FCC Slaps CC/Chicago with $20k Fine

The FCC has slapped Clear Channel/Chicago with a fine of $20,000 Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) for repeatedly violating the Commission’s equal employment opportunity (EEO) Rules. The agency cited CCME for failing to comply with the requirement to notify job referral sources about vacancies and to self-assess EEO performance. Stations cited include WGCI-FM, WKSC-FM, WGRB-AM, WLIT-FM and WVAZ-FM.

Based on the Commission’s review, the FCC has also imposed reporting conditions on Clear Channel after the company filled 36 fulltime vacancies at its stations and failed to provide notification of 33 of its vacancies to all organizations that had requested vacancy notification from August 1, 2009 through July 31, 2011. In addition, the agency said, CCME violated its recruitment requirements repeatedly over a two-year reporting period.

Clear Channel/Chicago now has ten days to pay the fine or file an appeal.