The FCC Media Bureau conditionally approved transfer of several radio licenses to an iHeartMedia subsidiary while the company has a pending petition for declaratory ruling (PDR) on a Bahamian company buying enough iHeart stock to exceed a foreign-ownership threshold established in a previous bureau ruling (see 2011050061. The order, in Monday’s FCC Daily Digest, includes conditions “designed to insulate, to the extent possible, the non-compliant foreign interests pending action on iHeart’s remedial PDR seeking specific approval of those interests,” the staff said. “The record raises no substantial and material question of fact as to whether iHeart is qualified to be a licensee of broadcast stations and whether grant of the Applications is in the public interest.” The radio group informed the FCC in February that Global Media & Entertainment Investments, which is controlled by U.K. citizens, bought shares to give it about 6.6% of the equity and 8.7% of the voting interests in iHeart. That exceeded the 5% threshold for requiring FCC approval established by a previous declaratory ruling. IHeart “did not solicit the non-compliant foreign investment and was not even aware of it until GMEI’s SEC filing,” the order said. While FCC approval of the foreign ownership is pending, GMEI can’t appoint members to or attend meetings of iHeart’s board or have any role in the company’s day-to-day operations. The MB approved the deal over objections of several listeners, who sought to prevent the stations’ formats from changing. “It is well settled policy that the Commission does not regulate programming formats,” the order said. The transfers involved are located in Fort Worth, Houston and Fisher, Minnesota, and the sellers were Mortenson Broadcasting, Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, and Sun and Snow Station Trust.

Comments are due April 28, replies May 13 in docket 21-55 on KUTV Licensee’s request to change the channel of KMYU St. George, Utah, from 9 to 21, says Monday’s Federal Register.

FCC rules enhancing and broadening the penalties for unlicensed radio broadcasting take effect April 26, said Thursday's Federal Register. The rule changes implemented provisions of the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act (see 2001270021).

Comments are due April 26, replies May 10 in docket 21-70 on WFXL Licensee’s request to swap WFXL Albany, Georgia, from channel 12 to 29, said Thursday's Federal Register. Comments and replies are due the same days in docket 21-72 for WLUK Licensee’s request to swap WLUK Green Bay, Wisconsin, from channel 12 to 18. Though the FR's listing for the WLUK proceeding describes the station as 'WULK-TV," filings in docket 21-72 and the FCC's consolidated database system list the call letters as WLUK.

FCC rules clarifying how ancillary service fees apply to broadcasters using ATSC 3.0 datacasting (see 2102230068) took effect Thursday, said a Media Bureau public notice.

Rules to encourage diversity “in fact make broadcast investment far less attractive for historically underrepresented groups,” NAB told an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington Tuesday, per a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-349. The FCC “has made no progress whatsoever encouraging more diverse ownership” and “must work to ensure that its rules facilitate, rather than impede, broadcasters’ ability to compete effectively for audience and advertising revenue,” NAB said. It said the retransmission consent regime “continues to be critical to the economic viability of TV."

Entercom reached a multiyear agreement with Global Music Rights to allow the broadcaster to play GMR’s catalog across all its platforms, starting immediately, the radio station owner said Wednesday. It described it as a “long term partnership.” GMR has threatened to sue broadcasters for using its catalog without permission in the past.

Would-be participants in the hearing designation order on whether Michael Hubbard should be allowed under Alabama’s Ethics Act to hold FCC licenses in the Auburn, Alabama, designated market area after recent felony convictions (see 2102110005) have until April 23 to file a petition for leave in docket 21-20 to intervene, says Wednesday's Federal Register.

Comments are due April 22, replies May 7 on Gray Television’s request to swap the channel for KCRG-TV Cedar Rapids from 9 to 32, says Tuesday’s Federal Register about docket 21-51.

Comments are due April 21, replies May 6 in docket 21-60 on Gray Television’s petition to switch KSNB-TV Superior, Nebraska’s community of license to York and from channel 4 to 24, says Monday’s Federal Register. Comments/replies are also due on those dates in docket 21-73 for Dominion Broadcasting’s request to swap WLMB Toledo from channel 5 to 35.