W10BM

W10BM (channel 10) was a low power television station in Morehead, Kentucky, United States, that later operated unlicensed and was fined as a pirate station by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

W10BM

Morehead, Kentucky United States
Channels	Analog: 10 (VHF)
Branding	TV-10 Morehead
Programming
Affiliations	Independent
Ownership
Owner	Vearl Pennington
History
Founded	1988
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	69839
Class	TX
ERP	0.018 kW
HAAT	30 m (98 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	38°11′3″N 83°27′43″W (claimed on license)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS

Licensed broadcast term

The FCC granted an amended construction permit for W10BM by December 4, 1987,^[2] and a license by March 29, 1990.^[3] A license renewal expired on August 1, 1998.^[4] The licensed parameters were for 18 watts at 30 meters (98 ft) above ground level, broadcasting on VHF channel 10 with a city of license of Morehead, Kentucky, and licensee named as Vearl Pennington at a post office box in Mount Sterling, Kentucky.^[5]

On April 27, 2004, the FCC sent the Mount Sterling post office box a letter saying that W10BM at Morehead, as well as W06BC at Mount Sterling, would be cancelled unless the FCC received a response.^[6] On October 18, 2004, a letter was sent to the same address, stating that no response was received and both station licenses were cancelled.^[7]

Pirate broadcasts and fines

On May 12, 2017, the FCC fined the station's operators, Vearl Pennington and Michael Williamson, $144,344 for continuing to operate W10BM despite the cancellation of the license.^[8] The fine was upheld on January 28, 2019.^[9]

The channel remained on the air through carriage via local Spectrum systems, until it was dropped on February 23, 2022.^[10] If it was still broadcasting using its transmitter, likewise, it also violated the FCC's July 13, 2021, deadline for all analog television operations to end.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for W10BM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "Amendment to a New Analog LPTV Station Construction Permit Application; File Number: BPTVL-19870702Y7". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. December 4, 1987. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
3. "License To Cover for Analog LPTV Station Application; File Number:BLTVL-19900102IG". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. March 29, 1990. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
4. "License Renewal Authorization". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
5. "Facility ID:69839; DW10BM". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
6. "In re: LPTV/TV Translator Renewal Application of: Veral Pennington; W06BC Mount Sterling, KY; Facility ID; 69842; W10BM Morehead, KY; Facility: 69839". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. April 27, 2004. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
7. "In re: LPTV/TV Translator Renewal Application of: Veral Pennington; W06BC Mount Sterling, KY; Facility ID; 69842; W10BM Morehead, KY; Facility: 69839". Licensing and Management System. Washington, D.C.: Federal Communications Commission. October 18, 2004. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
8. Balderston, Michael (May 12, 2017). "FCC Fines Unlicensed Kentucky LPTV Max Penalty". TV Technology. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
9. "FORFEITURE ORDER" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
10. "IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SPECTRUM CHANNEL LINEUP Communities Served: Lakeview Heights, Morehead, Olive Hill, Owingsville, Salt Lick; Counties of Bath, Carter, Rowan, KY" (PDF) (Press release). Charter Communications. Retrieved April 19, 2022.

External links

• Station details for W10BM