Since Costa-Eagle Media canceled all programming on WCEC 1490 AM on November 6 and Elections Day November 7, 2017, I set up to gather information as to who was behind such violation to our Constitutional First Amendment.
As you can see in the letter from Deborah Metros, general manager of the stations, it was dated November 1, 2017. In it, she says that the reason for the shutdown was “recent inquiries to the FCC about slanderous and improper segments during certain programs.”
Further, she states that “Our attorneys have advised us that our broadcast license could be in jeopardy…”
A group of brokers under contract with WCEC 1490 met with Pat Costa and even though I don’t have a show at this time at Costa-Eagle, I offered to serve as mediator because I have enjoyed a friendly relationship with everyone there. Mr. Costa refused to allow them to run their programs even with some limitations (some of a religious nature) saying, “There is nothing I can do. The decision came from Alabama,” meaning the owners of the Eagle-Tribune.
The business community reacted immediately with a boycott by canceling their advertisements on WCEC and also Power 800, both stations owned by Costa-Eagle Media. Rumbo’s contribution to this effort was to join the boycott publicizing those businesses because we feel very strongly about this abuse.
As time progressed, we discovered there was no FCC complaint and Alabama was not involved at all; it was a very local decision. The letter from State Representative Juana Matias’s office shows that their extensive investigation with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable (DTC), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could not prove Ms. Metros’ statements.
If you go down to the end of Rep. Matias’ letter to #5, it reads, “Mr. Schonnen informed us and asked us to inform you that his office has no record of any correspondence regarding WCEC 1490’s license and complaints about your programming or that of other affected parties. Mr. Schonnen firmly asserted that our offices communication with him was the first time he had ever heard about this issue.”
There was no truth to what Ms. Metros and Mr. Costa said and it is their responsibility if the programs left on the air are having a difficult time finding sponsors.
