The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has entered into a Consent Decree to resolve its investigation into whether Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting violated a long list of the Commission’s rules, including failing to maintain a full-time management and staff presence at the main studio of two of its stations during regular business hours, and making those stations available for inspection by an FCC agent.
Six stations in Wyoming and South Dakota owned by Mt. Rushmore were cited by the Commission. Mt. Rushmore has admitted to breaking the rules and will have to pay $25,000. It could have been a lot worse.
The FCC says Mt. Rushmore owner Jan Gray demonstrated an inability to pay the original proposed civil penalty which was over $150,000. In addition to the $25,000 fine, Mt. Rushmore will also be required to implement a comprehensive compliance plan and enroll each of the affected stations in the relevant state Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program plan.
The Commission will suspend the balance of the civil penalty if Mt. Rushmore keeps its end of the agreement. However, the company will have to pay the remainder of the original proposed civil penalties, another $134,500, if the Commission finds, during the next three years, “that the company failed to comply with the Commission’s public inspection file, main studio, inspection, licensing, or tower painting and lighting rules, or that Mt. Rushmore misled the Commission regarding its current financial status.”
Read the entire Consent Decree HERE
