Federal Communications Commission Approves Eight Low-Power FM Radio Broadcast Licenses Following Reversal of Previous Rejection
FCC Grants and Reinstates LPFM Permits for Wisconsin, Florida, and California Stations
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently ruled on several Low Power FM (LPFM) applications involving Triangle Access Broadcasting and related entities. In a series of decisions, the FCC granted construction permits for three LPFM stations in Wisconsin and reinstated permits for several other applications nationwide.
The FCC's decisions came after a dispute over control of the stations, with Triangle Access Broadcasting claiming that a company called Heartland Inc. had control over the stations in question. However, the FCC found that Heartland Inc. does not actually exist and thus does not have any attributable interest or control over these stations.
The three Wisconsin stations that received permits are Oxford Lifestyle Educational Radio (92.9 FM, Oxford), Winwood Lifestyle Educational Radio Corporation (104.7 FM, Rhinelander), and Sturgeon Bay Lifestyle Educational Radio Corporation (107.7 FM, Sturgeon Bay). These stations will operate at 100 watts and plan mainly religious programming.
The Rhinelander and Sturgeon Bay groups have removed the Heartland provision from their articles of incorporation, following the FCC's findings. The FCC's records show that oppositions to Triangle Access Broadcasting applications were dismissed as of August 5, 2025, indicating that at least one Triangle Access Broadcasting LPFM permit was granted and reinstated.
The FCC's actions also noted several other grants and reinstatements nationwide, potentially including Florida and California, though specific station details for those states were not given in the source material.
The entities in question filed LPFM applications during the 2023 filing window, including Heartland Educational Broadcasting in Sebring, Fla., Visalia Life Education Foundation in Visalia, Calif., Oxford Lifestyle Educational Radio in Oxford, Wis., Lake Wales Educational Broadcasting in Lake Wales, Fla., Lake Placid Educational Broadcasting in Lake Placid, Fla., Lake Placid Spanish Educational Broadcasting in Lake Placid, Fla., Sebring Educational Broadcast in Sebring, Fla., Winwood Lifestyle Educational Radio in Rhinelander, Wis., and Sturgeon Bay Lifestyle Educational Radio in Sturegon Bay, Wis.
Seven dismissed applicants filed petitions for reconsideration in November 2023, contending that Heartland could not have been a real party of interest to their applications because it does not exist. The applicants did not file any pleadings during the eight-month period between the filing of the objections and the FCC's dismissals in October 2023.
Triangle contended that the applicants had a common owner since each applicant's articles of incorporation listed an entity of Heartland as having power to appoint each applicant's directors. Triangle responded with an opposition letter to the Wisconsin applicants' arguments, similar to its previous responses. The FCC held the Winwood and Sturgeon Bay applications in postponement, but they were later determined to be ripe for consideration after amending their applications. The FCC dismissed Triangle's objection against Sebring as moot because the conflicting application no longer existed. The FCC denied Triangle's objection against Lake Placid Spanish, finding insufficient proof of a close familial relationship leading to common control.
Triangle also argued that the applicants shared a common registered agent for incorporation purposes, Michael D. Palsgrove. Palsgrove, they explained, is an LPFM enthusiast who has assisted applicants by helping them create Florida nonprofit corporations to be applicant entities as a backup mechanism to replenish their board of directors should they become depleted in the future.
This reflects the FCC's careful scrutiny of LPFM corporate control and attributable interests to ensure compliance with ownership rules while allowing new low-power stations to proceed.
- The FCC's decision to grant and reinstate LPFM permits for several applications, including Wisconsin, Florida, and California stations, demonstrates the agency's focus on the media industry and its commitment to expanding broadcasting opportunities.
- In the process of reinstating the permits, the FCC dismissed objections against some applicants, including those from Sebring, Florida, and Visalia, California, citing insufficient evidence of common control.
- The reinstated stations like Oxford Lifestyle Educational Radio in Wisconsin, will primarily focus on religious programming and have plans to operate at 100 watts.
- The FCC's actions regarding the struggling LPFM stations also indicate a significant role of finance and investing in the media industry, given the importance of securing permits and navigating legal challenges.
- While the specific details for Florida and California stations were not mentioned in the source material, the potential granting and reinstatements of permits might stimulate growth in the real-estate, banking-and-insurance sectors, as new stations can attract businesses and community engagement.
