Southern California LPFMs step-up to help resolve 101.5 MX crunch

Existing LPFM stations in Southern California through coordination with Common Frequency have stepped-up to help reduce the number of applicants in the 101.5 MX group #27.  Group 27 originally started with 32 applicants all competing for a piece of 101.5, the only §73.807 spaced channel available region-wide.  

Last December, G-Final Cut, permittee of 99.1 in Carson had agreed to share time with Long Beach Community Television and Media.  G-Final has now filed a time share agreement with The Church in Anaheim to move their station to Anaheim and share time with the church on 101.5.    

Venice permittee, Reach For the Top has agreed to share time with several of the former "Westside 5" applicants including Future Roots, Machine Project and Echo Park Film Center.  The three applicants will co-locate at a commercial site in the Hollywood Hills on 99.1. 

In the San Fernando Valley, the organization Cinefamily has agreed to allow Glendale-based Materials & Applications share time on their 96.7 grant in the Verdugo Mountains.  

In the South Bay, San Pedro Hispanic Community Radio, a Cesar Guel applicant has agreed to time share with Compton-based Iglesias de Restaracion Filial South Bay on 97.5.   In support of promoting the time share and based on investigations by both REC and Common Frequency, REC is withdrawing the informal objection against San Pedro HCR.

MORE: See details of all LPFM time share agreements.

To become singleton, Craft and Folk Art Museum has moved from an undesirable site in Sepulveda Pass to a location in Pacific Palisades and Ballet Folklorico Ollin has moved from an impossible site at a residence in Panorama City to a commercial site in Pacoima.  Both moves make these applicants singletons on 101.5.  Minority TV Project applicant, Oriental Cultural Center, a 4-point applicant in West Covina is requsting a long move east to Ontario to clear Edgewood High School and the rest of the remaining pack of applicants.   Oriental's move to Ontario clears the path for The Church in Anaheim which is now a singleton (though is voluntarily agreeing to take on G-Final Cut).   The time share agreement for Filial has cleared the path for Catalyst Long Beach to become singleton. 

The pack of mutually exclusive applicants has now been reduced and concentrated to the area from Downtown Los Angeles to the eastern San Gabriel Valley including the Historic Downtown Los Angeles Business Improvement District proposing operation on the historic KRKD tower;  Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise, also in Downtown Los Angeles; Pasadena area applicants National Hispanic Media Coalition and Prism Church of Los Angeles; Boyle Heights Conservatory; El Monte-based Emperor's Circle of Shen Yun and Edgewood High School in West Covina.    We hope there will be more announcements soon. 

REC congratulations Common Frequency for picking up this huge mess and running with it.  Their ability to put feet on the ground in Los Angeles made this plan work. 

Here's a summary of the MX27 applicants and their current status:

  • Edgewood High School: still in the pack of pending applicants.
  • Craft and Folk Art Museum: granted on 101.5 in Pacific Palisades.
  • The Church In Anaheim: singleton on 101.5 in Anaheim will bring in G-Final Cut.
  • Ballet Folklorico Ollin: singleton on 101.5 in Pacoima.
  • National Hispanic Media Coalition: still in the pack.
  • Historic Downtown LA Business Improvement District: still in the pack.
  • Iglesias de Restauracion Filial South Bay: proposed on 97.5 in Carson.
  • Echo Park Film Center: sharing 99.1 in the Hollywood Hills.
  • Future Roots: sharing 99.1 in the Hollywood Hills.
  • Machine Project: sharing 99.1 in the Hollywood Hills.
  • Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise: still in the pack.
  • Catalyst Long Beach: singleton on 101.5 in Long Beach.
  • Materials and Applications: sharing 96.7 north of Burbank.
  • Prism Church of Los Angeles: still in the pack.
  • Long Beach Community TV and Media: granted on 99.1 (soon to be full time).
  • Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory: still in the pack.
  • The Emperor's Circle of Shen Yun: still in the pack.
  • Oriental Cultural Center: singleton on 101.5 in Ontario.
  • Catedral de Alabanza: dismissed non-tentative selectee.
  • G-Final Cut: Originally granted on 99.1 in Carson, moving to 101.5 in Anaheim.

Here is a map of the stations and remaining pending applicants on 101.5 in Los Angeles (click on the map to view a larger version):