Some time ago I heard that Hartland was opening a radio station. Is this true, and is it up and running?

A. Mark Bruno, the director of Media Services, did receive authorization from the Hartland Board of Directors to seek to set up and operate a radio station in our local area. However, it is not presently operating.

Q. What is holding up this project?

A. That question requires a long answer. The application was filed on time with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), along with the application fee. Hartland was awarded “points” for various aspects of our application, such as the fact that we are an educational institution, we have been here for more than three years, and we do not currently own any other stations. We had more points than most of the other applicants, so, without further regulatory difficulties, we should have been granted a station construction permit. But because of regulations which forbid transmitter frequencies to be too close to each other, the station license application process has been deadlocked. There are several vying for this frequency and other frequencies just below it.

We are linked with three applicants whose frequency was the same or adjacent to our desired frequency, but we have sufficient points to overcome their applications. There are three other applicants with whom we do not directly conflict, but because they overlap the other applications we are linked with, they also stand in the way of our eventual license. Even though we are tied for first place in points, the FCC will not award us a license until all have either withdrawn or negotiated the conflicts between their applications to meet regulations. Our attorney is negotiating with them to try to resolve the conflicts. It is possible; however, if they refuse to negotiate, the FCC will likely decide to award the frequency to no one.

Q. Is there any other avenue to resolve this deadlock?

A. It seems not. However, Brother Bruno is working on the possibility of streaming radio over the internet.

Q. Are there any hindrances to accomplishing this?

A. No, not that we can see. Brother Bruno, however, is seeking legal coverage to stream copyrighted sacred music and material over the internet. Please pray that this will be accomplished if it is God’s will.