FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMI~ETAlECOPYOR'GWAL Washington, D. C. 20554 DEC 3 0 1998

OFACE OF MANAGING DIRECTOR

Mr. Calvin R. Hastings President/General Manager KTC Broadcasting, Inc. P.O. Box 370 Cherryville, NC 28021

Re: Requests for Reduction of FY 1997 Regulatory Fees Radio Stations WLON, WOHS, WCSL Fee Control # 9709178835810001

Dear Mr. Hastings:

This is in response to your requests for reduction of the Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 regulatory fees for Radio Stations WLON, Lincolnton, North Carolina; WOHS, Shelby, North Carolina; and WCSL, Cherryville, North Carolina. Relying on the fees paid for FY 1998, you argue that the Commission overstated the populations served in its FY 1997 fee calculations, and that the FY 1997 fee for each station should be reduced to the fees paid for FY 1998.

Congress established the total amount of fees that we are to collect for all services for FY 1997 and our fee schedule was formulated to spread the burden of the total fee requirement equitably among the various categories of fee payers, including broadcast licensees. The FY 1997 regulatory fees for all radio stations were derived by calculating the populations within the daytime interference free contour of each individual station, which extends to areas outside of a licensee's primary service area. Consequently, as a matter of equity, recalculating a station's fee using a different formula or a different service contour for measuring population, would require recalculating the service areas, populations, and fees for all radio broadcast stations, in order to insure the Commission's ability to collect the required amount in fees and that all licensees are treated fairly.

The Commission is aware of complaints by licensees concerning the equity of the FY 1997 fee schedule, and it revised the formula in connection with the FY 1998 fee schedule to rely on city grade signal contours. However, the interference free contour was appropriate in formulating the methodology for calculating the FY 1997 regulatory fees because that contour represents the area in which listeners receive the station's protected signal. Thus, the Commission will not reduce, on an ad hoc basis, an individual station's FY 1997 regulatory fee solely because the licensee believes it serves a smaller population. Accordingly, your Mr. Calvin R. Hastings 2.

requests for reduction of your FY 1997 regulatory fees are denied. If you have any questions concerning the regulatory fees, please call the Chief, Fee Section, at (202) 418-1995.

~r f ~I~ncial Officer PIEDMONT SUPERSTATIONS RADIO NETWORK

9/21/98

Office ofthe !\lanaging Director Federal Conununications Conunission 1919 ~1 Street. N. W.. Room -l50 Washington. D.C. 20554

Dear Managing Director

I would like to request a refund from our 1997 regulatot) tees. The 1998 regulatory fees I can live with...however.. .I am still upset over last year's rate for our station. In your 1997 estimate for WLON you stated that our station served 374.000 people. Our city population is only 9, ROO. Our regulatory fee for 1997 was $800.00. I feel this year's fee of $400.00 is fair with a population of 35.396 served. I would like to request a refund of $400.00 for last year's fees. We have paid thi... year's fee 01'$400.00 as of September 18th. 1999.

Thank you for your consideration and you may contact me at 704-435-3297.

Sincerely

Calvin R. Hastmg: President/General I\;{anager KTC Broadcasting, Inc.

~~ \d a,)u:J1 f WCSL • WlON • WGNC • WOHS PO. Box 370 POBox 430 PO Box 1884 PO Box 1590 Cherryville NC 28021 lincolnton. NC 28092 Gastonlo. NC 28052 Shelby. NC 28150 Ph (704) 435-3297 Ph (704) 735-8071 Ph. (704) 868-8222 Ph (04) 482-4510 FAX, (04) 435.121 7 FAX (704) 435-1217 FAX (704) 435-1217 FAX ,704) 435 1217 l r-i::IYlln:::11L II ClII;:)a"...Ullo:J "'~"QII ""'1""'"

BY: FEE CONTROL NUMBER Fee Control Payor Account Received Number Name Number Date

9709178835810001 KTC BROADCASTING INC FCC2042857 09/15/97 1416 SHELBY HIGHWAY

CHERRYVILLE NC 28021

Payment Callsign tl~ Payment Current Seq Applicant Applicant B Detail Trans Payment Type Other Che~k Balance Num Quantity Name Zip Amount Code AmOUl:ll Code Id Type $3,000.00 $3,000.00 1 MGH7 4 WCSL KTC BROADCASTING INC $600.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 2 MGH7 4 WGNC KTC BROADCASTING INC $600.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 4 MGG7 4 WLON KTC BROADCASTING INC $800.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 3 MGF7 4 WOHS KTC BROADCASTING INC $1,000.00 2 PMT Total 4 $3,000.00

Page 1 of 1 PIEDMONT SUPERSTATIONS RADIO NETWORK

9/21/98

Office ofthe Managing Director Federal Communications Commis~ion 1919 ~1 Street. N.W.. Room 450 Wao;;hington. D.C. 20554

DeJr Managing Director

I would like to request a refund trom our 1997 regulatory fees. The 1998 regulatory fees I can live with...however...1 am still upset over last year's rate for our station. In your 1997 estimate for WOHS you stated that our station served 547.000 people. Our city population is only 19,000. Our regulatory fee tor 1997 \vas $1000.00. I feel this year's fee of $600.00 is fair with a population of 67.094 served. I would like to request a refund of $.1.00.00 tor last year's fees. We have paid this year's fee of $600.00 as of September 18th. 1999.

Thank you for your consideration and you may contact me at 704-435-3297.

Sincerel\"

Cah,in R. Hastings PresidenvGeneral rVlanagcr KTC Broadcasting. Inc.

WCSL • WLON • WGNC • WOHS PO. Box 370 ? 0 Box 430 PO Box 1884 PO box 1590 Cherryville. NC 2802 i Lincolnton. NC 28092 Gastonlo. NC 28052 Shelby. NC 28 I 50 F''''' (70a) 435-3297 Ph. (704) 735-807: Ph (704) 868-8222 Ph (704) <182 -<1510 FAX (70<1) 435- 12; 7 FAX (7G4) 435- 1217 FAX (704) <135 1217 r-ClYllltnn IIClII:tca.... LIUII:t U""GII nlWt'''''''

BY: FEE CONTROL NUMBER Fee Control Payor Account Received Number Name Number Date

9709178835810001 KTC BROADCASTING INC FCC2042857 09/15/97 1416 SHELBY HIGHWAY

CHERRYVILLE NC 28021

Payment Callsign t~ Payment Current Seq Applicant Applicant B d Detail Trans Payment Type Other Che~k Balance Num Quantity Name Zip Amount Code Amount Code Id Type $3,000.00 $3,000.00 1 MGH7 4 WCSL KTC BROADCASTING INC $600.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 2 MGH7 4 WGNC KTC BROADCASTING INC $600.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 4 MGG7 4 WLON KTC BROADCASTING INC $800.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 3 MGF7 4 WOHS KTC BROADCASTING INC $1,000.00 2 PMT Total 4 $3,000.00

Page 1 of 1 170 Cj/7J'tf35?)000 1

PIEDMONT SUPERSTATIONS RADIO NETWORK

9/21198

Office ofthe Managing Director Federal Communications Commission 19191\.1 Street. N.W.. Room 450 Washington. nc. 20554

Dear rVlanaging Director

I would like to request a refund It'om our 1997 regulatory fees. The 1998 regulatory fees I can live with...however...I am still upset over last year's rate for our station. In your 1997 estimate for WCSL you stated that our station served 152.4-46 people. Our city population is only 5,280. Our regulatory fee for 1997 was $600.00. I feel this year's fee of $250.00 is fair with a population of 12.909 served. I would like to request a refund of $350.00 for last year's tees. We have paid this year's fee of $250.00 as of September 18th, 1999.

Thank you for your consideration and you may contact me at 704-435-3297.

Sincerely a~k..: Calvin R. Hastings~---- President.GeneralI\Janager KTC Broadcasting. Inc.

WCSL • WLON • WGNC • WOHS PO Box 370 ?O 80x 430 PO Box 1884 PO, Pox 1590 Cherryvilie, NC 28021 lincolnton, ~jC 28092 Gastonia. NC 28052 Shelby. NC 28150 Ph (704) 435-3297 Ph (04) 735-8071 Ph (704) 868-8222 Ph (704) 482-4510 F.A.X (04) 435- '2 ~ 7 FAX (04) 435-1217 FAX (04) 435- 1217 FAX (704) 435-1217 retyIIn::I II. II ClII~CI"'''IUII~ IJ'V,"UII • , ..... t'"••

BY: FEE CONTROL NUMBER Fee Control Payor Account Received Number Name Number Date

9709178835810001 KTC BROADCASTING INC FCC2042857 09/15197 1416 SHELBY HIGHWAY

CHERRYVILLE NC 28021

Payment Callsign tl~ Payment Current Seq A~licant Applicant B d Detail Trans Payment Type Other Zip Che~k Amount Code Balance Num Quantity ame 4DJo'l'~1 Code Id Type $3,000.00 $3,000.00 1 MGH7 4 WCSL KTC BROADCASTING INC $600.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 2 MGH7 4 WGNC KTC BROADCASTING INC $600.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 4 MGG7 4 WLON KTC BROADCASTING INC $800.00 2 PMT $3,000.00 $3,000.00 3 MGF7 4 WOHS KTC BROADCASTING INC $1,000.00 2 PMT Totil 4 $3,000.00

Page 1 of 1