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KLSU fined $10,000 for record-keeping violations (Updated)

KLSU logo LSU
KLSU logo – Image credit: KLSU

Louisiana State University owned KLSU-FM was fined $10,000 from the Federal Communications Commission for not maintaining “a public inspection file containing specific types of information related to station operations. The purpose of this requirement is to provide the public with timely information at regular intervals throughout the license period.”

In the FCC report obtained by ControlAltTV, KLSU admitted during their license renewal that the station failed to properly maintain the station’s public inspection file from 1996 to 2001.

An investigation by the commission revealed that “at least 22 missing issues/programs lists” went missing from the public inspection file.  KLSU insisted that the files have been properly maintained since 1999 but were “misplaced during the renovation and relocation of the KLSU studio and the administrative offices.”  KLSU states they have properly maintain the station’s public inspection file since 2002.

An objection was filed by Richard Bigalke, claiming that since the station lost some of its public inspection file, KLSU’s license should not be renewed.  The commission did note the objection but since KLSU did reveal in that some items were lost in the station’s file, the commission decided that the fine was appropriate.

“Even if the lists from January 1999 ‘to the present’ were completed but went missing, as the Licensee contends, the record is clear that at least 12 lists were never prepared”, the report stated.  “While these violations are serious, considering the record as a whole, we believe that a $10,000 forfeiture, rather than designation of the KLSU(FM) application for evidentiary hearing, is appropriate for the violations in this case.”

Louisiana State University has thirty days to pay the fine or file an appeal with the commission.

The advisor to KLSU at the time of the incident, Robert McMullen, retired from the university in December 2008.

KLSU station manager Grace Redmond and the LSU Office of Communications & University Relations did not return our request for comment.