KSDS Responds to Halloran License Renewal Objection

KSDS (FM) San Diego filed an informal Opposition to Informal Objection pleading with the FCC on December 13, 2021 in favor of renewing the station’s license. The filing was made to counter an Informal Objection filed by attorney Dan Alpert, representing Friends of San Diego Public Radio, against renewing the San Diego Community College District radio station license. The original pleading appears to represent the opinions of a single person, San Diego radio personality, consultant, and program director Mike Halloran.

In the response, KSDS FCC attorney Anne Crump makes several arguments regarding Halloran’s original pleading:

  • Halloran’s statements regarding KSDS’s failure to air issues of public interest are false.
  • His statements regarding the station’s financial and management affairs are immaterial to the renewal of the station license.
  • And that “Objector has shown only that he is disgruntled by KSDS’s lack of interest in his officious intermeddling.”

The FCC will now need to weigh the arguments of the filers and decide whether or not to renew the KSDS license, which was due to expire November 30, 2021. In the vast majority of Informal Objections, the FCC sides with the station and grants the license renewal.

Gary Stigall, author of this article, has worked substantially with Anne Crump, the FCC attorney mentioned, during the past three years.