FCC Tells Y2K's KSLQ to Pay Up or Face License Revocation

RADIO ONLINE | Friday, November 3, 2023 | 3:49pm CT

KSLQ-FM/St. Louis

The FCC has issued an order to pay or to show cause, as it initiates a proceeding to revoke the license held by Y2K Inc. for KSLQ-FM in St. Louis (Washington, MO) for failure to pay delinquent regulatory fees and associated interest, administrative costs and penalties owed to the agency. The station owes about $25,900 in unpaid regulatory fees, with delinquencies running back to 2010.

The Commission's records show that Y2K Inc. currently has unpaid regulatory fee debt of $2,137.41 for FY 2010; $623.37 for FY 2011; $2,007.83 for FY 2012; $1,628.75 for FY 2013; $1,895.39 for FY 2014; $1,784.51 for FY 2015; $1,921.54 for FY 2016; $1,775.48 for FY 2017; $1733.35 for FY 2018; $1,999.30 for FY 2019; $2,061.58 for 2020; $2,059.41 for FY 2021; $2,228.48 for FY 2022, and $2,037.50 for FY 2023.

Under the Commission's rules, the FCC is required to "assess and collect regulatory fees" to recover the cost of carrying out the functions of the agency. When the required payment is received late or is incomplete, the Commission said in its order that it must assess a penalty equal to "25 percent of the amount of the fee which was not paid in a timely manner."

Additional charges will continue to accrue on these debts until they are paid in full. The Commission sent Licensee demand letters in accordance with the requirements of the DCIA demanding payment of Licensee's delinquent regulatory fees. 20 When Licensee did not pay these regulatory fee debts, the Commission transferred the debts to the United States Department of Treasury for collection. 21 At the Commission's request, the United States Department of Treasury has returned the FYs 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 regulatory fee debts to the Commission for further collection.

The FCC is requiring Y2K to file with the Media Bureau documented evidence within sixty (60) calendar days of the order that full payment of all outstanding regulatory fee debt has been made or show cause why the payment is inapplicable or should be waived or deferred. The agency said it notified Y2K that failure to provide such evidence of payment or to show cause within the time specified may result in revocation of its license.