Translator-Traffickers Mint Another Million

TRANSLATOR-TRAFFICKERS MINT ANOTHER MILLION
[SOURCE: DIYmedia.net 7/25, AUTHOR: John Anderson]
[Commentary] Since 2003, the unscrupulous folks at Radio Assist Ministry/Edgewater Broadcasting/World Radio Link have sold hundreds of FM translator station construction permits scarfed up in a questionable fashion to mostly-religious broadcasters looking to establish or extend turnkey radio networks on the cheap. Horizon Christian Fellowship was one of RAM/EB/WRL's biggest early clients. It bought 20 FM translator construction permits along the West Coast from Radio Assist and Edgewater in a series of deals worth $219,000 in early 2004. Horizon has loose ties to the Calvary Chapel fellowship of churches, and many Calvary Chapels are well-known for their abuse of FM spectrum. In January, Horizon bought nine more translator station construction permits in a series of deals involving both Radio Assist Ministry and Edgewater Broadcasting for $52,000. These and other transactions at the time helped RAM/EB/WRL book its first $1 million in translator speculation revenue. A lot's happened since then. In April, the FCC approved Horizon's purchase of 19 more translator station construction permits from Radio Assist Ministry in eight states for $120,764. On June 2, the FCC okayed Horizon's purchase of another 11 translator permits in six states from Edgewater Broadcasting for $81,763. This was followed on June 22 by FCC approval of two more deals: one involving Horizon's purchase of 19 permits in seven states from Radio Assist for $120,764, and one involving Edgewater's sale of a dozen construction permits in nine states for $89,196. On July 14, another double-transaction was waved through. One involved Horizon's purchase of two dozen construction permits in 12 states from Radio Assist for $152,544. The other involved Edgewater selling seven permits in five states to Horizon for $52,031. Finally, on July 18, the FCC waved through another two-fer deal. Radio Assist sold Horizon 15 permits in six states for $95,340; Edgewater sold Horizon 15 permits in 10 states for $111,495.
http://diymedia.net/archive/0706.htm#072506