WYMT-TV Hazard, Ky., Faces $500 FCC Fine
Gray Television Station Exceeded Federal Communications Commission’s Limits on Commercials During Kids’ Shows
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/1/2008 12:58:00 PM
The Federal Communications Commission Tuesday proposed fining Gray Television's WYMT-TV Hazard, Ky., $500 for exceeding the limits on commercials during kids’ shows.
In applying for renewal of its license, the station volunteered that it exceeded the limits -- 12 minutes per hour on weekdays, 10.5 minutes on weekends -- by 30 seconds per hour on 16 different occasions.
It blamed the overages on scheduling errors, but the FCC cited the number of the violations in deciding to propose the fine, which the station will have to settle -- either by paying it or appealing and winning -- before its license can be renewed.
The station also pointed out that it took corrective measures, but the commission said that was fine for preventing future violations but did not absolve it of responsibility for the ones at issue.
