The full FCC unanimously proposed a $518,283 fine for Gray Television allegedly violating a prohibition against owning two top-four stations in a market, said a notice of apparent liability Wednesday. Gray violated the rules by acquiring the CBS affiliation of the Denali Media's station KTVA Anchorage in 2020 in a sale of “non-license assets” and broadcasting the programming on its KYES-TV Anchorage -- now KAUU -- while continuing to own NBC affiliate KTUU-TV Anchorage. “At the time of closing KTUU-TV and KTVA(TV) were ranked numbers one and two, respectively, in the Anchorage market,” said the NAL. The FCC amended rules in 2016 to prevent common ownership of two top-fours through the purchase of a network affiliation, the NAL said. Gray didn’t contact the FCC about the transaction or seek waiver, though it modified operations to address the matter in March, the NAL said. Though the rules cited in the NAL make references to swaps rather than sales, the rule “clearly encompasses the ‘sale’ transaction that Gray executed to acquire the CBS affiliation from KTVA(TV),” the FCC said. “The use of the word ‘swap’” was “simply a shorthand description for the types of transactions,” the NAL said. The FCC hasn’t previously imposed a forfeiture for a violation of this type, and based the amount on the forfeiture for an unauthorized transfer of control, the NAL said. Gray didn’t comment.

NAB is “gravely concerned” by recent violence against broadcast journalists, it said in a news release Tuesday. “Journalists should be afforded the respect to safely provide this valuable service to the community without fear of violence, intimidation or harassment,” said President Gordon Smith. Shots were reportedly fired at two Graham Media journalists July 4 in San Antonio and a man stole a Capitol Broadcasting news crew's vehicle in Raleigh July 3.

Comments are due Sept. 7 on requests to change radio communities of FCC license, said Tuesday’s Federal Register. Among them, Nelson Multimedia seeks to shift WDYS (AM) Geneva, Illinois, to Somonauk; and Brantley Broadcast Associates wants to change WWTM (AM) Decatur, Alabama, to Mooresville.

The July 13 DTV deadline for low-power TV stations and TV translators is a week away, said an FCC Media Bureau reminder public notice Tuesday. “All LPTV/translator stations must terminate all analog television operations regardless of whether their digital facilities are operational." That's also the deadline for analog LPTV and translators with digital construction permits expiring July 13 to complete construction, the PN said: Analog stations that lack digital construction permits need to immediately file one or risk losing their licenses. Stations that need additional time to complete construction of digital facilities should seek an extension immediately, the PN said. Stations that can’t complete construction by the deadline must cease analog operation by the deadline and go silent. Outlets that don’t plan to convert must go silent at the deadline, and should turn in their licensees, the notice said.

The FCC Media Bureau approved several channel substitution requests. Sinclair Eugene Licensee’s KVAL-TV Eugene will switch to Channel 28 from 13, Sinclair Boise Licensee’s KBOI-TV Boise will from 9 to 20, and the Greater New Orleans Educational Television Foundation’s WYES-TV New Orleans from 11 to 28. Four Seasons Peoria’s requests to change the community of license for WAOE Peoria, Illinois, to Oswego, Illinois, took effect Friday, said that day's Federal Register.

The FCC Media Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics rejected two applications for Auction 109’s parceling out of radio construction permits, after discovering apparent conflicts of interest with other applicants and “inconsistencies” in their applications, said letters to applicants Sonic Staffing and Paul Alexander posted in docket 21-39 Thursday. Paul Alexander applied as new entrant, but the agency discovered he was also a principal of fellow applicant Scott Communications. Alexander oversees advertising sales, his father is Scott’s CEO and his mother the company secretary, the letter said. Alexander didn’t disclose his connections with Scott until after the agency raised the matter in connection with his short-form application, and the letter said his steps to resolve the conflict and limit information sharing with SCI were insufficient. Sonic Staffing’s Auction 109 applications from Sonic and Ekklesia of Texas both identified Ekklesia Vice President and sole Sonic shareholder Christopher Maynard as their point of contact. “Sonic has not provided us with any information that could allow us to conclude that Mr. Maynard’s role at Ekklesia does not put both companies in violation of the prohibited communications rule,” said the letter. Alexander, Sonic and Scott Communications didn’t comment.114 applicants were qualified to bid in Auction 109 on the four AM construction permits and 135 FM construction permits on offer, said the Media Bureau in a public notice Thursday. Forty-four applicants didn’t qualify. Bidding in the auction begins July 27.

Five Little Rock TV stations began broadcasting in ATSC 3.0 on Wednesday. Stations are KATV (ABC), KTHV (CBS), KARK-TV (NBC), KLRT-TV (Fox), and KARZ-TV (MyNet). NextGenTV service is on the air in more than 25 U.S. cities. Antenna viewers can get instructions here on rescans.

Comments to refresh the record for the 2018 quadrennial review are due Aug. 2, replies Aug. 30, says Thursday’s Federal Register. The FCC called for the additional comments after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the previous FCC’s relaxation of ownership rules (see 2106070048). The Media Bureau's formal reinstatement of the restored rule changes took effect Wednesday, said that day's FR.

Comments are due July 30, replies Aug.16, on VPM Media’s request to substitute Channel 15 for 11 for its station WVPT Staunton, Virginia, the Federal Register said Wednesday. The FCC Media Bureau’s grant of Sinclair’s request to change WCYB-TV Bristol, Virginia’s Channel 5 to 35 takes effect Thursday, says that day's FR.

The FCC Media Bureau fined low-power FM owner Provision Ministry $1,125 for filing a late renewal application for WPMR-LP, Russellville, Alabama, said a forfeiture order Tuesday. The application was due Dec. 2, 2019, but not filed until March 2020, the order said. Provision Ministry asked that the fine be waived, blaming the late filing on losing track of the station’s renewal status and misplacing its FCC registration number. The bureau reduced the fine from $1,500.