ALJ Terminates EMT Hearing, Dismisses Applications With Prejudice
Entertainment Media Trust’s hearing to keep its broadcast licenses was terminated and its applications dismissed with prejudice, said an order posted Wednesday in docket 19-156 from FCC Administrative Law Judge Jane Halprin. The judge “declines to expend further government time…
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and resources on this matter,” after EMT repeatedly failed to respond to judicial orders, Halprin said (see 2002050015). “The Presiding Judge stood ready to receive EMT’s evidence and consider arguments in favor of granting its applications, and afforded EMT several procedural concessions to facilitate discovery,” the order said. “EMT chose not to take advantage of those opportunities.” EMT’s radio station licenses in Missouri and Illinois became imperiled after an FCC Enforcement Bureau investigation concluded that convicted felon Bob Romanik exerted control over the stations while they were licensed to the trust and ostensibly under EMT trustee Dennis Watkins' control. “Because these questions arise in the context of applications for which EMT seeks Commission approval, EMT bears the burden of proof in this proceeding,” Wednesday’s order said. Romanik and Watkins didn’t comment. With the hearing dismissed, a 40-day period remains in which applications for full commission review of the ALJ’s decision could be filed, a broadcast attorney told us. EMT would likely retain its license until that period is up. If an application for review is filed, resolution of the matter could be delayed further. The FCC didn’t comment.