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Broadcaster Urges FCC To Deny Licenses To Radio Giant(Day, The (New London, CT) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Mar. 3--A Ledyard-based radio broadcaster on Wednesday filed a lengthy petition with the Federal Communications Commission urging the agency to deny the licenses of numerous radio stations owned by competitor Citadel Broadcasting Corp. John Fuller, the owner of local FM radio stations WBMW and WWRX, alleges in the petition that the Citadel stations have made fraudulent representations to the agency and claims that the giant Citadel -- it owns hundreds of stations across the country -- lacks the qualifications to maintain its various radio licenses. The 228-page petition was filed by the Washington, D.C., law firm of Smithwick & Belendiuk on behalf of Red Wolf Broadcasting Corp., Fuller's corporate entity. "It is kind of rare that someone challenges (a broadcaster's) licenses," said Fuller, who has been waging a two-year David vs. Goliath-like battle against Citadel. The Manhattan buyout firm Forstmann Little & Co., which specializes in telecommunications, technology and health-care related investments, bought the Citadel affiliates in 2001. An FCC official was unavailable to comment on Monday, and officials at Forstmann Little were unavailable to comment on Fuller's various allegations contained in the petition. "There is a pattern of repeat violations (of FCC rules), at least we think so," Fuller said. The complaint also alleges that Citadel has failed to maintain safe and properly lighted radio tower sites, including a claim that Citadel operated an "insecure 'hot' AM tower immediately across the street from an elementary school." "Citadel has repeatedly demonstrated it is not qualified to be a commission licensee," the petition said. It alleged that Citadel officers "prepared, gathered and filed" with FCC regulators false statements "in order to undermine the pending application of a small, local competitor, Red Wolf." The petition also alleges that Citadel prepared and filed false statements against another local competitor's application in Fulton, N.Y. Fuller's petition calls for FCC regulators to revoke the licenses of the stations serving the New London and Providence markets and asks for those stations to be auctioned to broadcasters "who will be candid and forthcoming" with the FCC and follow the agency's rules and regulations. Fuller said he is seeking hearings by the FCC into the various allegations included in his petition to regulators. The FCC is the primary federal regulator of the airwaves, which includes radio stations and television stations. Citadel is this country's fifth-largest radio broadcasting company based on broadcasting revenue and owns about 155 FM stations and 58 AM radio stations in 47 markets across 24 states. The stations are primarily located in mid-sized markets nationwide. Locally, Citadel owns WQGN in Groton, WXLM in Stonington and WSUB in Groton. In addition, it owns numerous stations around the Providence area, including WPRO-FM in Providence. |