Hartford Radio: Report..WTIC License Renewal "On Hold"

Ken Krayeseke

A Hartford attorney filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission Wednesday alleging that WTIC 1080 AM violated federal communications law while they employed former governor and convicted felon John G. Rowland as a talk show host in 2012.

According to the CT Newsjunkie, Attorney Ken Krayeske said he filed an informal objection to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal on the grounds that Rowland’s involvement with Lisa Wilson-Foley’s 2012 campaign constituted “covert on-air electioneering” that the stationed tacitly condoned.

WTIC’s broadcast license is currently on enforcement hold, according to another published report, which means the FCC has declined to grant a renewal of the license while they are investigating a possible violation by the station. WTIC can continue to broadcast until the FCC takes action on their application.

WTIC Program Director Jenneen Lee said in an email Monday that the station was unaware of any enforcement hold and could not provide more information. The FCC declined to say why the station was being investigated, but an FCC official did confirm that there was an enforcement hold on the license renewal.

John Rowland

Krayeske claims that in light of Rowland’s recent conviction, there is strong evidence that the former governor and the station that employed him violated FCC regulations and campaign finance disclosure laws.

Former campaign workers testified during the trial that Rowland used his radio talk show to support Wilson-Foley’s campaign, without disclosing that he was paid a total of $35,000 by her husband’s nursing home company. WTIC also knew there was a relationship between Rowland and the campaign, but Krayeske alleges they failed to investigate it sufficiently.

“Given Mr. Rowland’s public record of mistruth and dishonesty, starting with the place of purchase of kitchen cabinets in his cottage in Litchfield, Connecticut, and culminating in his resignation from the office of Governor and his conviction on federal corruption charges, WTIC acted irresponsibly in taking Mr. Rowland at his word,” Krayeske wrote in his complaint. “The FCC should not let WTIC-1080 off with a slap on the wrist. WTIC has demonstrated serious malfeasance.”

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