ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine will pay a $1,200 fine to the federal government for program and broadcast log violations at its student radio station.
WMEB-FM, a student-run station based on the University of Maine System’s flagship campus in Orono, violated the Federal Communications Commission’s Public File Rule “over nearly the entire license term,” which ran from 2005 to 2013, according to FCC documents.
The station failed to consistently prepare and place into files at the station lists of programs and public affairs programming it broadcast. The university reported the oversight as it prepared its 2013 license renewal application, and the FCC investigated.
“Those logs weren’t well maintained, and were spotty,” according to University of Maine System Chief Information Officer Richard Thompson.
UMS, representing UMaine and the radio station, agreed to pay a $1,200 fine in order to have its license renewed. The agreement was adopted and released on Thursday. The station was never taken off the air.
The FCC says in documents outlining the agreement and “compliance plan” that the station agrees to conduct training for all its employees, properly file the logs in the future, undergo semi-annual audits and reviews, and pay the fine. Thompson will oversee these steps.
“Frequencies are assigned by the FCC based on our commitment to abide by their rules,” Thompson said, adding that this was a teaching experience for both students at the station and administrators with oversight.
In signing the agreement, UMaine gave up any right it had to appeal the decision, and the FCC agreed to forego any further legal action, as it “would be time-consuming and require substantial expenditure of public and private resources.”
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