1645 or Chris Robbins at (202) 418-0685. For press inquiries, contact Nancy Murphy at (202) 418-1043. This action is taken by the Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau, pursuant to authority delegated by sections 0.61 and 0.283 of the Commission’s Rules. 47 CFR §§ 0.61 & 0.283. - FCC - Appendix The stations in this Appendix are listed as licensed to Bridge News, LLC, in the Commission’s Licensing and Management System as of the date of the Early Renewal Order. Bridge News must notify the Media Bureau to the extent any stations have been inadvertently omitted or any stations in this list are no longer licensed. Applications marked with a “*” were filed as part of an application group. Applications marked with a † were filed as an application group’s lead application. Fac ID Call Sign City State Renewal File Number 66549 WJGN-CD CHESAPEAKE VA 0000298167 167158 WTNG-CD ROCKFISH NC 0000298238† 10548 WHDC-LD CHARLESTON SC 0000298241* 69449 WSCG-LD BEAUFORT, ETC. SC 0000298240* 182003 WFDY-LD MYRTLE BEACH SC 0000298242* 39420 WWRJ-LD JACKSONVILLE FL 0000298223† 4323 W29FX-D KEY WEST FL 0000298225* 126708 W16CA-D HOMESTEAD FL 0000298227* 6046 WDGT-LD MIAMI FL 0000298224* 183761 WEWF-LD JUPITER FL 0000298226* 128367 WOFT-LD ORLANDO FL 0000298229* 185537 WQFT-LD OCALA FL 0000298232* 128357 WGCT-LD TAMPA FL 0000298231* 69450 WGCB-LD HINESVILLE-RICHMOND GA 0000298244* 57547 KTVV-LD HOT SPRINGS AR 0000298235† 48534 KKAF-LD FAYETTEVILLE AR 0000298237* 58284 KHMF-LD FORT SMITH AR 0000298236* 6837 WJYL-CD JEFFERSONVILLE IN 0000298233† 168068 WIIW-LD NASHVILLE TN 0000298234* 168737 WHNE-LD DETROIT MI 0000298217† 184267 WMNN-LD LAKE CITY MI 0000298220* 16651 WXII-LD CEDAR MI 0000298219* 129745 WCHU-LD OAKWOOD HILLS IL 0000298164* 37238 W36EX-D ALTON IL 0000298163† 191352 KUKC-LD KANSAS CITY MO 0000298214† 191416 WUMN-LD MINNEAPOLIS MN 0000298211† 32281 KADF-LD AUSTIN TX 0000298204† 67880 KMBA-LD AUSTIN TX 0000298207* 6690 KVVV-LD HOUSTON TX 0000298205* 125586 KVHC-LD SAN ANTONIO TX 0000298206* 182050 KULC-LD PORT ARTHUR TX 0000298210* 125712 K34MX-D ODESSA TX 0000298208* 183495 K03IJ-D COLLEGE STATION TX 0000298209* 182107 KGLR-LD SPARKS NV 0000298173* 74409 KKIC-LD BOISE ID 0000298174* 186316 KXCY-LD CHEYENNE WY 0000298171* 67876 KDNU-LD LAS VEGAS NV 0000298178* 33773 KVPA-LD PHOENIX AZ 0000298177* 168239 KSVN-CD OGDEN UT 0000298168† Fac ID Call Sign City State Renewal File Number 69693 KCVB-LD LOGAN UT 0000298176* 182186 K15NG-D MESQUITE NV 0000298170* 28566 KFLA-LD LOS ANGELES CA 000028566† 186672 K27PE-D GUSTINE CA 0000298196* 20559 KBNK-LD FRESNO CA 0000298201* 34578 KSAO-LD SACRAMENTO CA 0000298202* 41123 KBNI-LD SANTA MARIA CA 0000298203* 31355 KWSM-LD SANTA MARIA CA 0000298197* 10536 KRET-CD PALM SPRINGS CA 0000298193 168576 KSDX-LD SAN DIEGO CA 0000298195* 60519 KTNL-TV SITKA AK 0000298186† 25221 KDMD ANCHORAGE AK 0000298185 25219 KLDY-LD ANCHORAGE AK 0000298187* 183022 K06QP-D JUNEAU AK 0000298188* 25222 K25QK-D ANCHORAGE AK 0000298190* 83180 KKAI KAILUA HI 0000298184 89714 KUPU WAIMANALO HI 0000298183 182846 KBLT-LD ANCHORAGE AK 0000298191* 185411 K21LB-D LINCOLN CITY OR 0000298189* 186686 WVCC-LD WESTMORELAND NH 0000298181 14317 WBXZ-LD BUFFALO NY 0000298160† 127812 WHTV-LD NEW YORK NY 0000298162* 74018 WVBG-LD GREENWICH NY 0000298161* 129632 W24EU-D ERIE PA 0000298180* 68395 WBYD-CD PITTSBURGH PA 0000298179† 50144 WIVX-LD CLEVELAND OH 0000298221* 168787 KBNY-LD MONTEREY CA 0000298198* 50148 W27DG-D MILLERSBURG OH 0000298218* 129642 KILA-LD CHERRY VALLEY CA 0000298200* 130272 KJOU-LD BAKERSFIELD CA 0000298199* 181856 WRDP-LD COLUMBUS GA 0000298243† 182020 W25FQ-D FLORENCE SC 0000298239* 182301 W19EX-D GAINESVILLE FL 0000298228* 182322 WBMN-LD OCALA FL 0000298230* 183492 K06PT-D COLUMBIA MO 0000298215* 183588 WZVC-LD ATHENS GA 0000298246* 184641 K26PF-D SAINT CLOUD MN 0000298212* 185711 W33ER-D AUGUSTA GA 0000298245* 185777 W25FW-D COLUMBUS GA 0000298247* 186640 K34QY-D GOLDEN VALLEY AZ 0000298175* 186641 K08QN-D GOLDEN VALLEY AZ 0000298169* 186719 K19NF-D SOCORRO NM 0000298172* 187860 K06QJ-D SIOUX FALLS SD 0000298213* 188768 W17EH-D QUINCY IL 0000298165* 2