Today, REC makes filings with the FCC that will help pave the way for a possible settlement in Los Angeles MX Group #27.   We are withdrawing all Informal Objections against four applicants, National Hispanic Media Coalition, Catalyst Long Beach, Prism Church of Los Angeles and Boyle Heights Art Conservatory. 

As we make these withdrawals, we also strengthen our objections against the gamesmanship that has taken place in this group by several applicants.  

With these four applicants along with the four MegaGroup applicants, we do feel that we can reach an agreement that the FCC will agree with even if it takes waivers.  The FCC also needs to come to bat and deal with the issues. 

If the FCC will take action on the Cesar Guel applications in Los Angeles, we can bring more applicants on board (and I am willing to work with the issues related to gamesmanship).  

Let's try to make this work. 

REC supports a technical solution to resolve the disputes in MX Group #27 in a manner that assures that stations serve the areas that they were originally filed for and that the issues of alleged collusion and alleged gamesmanship are appropriately addressed.  REC will be taking steps that will help pave the way to a solution while continuing to address these issues.

From the September 17, 2015, Commission Meeting, the FCC has approved new rules that modernize on-air contests. Under the previous rules, terms and conditions of radio station contests had to be announced over the air.  This was lengthy and many stations relegated these required announcements to overnight periods.  Under the new rules, radio stations can now opt to announcing the station's website over the air and providing a link to the contest information. 

Under the newly revised rules, broadcast stations running contests:

In advance of the Federal Communications Commission open meeting on Thursday, the FCC has adopted the Audio Division's request to adjust the comparative review points of applicants in the Baltimore MX Group #198.

The Federal Communications Commission has released a Sunshine agenda for the upcoming full Commission meeting on Thursday, September 17.  On the consent agenda, there are five proposed actions on applications for review filed in LPFM proceedngs as well as action on a disputed MX group.  The Application for Review is the appeal process if the Media Bureau turns down a petition for reconsideration.   

In the case of the MX group, if an informal objection or petition to deny is filed and the outcome results in the FCC's Audio Division proposing the change the score of an application, it must go to the full Commission for approval.