FCC Says OK To Clear Channel Buy of WOR-AM NYC

The deal is done. The FCC Friday dismissed objections from Connoisser Media of Long Island and approved  the transfer of WOR-AM from Buckley Broadcasting to Clear Channel.

Connoisseur in an informal objection complained that CC’s Aloha Station Trust had no divested all of the stations in the trust when CC when private in 2008.   Connoisseur argued that Clear Channel had failed to divest all the trust stations within six months as contemplated in the Divestiture Order.

The remedy, according to Connoisseur, is for the Commission to establish a final divestiture period of six months, during which all remaining Trust Stations must be sold or risk the licenses being revoked. Connoisseur also asks the Commission to postpone processing the CC applications until the AST divestiture issues raised by the Informal Objection have been resolved.

In its opposition, Clear Channel contends that Connoisseur's objection to both the AST divestiture process and the CC applications is a "strange and incongruous pairing." It noted the Aloha Station Trust is not a party to either CC application, is not proposing to acquire WOR-AM.

The FCC found that Connoisseur failed to establish a substantial and material question of fact that granting the CC applications would be inconsistent with the public interest.

It also found that Clear Channel is qualified to hold the WOR-AM and WHTZ-FM station licenses and approval of the transfer is consistent with the public interest.