$17,500 Penalty for Birach Over Silences, Filing Violations

Birach Broadcasting faces a $17,500 penalty for unauthorized silences and filing violations at KTUV(AM) Little Rock and its FM translator K260DT Little Rock, said a Media Bureau order listed in Monday’s Daily Digest. Birach requested special temporary authority for the stations to remain silent only after complaints were filed with the agency, and KTUV’s online public files weren’t properly maintained, the order said. Birach also certified in a renewal application filed before the stations went silent that they were still broadcasting. Since the application was pending when the stations went dark, Birach was obligated to inform the agency, the order said.