PA Radio: WQZS Myeyersdale Could Finally Go Dark Next Month

The future of radio station WQZS-FM 93.3 in Meyersdale is in limbo, but probably not for long — perhaps only weeks according to The Daily American.

The Federal Communications Commission has been investigating if WQZS, owned by Roger Wahl, will go off the air because the federal agency may not renew his license.

His license was listed as valid through Aug. 1 and still active by the FCC. Wahl, as his radio personality, The Commander, is still on the air. The FCC's next open committee meeting will be held 10:30 a.m. Sept. 29 in the FCC headquarters meeting room in Washington, D.C., in which Wahl's and his radio station's fate may be decided.

The FCC is considering if Wahl has the character to remain a licensee. In July 2020, Wahl pleaded guilty to charges of trying to solicit male strangers to sexually assault his female friend. Later, he was sentenced to probation that included wearing an ankle electronic monitor for several months and ceasing participation in the radio station while doing so. This past October, the FCC designated Wahl for a hearing after learning of his criminal conviction on whether he possesses the requisite character qualifications to remain a commission licensee. Since then, Wahl has failed to follow orders issued by the judge or meet deadlines set, according to FCC documents.

After many delays, FCC Administrative Law Judge Jane Hinckley Halprin dismissed the license hearing against Wahl for his failure to participate.

Because of Wahl’s health issues and his self-representation in the matter, Halprin said she gave extra time for Wahl to submit required documents.

Roger Wahl

“It appears that Mr. Wahl has recovered sufficiently to resume his radio broadcasts, but has made no filings in response to outstanding discovery requests, motions and orders. In any event, there is no evidence that medical issues were the cause of Mr. Wahl’s failures in this case or that he would have acquitted himself any better had he been in robust physical health," she wrote.

Because Wahl has held the FCC license for WQZS for 30 years, he knows what the responsibilities of a radio licensee are and should know of "the gravity" when facing the real possibility of having FCC revoke his license, she said.

Her only course left was to find that Wahl waived opportunity to participate in the proceeding, thus terminating the proceeding, Halprin said. Otherwise, she certified the case to the commission.

That means that the FCC's next act will be based on the assumption that Wahl does not have the character to remain a licensee, triggering official license revocation for WQZS, according to Robert Kluver, president of American Militia Association, owner of WHYU-FM 89.1, also based in Meyersdale.

If the FCC does so act, Wahl will be required to immediately turn off the station — go dark — or face daily fines for operating a radio station without a license, he said.

The FCC is scheduled to issue an agenda publicly about Sept. 8 at https: www.fcc.gov.