W10BM (channel 10) was a low power television station in Morehead, Kentucky, United States, that later operated unlicensed and was fined as a pirate station by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
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| Channels | |
| Branding | TV-10 Morehead |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | Independent |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Vearl Pennington |
| History | |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 69839 |
| Class | TX |
| ERP | 0.018 kW |
| HAAT | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 38°11′3″N 83°27′43″W / 38.18417°N 83.46194°W (claimed on license) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
Licensed broadcast term
editThe FCC granted an amended construction permit for W10BM by December 4, 1987,[2] and a license by March 29, 1990.[3] A license renewal expired on August 1, 1998.[4] The licensed parameters were for 18 watts at 30 meters (98 ft) above ground level, broadcasting on VHF channel 10 with a city of license of Morehead, Kentucky, and licensee named as Vearl Pennington at a post office box in Mount Sterling, Kentucky.[5]
On April 27, 2004, the FCC sent the Mount Sterling post office box a letter saying that W10BM at Morehead, as well as W06BC at Mount Sterling, would be cancelled unless the FCC received a response.[6] On October 18, 2004, a letter was sent to the same address, stating that no response was received and both station licenses were cancelled.[7]
Pirate broadcasts and fines
editOn May 12, 2017, the FCC fined the station's operators, Vearl Pennington and Michael Williamson, $144,344 for continuing to operate W10BM despite the cancellation of the license.[8] The fine was upheld on January 28, 2019.[9]
The channel remained on the air through carriage via local Spectrum systems, until it was dropped on February 23, 2022.[10] If it was still broadcasting using its transmitter, likewise, it also violated the FCC's July 13, 2021, deadline for all analog television operations to end.
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for W10BM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Amendment to a New Analog LPTV Station Construction Permit Application; File Number: BPTVL-19870702Y7". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. December 4, 1987. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "License To Cover for Analog LPTV Station Application; File Number:BLTVL-19900102IG". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. March 29, 1990. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "License Renewal Authorization". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "Facility ID:69839; DW10BM". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "In re: LPTV/TV Translator Renewal Application of: Veral Pennington; W06BC Mount Sterling, KY; Facility ID; 69842; W10BM Morehead, KY; Facility: 69839". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. April 27, 2004. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "In re: LPTV/TV Translator Renewal Application of: Veral Pennington; W06BC Mount Sterling, KY; Facility ID; 69842; W10BM Morehead, KY; Facility: 69839". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. October 18, 2004. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ Balderston, Michael (May 12, 2017). "FCC Fines Unlicensed Kentucky LPTV Max Penalty". TV Technology. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
- ^ "FORFEITURE ORDER" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
- ^ "IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SPECTRUM CHANNEL LINEUP Communities Served: Lakeview Heights, Morehead, Olive Hill, Owingsville, Salt Lick; Counties of Bath, Carter, Rowan, KY" (PDF) (Press release). Charter Communications. Retrieved April 19, 2022.