“The preparation of the application for the assignment of KRNM’s Federal Communications Commission license is in its final stages,” the college said in a statement, adding that the application materials are currently undergoing review by its legal counsel who is compiling the other requisite information necessary to complete the application.
The college said once the application has been approved by the FCC, NMC will be required to publicize the proposed assignment for notification purposes and to seek public comment.
It was in September, when NMC’s board of regents voted to support the assignment of KRNM’s noncommercial license to a nonprofit, educational entity.
The Marianas Educational Media Services offered to continue the public radio format broadcasting in the Northern Marianas, including the airing of National Public Radio programming.
The offer was accepted by NMC and the KRNM advisory council.
In the re-assignment of the broadcast licenses, KRNM will be powered off and its equipment liquidated.
“Because of the continuing decline in CNMI government revenues and subsequent budget cuts, NMC was compelled to focus its energy and resources on its core, academic programs in education, health, business, and student learning support services over nonacademic programs,” NMC said in a statement.
For the past 10 years, the college has been heavily subsidizing the radio’s operation, which costs between $120,000 and $150,000, including utilities, security services and equipment.
On Feb. 2, 1998, the FCC granted NMC a license to broadcast non-commercial public radio programming on KRNM, 88.1 FM.
KRNM was originally established with federal funds and the goal was to eventually transform it into a self-sustaining radio station.
