MS Communications explained

MS Communications, LLC held low-power television licenses and construction permits in several U.S. states during the 2000s. At one point MS Communications held the second-highest number of LPTV allocations in the United States, but nearly all of the stations remained unbuilt or dark.[1]

Company president Mark Silberman said that he has intended to start a wireless cable service over LPTV, and had begun acquiring stations as early as 1992. Most of the licenses were acquired in 2000, though direct-broadcast satellite television made the company's original plans obsolete. By 2005, over 200 LPTV station licenses or construction permits were transferred to MS Communications, and MS Communications had the second-highest number of LPTV licenses in the United States, but no stations had operated with more than a test pattern.[1]

After receiving information that stations were not operating and may not have even been constructed, the Federal Communications Commission demanded information on the status of MS Communications stations. When no information was received, the FCC cancelled the licenses of 178 of the stations on October 28, 2010.[2] There were also 60 station licenses or construction permits that were transferred to Silberman but expired by 2018, and many of the MS Communications construction permits and licenses were set to expire in 2018.[3]

Stations

Transferred

MS Communications transferred the following licenses and construction permits to others:[4]

Ch. State Buyer Date Notes
align=right 69 California align=right 39516 from M.H. Feldman in 2000; sold per File No. BALTTL-20041117ADU; deleted 2012
align=right 53 Wisconsin align=right 56213 was W55CG at Ludington, Michigan; moved to W53CC at Milwaukee; sold per File No. BAPLTTL-20060320AFE (see also line for W38DT, possibly same station)

Went on the air

The following stations were sold and later went on the air under other owners:

Ch. State Buyer Date Notes
align=right 22 Maine align=right 15287 Rockfleet bought by MS in 2001
align=right 38 Wisconsin align=right 56213 bought by MS in 2000 as W55MS at Ludington, Michigan; changed to W53CC at Milwaukee, then W38DT. License still on air and active as WTSJ-LD and owned by INNOVATE Corp.
align=right 64 Idaho align=right 31388 Cocola from Joe Maples 2000; sold per File No. BALTTL-20020805ABJ
align=right 56 Idaho align=right 6754 sold per File No. BALTTL-20030707ADU to Lozano; from Lozano to Cocola
align=right 17 California align=right 56149 File No. BALTTL-20040109ADW; later KEMY-LP then KUVU-LP
align=right 60 Idaho align=right 56814 Cocola from R. & R. Detelle in 2000; sold per File No. BALTTL-20040401APR
align=right 30 Idaho align=right 74409 Cocola was K68EJ; File No. BALTTL-20050309ABT

October 2010 deletion letter

These 178 stations had their licenses or permits cancelled, and MS Communications was notified that they were deleted by the FCC on October 28, 2010, among other times, after MS Communications did not respond to FCC requests about the stations' operations:[2]

Ch. State ID
K20EX align=right 20 Arkansas align=right 56993
K22ES align=right 22 Arkansas align=right 6718
K30EC align=right 30 Arkansas align=right 3999
K35EA align=right 35 Arkansas align=right 16003
K40DS align=right 40 Arkansas align=right 24652
K46EM align=right 46 Arkansas align=right 6758
K53FM align=right 53 Arkansas align=right 10962
K57FV align=right 57 Arkansas align=right 17205
K59FB align=right 59 Arkansas align=right 33997
K61FP align=right 61 Arkansas align=right 10523
K65FN align=right 65 Arkansas align=right 31018
K67GR align=right 67 Arkansas align=right 26261
K69GT align=right 69 Arkansas align=right 31490
K27FF align=right 27 Arkansas align=right 66233
K29DC align=right 29 Arkansas align=right 17457
K36DR align=right 36 Arkansas align=right 56177
K40EF align=right 40 Arkansas align=right 15293
K46DT align=right 46 Arkansas align=right 49045
K48EP align=right 48 Arkansas align=right 39705
K50EK align=right 50 Arkansas align=right 60445
K53FB align=right 53 Arkansas align=right 39704
K57GF align=right 57 Arkansas align=right 15351
K59FJ align=right 59 Arkansas align=right 15352
K63FX align=right 63 Arkansas align=right 40273
K66EX align=right 66 Arkansas align=right 15334
K69HO align=right 69 Arkansas align=right 32239
K27FX align=right 27 California align=right 3937
K41FD align=right 41 California align=right 32302
K48GP align=right 48 California align=right 18564
K50EQ align=right 50 California align=right 32226
K57HB align=right 57 California align=right 60446
K59FW align=right 59 California align=right 41551
K63GK align=right 63 California align=right 32218
W08DM align=right 8 Georgia align=right 19713
W22BV align=right 22 Georgia align=right 28030
W26BM align=right 26 Georgia align=right 18565
K51FJ align=right 51 Iowa align=right 15336
K53FC align=right 53 Iowa align=right 10377
K55GS align=right 55 Iowa align=right 40269
K58ER align=right 58 Iowa align=right 7943
K65GA align=right 65 Iowa align=right 39706
K67GH align=right 67 Iowa align=right 32252
K40GO align=right 40 Iowa align=right 60447
W48CU align=right 48 Illinois align=right 32301
W15CT align=right 15 Illinois align=right 32238
W17DD align=right 17 Illinois align=right 32219
W19DI align=right 19 Illinois align=right 30250
W20CU align=right 20 Illinois align=right 40274
W36BS align=right 36 Illinois align=right 40270
W45BM align=right 45 Illinois align=right 27649
W49BS align=right 49 Illinois align=right 36162
W51EI align=right 51 Illinois align=right 19712
W16BI align=right 16 Kentucky align=right 70677
W20BO align=right 20 Kentucky align=right 869
W24BT align=right 24 Kentucky align=right 37071
W26BK align=right 26 Kentucky align=right 5034
W31BU align=right 31 Kentucky align=right 32259
W51CK align=right 51 Kentucky align=right 31505
W53BQ align=right 53 Kentucky align=right 36101
W54CI align=right 54 Kentucky align=right 40272
W64CM align=right 64 Kentucky align=right 55230
W66DA align=right 66 Kentucky align=right 32854
W69ED align=right 69 Kentucky align=right 74411
W39CC align=right 39 Maine align=right 60448
W42BZ align=right 42 Maine align=right 15288
W50BX align=right 50 Maine align=right 16293
W54CG align=right 54 Maine align=right 72483
W58CM align=right 58 Maine align=right 30249
W66CL align=right 66 Maine align=right 32255
W36BZ align=right 19 Michigan align=right 26195
W18CB align=right 18 Michigan align=right 36745
W21BS align=right 21 Michigan align=right 40087
W24CG align=right 24 Michigan align=right 30203
W31BN align=right 31 Michigan align=right 57411
W36CE align=right 36 Michigan align=right 57412
W50CD align=right 50 Michigan align=right 30204
W52CO align=right 52 Michigan align=right 65274
W55CH align=right 55 Michigan align=right 65275
W57CQ align=right 57 Michigan align=right 30865
W59DC align=right 59 Michigan align=right 30866
W61CS align=right 61 Michigan align=right 30864
W63CH align=right 63 Michigan align=right 30863
W65DJ align=right 65 Michigan align=right 15346
W67DN align=right 67 Michigan align=right 26295
W34BZ align=right 34 Michigan align=right 30862
W48BY align=right 48 Michigan align=right 57408
W18BX align=right 18 Michigan align=right 16002
W20BQ align=right 20 Michigan align=right 57413
W23BM align=right 23 Michigan align=right 36759
W25CD align=right 25 Michigan align=right 30867
W31BI align=right 31 Michigan align=right 3918
W36CD align=right 36 Michigan align=right 15344
W39CB align=right 39 Michigan align=right 15345
W51CR align=right 51 Michigan align=right 57410
W53BN align=right 53 Michigan align=right 59391
W55CL align=right 55 Michigan align=right 59390
W57CP align=right 57 Michigan align=right 961
W62CR align=right 62 Michigan align=right 26260
W64CK align=right 64 Michigan align=right 30029
W66CY align=right 66 Michigan align=right 31506
W68DH align=right 68 Michigan align=right 39303
W52CB align=right 52 Michigan align=right 15995
W21BN align=right 21 Michigan align=right 15343
W32BN align=right 32 Michigan align=right 16588
W36BV align=right 36 Michigan align=right 40112
W39BY align=right 39 Michigan align=right 40113
W48BZ align=right 48 Michigan align=right 15992
W50CA align=right 50 Michigan align=right 15993
W56DI align=right 56 Michigan align=right 15996
W58CO align=right 58 Michigan align=right 15994
W15BM align=right 15 Michigan align=right 63307
W23BL align=right 23 Michigan align=right 26193
W34CE align=right 34 Michigan align=right 26196
W48CC align=right 48 Michigan align=right 3219
W52CP align=right 52 Michigan align=right 3220
W56DF align=right 56 Michigan align=right 3218
W58CN align=right 58 Michigan align=right 36760
W62CQ align=right 62 Michigan align=right 36761
W66CX align=right 66 Michigan align=right 57379
W68DD align=right 68 Michigan align=right 57380
K52HH align=right 52 Minnesota align=right 38509
K33EQ align=right 33 Missouri align=right 17405
K47FB align=right 47 Missouri align=right 31578
K55HL align=right 55 Missouri align=right 19445
K58FD align=right 58 Missouri align=right 57008
K65GP align=right 65 Missouri align=right 6757
K67HF align=right 67 Missouri align=right 24098
K69HT align=right 69 Missouri align=right 57009
K04OV align=right 4 Missouri align=right 26154
K52FC align=right 52 Missouri align=right 64406
K55HU align=right 55 Missouri align=right 30586
W12CR align=right 12 Mississippi align=right 32300
W28BP align=right 28 Mississippi align=right 57007
W36BT align=right 36 Mississippi align=right 15379
W41BV align=right 41 Mississippi align=right 72545
W46CK align=right 46 Mississippi align=right 55274
W53CE align=right 53 Mississippi align=right 39328
W20BS align=right 20 Mississippi align=right 22429
W26BR align=right 26 Mississippi align=right 26293
W27DD align=right 27 Mississippi align=right 39327
W35CQ align=right 35 Mississippi align=right 31525
W36BY align=right 36 Mississippi align=right 31526
W46CL align=right 46 Mississippi align=right 31523
W52CS align=right 52 Mississippi align=right 31524
W54CD align=right 54 Mississippi align=right 31527
W59DE align=right 59 Mississippi align=right 39330
W65DE align=right 65 Mississippi align=right 57542
W69DJ align=right 69 Mississippi align=right 57544
W49BK align=right 49 Mississippi align=right 74412
K57IP align=right 57 Oklahoma align=right 27647
W14BW align=right 14 Tennessee align=right 24304
W20BJ align=right 20 Tennessee align=right 37493
W27CL align=right 27 Tennessee align=right 37069
W32BG align=right 32 Tennessee align=right 70874
W34BU align=right 34 Tennessee align=right 37070
W43BH align=right 43 Tennessee align=right 5033
W46CE align=right 46 Tennessee align=right 72556
W56DA align=right 56 Tennessee align=right 18154
W62CK align=right 62 Tennessee align=right 15333
W66CG align=right 66 Tennessee align=right 33441
W69DB align=right 69 Tennessee align=right 849
W26CJ align=right 26 Tennessee align=right 74410
W22BR align=right 22 Tennessee align=right 30268
W25BY align=right 25 Tennessee align=right 38506
W38BY align=right 38 Tennessee align=right 24729
W46CG align=right 46 Tennessee align=right 38507
W52CZ align=right 52 Tennessee align=right 5047
W54BU align=right 54 Tennessee align=right 28642
W62CJ align=right 62 Tennessee align=right 26259
W64BZ align=right 64 Tennessee align=right 32253
W06BU align=right 6 Wisconsin align=right 57860
W16AY align=right 16 Wisconsin align=right 56194
W18CS align=right 18 Wisconsin align=right 63274
W24BV align=right 24 Wisconsin align=right 15759
W31CI align=right 31 Wisconsin align=right 36099
W40BC align=right 40 Wisconsin align=right 22382
W60CI align=right 60 Wisconsin align=right 8019
W62DA align=right 62 Wisconsin align=right 24730

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Two Hundred Channels and Nothing On – Literally . Robert . Morlino . 2014-05-19 . Well Connected . . Washington, D.C. . 2019-06-19 .
  2. Re: Low Power Television Stations Authorizations held by MS Communications, LLC . Hossein . Hashemzadeh . MS Communications, LLC . October 28, 2010 . Federal Communications Commission . 2019-06-19 .
  3. News: Fast Track . . 2018-03-16 . Future Publishing . London . https://web.archive.org/web/20190619234000/https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/fast-track-76971 . 2019-06-19 . live . 2019-06-19 .
  4. Web site: Search by Party Name . FCCdata.org . REC Networks . 2019-06-19 .