Full Commission Rejects Positive Hope Appeal

The full FCC rejected an appeal by broadcaster Positive Hope of a Media Bureau decision reinstating an FM translator application in El Cajon, California, by Family Stations, said an order Tuesday. The Family Stations translator application had been initially rejected over interference concerns but was reinstated after the application was amended to account for a change in the FCC’s interference rules. Positive Hope applied for a translator permit that would conflict with the Family Stations translator. Positive Hope argued the Family Stations translator application would violate FCC agreements with Mexico, was filed late, and shouldn’t be considered under the new rules. The Media Bureau erred in its initial rejection of the application, and the agency has a “liberal amendment policy” for auction long-form applications, the FCC said. “Processing staff should have issued a deficiency letter and afforded Family an opportunity to correct the Translator Application rather than dismiss the application.” To correct the improper dismissal, the agency treated the Family proposal as pending, allowing it to be affected by the translator interference rule changes, the order said.