It’s rare, but yes, the FCC sometimes does make mistakes. After all, they’re only human, right?
Recently as reported in a number of trade publications, an FM translator licensee was fined for filing a late renewal application, then the fine was rescinded – all because of a problem that started with an error in the FCC’s records.
You see, the FCC’s Licensing and Management System – known by its abbreviation, LMS – listed a translator license’s expiration date as August 1, 2020. That was a mistake in the LMS. The expiration date should have been on the first of April of 2020.
The translator licensee filed its renewal application in the middle of July, 2020, on July 23rd, to be precise. This was late based on the proper renewal schedule, but the licensee said it was because of problems with the LMS which indicated that the translator license didn’t expire until July 9 of 2021 and the LMS wouldn’t accept the translator stations earlier (timely) attempt to file for license renewal. In fact, based on the LMS listed license expiration date, the translator licensee actually filed for renewal rather far in advance!
The translator licensee then got in big trouble – but only for a little while, as it turns out.
To make a long story very short, when the FCC reviewed exactly what had happened, it cancelled the fine it had levied against the translator licensee.
Still, the FCC said the station had waited too long to successfully file its renewal application even though the translator licensee had tried to file timely earlier and the FCC’s LMS wouldn’t let it. The FCC then sent a “letter of admonishment” to the station.
The translator operator was much relieved that the fine was withdrawn, filed the letter of admonishment, and everyone lived happily ever after!
Closer to home, back while I was the Chief Engineer of the Citadel Albuquerque cluster of 8 radio stations (now owned by Cumulus) we got a renewed license for KKOB(AM) with the familiar times of sunrise and sunset at which we were to continue switching to directional at night and non-directional during the day. Oops! Someone at the FCC had made a mistake. The time of local sunrise in the month of December was incorrect by 15 minutes. It would have required us to stay directional for an extra 15 minutes on December mornings.
I contacted the FCC and shortly thereafter received a corrected license (instrument of authorization). Interestingly I did not get any explanation or any note indicating my request for a corrected license was ever even accepted. I just got a corrected license! KKOB(AM) was able to continue to switch between nighttime directional and non-directional daytime operation at the correct switching time in December, rather than wait an extra 15 minutes as our new (incorrect) license specified. And we, too, then all lived happily ever after.
Moral of our little story? Got a communication from the FCC? Read it carefully!!