WERA Still Silent With License Deadline One Day Away

WERA (96.7) remains silent with only one day left to preserve its FCC license. A DCRTV reader who has been closely monitoring 96.7 says no test transmissions have been heard today. The station must resume broadcasting by the end of Tuesday, July 28, or its license could automatically expire after one continuous year off the air.

Radio Arlington filed new paperwork with the FCC today seeking permission to operate a temporary signal at just 6 watts. That is down from the 20 watts proposed in last week’s filing. The earlier plan called for a temporary rooftop antenna while the group continued negotiating access to the portion of the building needed to install its transmission line. 

WERA launched in 2015 as a volunteer run community station operated by Arlington Independent Media. The station’s troubles grew as AIM lost its paid staff and faced an audit that found serious documentation problems involving roughly $2 million in public funds. Arlington County later seized and auctioned AIM’s equipment over unpaid taxes and rent. The license was transferred earlier this year to the newly formed Radio Arlington, which is now racing to restore even a limited signal before time runs out. The FCC approved the license transfer in May and granted the original temporary operating request last week.