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

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Transferred

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

Call Ch. State City ID Buyer Date Notes
K69IE 69 California Eureka 39516 P. Mbaba January 6, 2005 from M.H. Feldman in 2000; sold per File No. BALTTL-20041117ADU; deleted 2012
W53CC 53 Wisconsin Milwaukee 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

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

Call Ch. State City ID Buyer Date Notes
W22BU 22 Maine Bangor 15287 Rockfleet 2003 bought by MS in 2001
W38DT 38 Wisconsin Milwaukee 56213 Bustos June 9, 2006 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.
K64EJ 64 Idaho Boise 31388 Cocola September 24, 2004 from Joe Maples 2000; sold per File No. BALTTL-20020805ABJ
K56FQ 56 Idaho Boise 6754 P. Lozano September 4, 2004 sold per File No. BALTTL-20030707ADU to Lozano; from Lozano to Cocola
K17EH 17 California Eureka 56149 Sainte March 9, 2004 File No. BALTTL-20040109ADW; later KEMY-LP then KUVU-LP
K60FH 60 Idaho Boise 56814 Cocola June 21, 2004 from R. & R. Detelle in 2000; sold per File No. BALTTL-20040401APR
K30GS 30 Idaho Boise 74409 Cocola April 21, 2005 was K68EJ; File No. BALTTL-20050309ABT

October 2010 deletion letter

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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]

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

References

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  1. ^ a b Morlino, Robert (2014-05-19). "Two Hundred Channels and Nothing On – Literally". Well Connected. Washington, D.C.: The Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  2. ^ a b Hashemzadeh, Hossein (October 28, 2010). "Re: Low Power Television Stations Authorizations held by MS Communications, LLC". Letter to MS Communications, LLC. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  3. ^ "Fast Track". Broadcasting & Cable. London: Future Publishing. 2018-03-16. Archived from the original on 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  4. ^ "Search by Party Name". FCCdata.org. REC Networks. Retrieved 2019-06-19.

Further reading

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