Contributors

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a remarkable move, Entercom announced that it is voluntarily turning in its license to operate KDND (107.9 The End) in Sacramento, Calif. While Entercom had previously announced plans to divest in 15 of its 244 stations due to its merger with CBS Radio, KDND also faced FCC scrutiny after a listener died after participating in an on-air contest.

Womble Carlyle Telecom attorney John Garziglia discussed the situation with Radio Ink, saying he does not remember a previous case where a broadcaster voluntarily surrendered a major market license.

“This is pretty exceptional,” Garziglia tells "Radio Ink." “It goes to auction and the highest bidder gets it.”

KDND was facing an FCC hearing regarding its license. The station held a contest in which participants were asked to drink large amounts of water. One of those contestants, Jennifer Strange, died from water intoxication. Her family won a $16.5 million wrongful death suit against Entercom.

Click here to read “It’s the End for KDND Sacramento” in "Radio Ink."

John Garziglia represents radio and television broadcasters, offering personalized assistance in all areas of communications and telecommunications law including transactional and contract negotiations for broadcast station mergers and acquisitions, the securing of financing, governmental auctions of new frequencies, license renewals, new stations applications, facility changes, facility upgrades, licensing, and compliance with FCC rules, regulations and policies.

 

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Follow John Garziglia on Twitter at @JohnGarziglia.