The FCC is serious about stations paying regulatory fees. It has initiated a regulatory proceeding against a station in North Carolina for “failure to pay delinquent regulatory fees and associated interest, administrative costs and penalties.” The revocation proceeding comes after failing to pay for years. According to the FCC:
“The Commission’s records show that Licensee currently has unpaid regulatory fee debt of $1,292.84 for FY 2010; $1,211.93 for FY 2012; $967.29 for FY 2013; $1,845.95 for FY 2014; $2,523.16 for FY 2015; $2,587.68 for FY 2016; $2,052.43 for FY 2018; $2,076.50 for FY 2020; $2,059.41 for FY 2021; and $2,150.00 for FY 2022. Additional charges will continue to accrue on these debts until they are paid in full.”
While this is an extreme case, the FCC will increase fines and penalties for late payments. When the required payment is received late or is incomplete, the Commission must assess a penalty equal to “25 percent of the amount of the fee which was not paid in a timely manner.”
You can see the FCC’s decision here.
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