Sixteen groups joined the ranks of those with low-power FM construction permits in the last week, bringing the grand total up to 1730 new stations going on the air. There were twenty-two applications dismissed in the same period.
Fourteen of those dismissals come from groups in rural Oregon and the city of Bend that all received assistance from one individual, Robert Lund. As REC Networks reports, objections were filed against these applications by LPFM advocacy groups like Prometheus Radio Project. In Prometheus’ informal objection, the group alleges these applications violate LPFM rules prohibiting common ownership of stations or multiple applications from a single group. Cited evidence includes identical contact information across multiple applications, along with the fact that Lund is listed as a Registered Agent on the incorporation documents for twelve of the applicants.
The ultimate cause for dismissal was that the non-profit corporations listed on each of the applications had lost recognition by the state of Oregon. As REC observes, this typically happens when the corporation fails to file an annual report. Because this was sufficient cause to dismiss the applications the Commission did not address the other objections filed against them.
REC notes that the corporate status of groups associated with the infamous-in-LPFM-circles Antonio Cesar Guel has also lapsed. REC has therefore filed a supplement to several of its informal objections highlighting this fact.
Will the Real Woodstock…
A strange dispute over using the name “Woodstock” is going down in that Upstate New York town, pitting city hall against independent commercial station WDST-FM. According to the Daily Freeman WDST goes by the moniker “Radio Woodstock,” and objects to the township’s new LPFM using the name “Woodstock 104.” WDST provided the Daily Freeman with documentation showing that it trademarked both the phrases “Radio Woodstock” and “Woodstock Radio.”
The LPFM’s CEO Randi Stele told the paper, "You cannot trademark the name of the town. That’s restraint of trade.”
For his part, WDST’s general manager said he hopes a court case can be avoided and that other options for the LPFM to identify itself as being from Woodstock can be found.
Finally, The Seattle Globalist has a nice wrap-up from the Seattle Public Library’s celebration of World Radio Day, highlighting new LPFM Hollow Earth Radio.
