FCC Orders Steve Hegwood Stations To Pay Fees

The FCC has ordered two Georgia FM stations owned by radio executive Steve Hegwood to pay outstanding regulatory fees or face possible license revocation. In separate Orders to Pay or to Show Cause released February 11, the FCC said Core Communicators North LLC and Core Communicators South LLC — licensees of WIPK-FM (Streetz 94.5) Calhoun, GA and WMRG-FM (Streetz 93.5) Morgan, GA — have accumulated years of unpaid regulatory fees, along with penalties, interest and administrative costs.

At WIPK, Calhoun, the Commission reports unpaid regulatory fee debt totaling $21,830.15, spanning fiscal years 2015 through 2022, as well as 2024 and 2025. The FCC says the amount includes statutory late-payment penalties and interest, and warns that additional charges will continue to accrue until the balance is satisfied.

For WMRG, Morgan, the Commission lists $6,538.67 in unpaid regulatory fees covering fiscal years 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024. As with WIPK, the total reflects late-payment penalties and collection costs required under federal law.

Under Section 9a of the Communications Act and related FCC rules, the Commission has authority to revoke licenses for failure to pay regulatory fees in a timely manner. Both licensees have been given 60 days from the release date of the orders to provide documented proof that the debts have been paid in full or to show cause why the fees should be waived or deferred.

The FCC noted that demand letters were previously issued and that the debts had been referred to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for collection before being returned to the Commission for further action. If the licensees fail to respond adequately within the 60-day window, the FCC says the licenses for the two stations may be revoked.