Vintage photo of WLMH
I was sad to learn that the FCC will not reinstate the license for high school radio station WLMH. The 89.1 FM license, licensed to Little Miami Local Schools in Morrow, Ohio, was deleted in August, 2012 after the FCC realized that the station had been off the air for more than a year.
Although Little Miami filed a petition for reconsideration in September, 2012, the FCC informed the district in a January 31, 2013 letter that the petition was being “DISMISSED as untimely.” The petition was filed 5 days after the FCC’s deadline.
The letter goes on to state, “Any operation of the WLMH facilities is unauthorized and must cease immediately. Finally, it is imperative to the safety of air navigation that any prescribed painting and illumination of the Station’s tower be maintained until the tower is dismantled. Accordingly, Little Miami must maintain the tower in the manner prescribed by the Rules and the terms of the expired license.”
When I wrote about the situation at Little Miami last summer, it was apparent that financial struggles were the main reason behind the station’s prolonged absence from the airwaves. It’s unfortunate that the lack of institutional support ultimately led to the loss of the license and of a 40+ year tradition of high school radio at Little Miami.
