Beforethe

FEDERALCOMMUNICATIONSCOMMISSION
Washington,D.C.

IntheMatterof )
)
ApplicationforRenewalof ) FileNumber:
BroadcastStationLicenseof ) BRH20140130AGC
)
EmmisLicenseCorporationofNewYork )
EmmisCommunications )
)
ForRenewalofStationLicenseWQHT, )
NewYork,NewYork )

OnMay31,2014,IreceivedacopyofEmmisLicenseCorporationofNewYorksOPPOSITION
TOPETITIONTODENY.Thisoppositionfailstoaddresskeyissuesintroducedintheoriginal
petitiontodeny,andinstead,seekstoredirectthecruxoftheoriginalobjectionintotheareaof
contentasopposedtokeepingtheintendedfocusoncommunity.
Assuch,IaskthattheCommissionconsiderthefollowing:
Hiphop,asdemonstratedbyexamplesintheoriginalpetition,iswidelyrecognizedasa
cultureandacommunitythatsubscribestothatculture.
Hiphopcultureandcommunityarewidelyrecognizedasconsistingofseveralsubcultures,or
elements,includingBboy/BGirl/danceculture,graffiti/artculture,rapmusicculture,DJ
cultureandaspecializedknowledge/understanding/perspectivethatcomesfromyearsofliving
andparticipatinginalifestylewiththoseinfluencerseverpresent.
ItisaratheruniquephenomenonofAmericana,anddeservestobetreatedassuch.
Asstatedintheoriginalpetition,whileIcertainlyhaveobjectionsthatrelatetothecontentand
programmingatWQHTHot97,itisnotthecruxoftheargument.
Bystating,falsely,thathiscomplaintsrelatesolelytomattersthatarepursuanttotheFirst
Amendment,theCommunicationsActandsettledprecedent,committedtoEmmiseditorial
discretionandthereforeoutsideoftheCommissionsproperinquiryinevaluationWQHTs
licenserenewal,theapplicantattemptstomisleadthisCommissionintobelievingthatmy
objectionrevolvesaroundmypersonalprogrammingpreferencesnotbeingmet.
Thisisnotthecase.
Emmisrecognizestheexactissuebysummarizingmysingularobjection:(1)doesnot
provideadequateprogrammingdirectedatthehiphopculture,(2)focusesdisproportionately
onhiphopmusicascomparedtotherelatedculture.
Intheirentireresponse,theydonotrefutetheseclaims,norprovideanyadditionalinformation
whichwoulddemonstrateotherwise.
Thereremainsnorepresentationof,orattentiontotheBboy/Bgirl/danceaspectofhiphop
cultureandcommunity.
Thereremainsnorepresentationof,orattentiontotheartistic/visual/graffitiaspectsofhiphop
cultureandcommunity.
Thereremainsnorepresentationof,orattentiontothesignificantDJaspectofhiphopculture
andcommunity,otherthanthenarrowspectrumofradioandclubDJs.
Thereremainsnexttonorepresentationof,orattentiontoanyissuesspecifictohiphop
cultureandcommunityatlarge.
Thereremainsextremelylimitedunderrepresentationof,orattentiontorapmusicoutsideofa
verynarrowsliceoftheoverallspectrum.
Thereremainsextremelylimitedunderrepresentationof,orattentionto,thelocalhiphop
musicandculturalcommunitywithinthebroadcastradiusofthestation.
Whileprogrammingchangescouldcertainlyensurethisbalanceismet,contentchoices,again,
arenotthecruxoftheobjection.
Toclarifyonceagain.
Themostbasictenetofanapplicantmustfollowistoservethepublicinterest.
Indeed,intheFCCsPublicandBroadcastingguide,andinthedecisionscitedinthe
applicantsopposition,itisclearthatalicenseegenerallyhasdiscretiontoselectwhatits
stationbroadcastsandtootherwisedeterminehowitcanbestserveitscommunityoflicense.
However,byattemptingtoredirectthecontextoftheobjectionssetforthinmyoriginal
petitionasmattersofcontent,theapplicantisattemptingtoobfuscatethefactthattheyarein
actualityattemptingtodefinetheirowncommunityoflicense.
Byprovidingnoassurancesorexamplesthattheentiretyofhiphopswiderculturalcommunity
isbeingserved,andinfact,hidingbehindtheirassertionthattheydontreallyhaveto,the
applicantcontinuestodemonstrateanegregiousviolationoftheveryfirstobligationofa
licensee.
Asevidencedbytheirowncitation:
Licenseeshavebroaddiscretionbasedontheirrighttofreespeechtochoose,ingood
faith,theprogrammingtheybelieveservestheneedsandinterestsoftheircommunities.
BystatingthattheyareWhereHipHopLives,WQHTHot97isclearlydefiningtheirintended
audience,clearlyclaimingwhichcommunitytheyarepurportingtoserve.Yet,theextreme
lackofattentiontowideswathsofthatcommunity,andthereforeanenormousamountofits
needsandinterests,demonstratesotherwise.
Assuch,theyshouldnotingoodfaithbeallowedtocontinuetobroadcastwhile
demonstratingsuchdiscriminatorybehavior.
IftheFCCistoleaveprogrammingdiscretiontothelicensees,thenoneoftheonlyprotections
citizenshaveagainstlicenseesabusingthepowerofthepublictrustisthattheymustserve
thepublicinterestoftheircommunity.
Butifthestations,andthecorporationswhorunthem,areallowedtodefinetheirown
communities,asEmmisisattemptingtodointhiscasedespitewidelyaccepted,culturally
acceptedstandards,thentheFCCwouldbeconcedinganenormousamountofcontrolintothe
handsoftheentitiestheyarechargedwithregulating,erodingthatpublictrust,settinga
potentialprecedentwhichcouldbeextremelydamagingtothepublic.
Asanindividualwhoisapartoftheactualhiphopcommunity,Ispeakformyselfandmany
otherswhenIstatethatIshouldnothavethewideexpansivenessofmyculturalaffiliation
stifledbyanentityofthepublictrust.Ishouldnothaveaspectsofmycultureandlifestyle
ignoredbyanentitythatcapitalizesoffofafraudulentattachmenttomyculture.WithWQHT
Hot97holdingsuchapowerfulvoiceinourarea,theiractionspresentanimminentand
ongoingmenacetohiphopcultureandcommunityasawhole,myselfincluded.Theiractions
aredamaginganddiscriminatory,anddiscountawellestablishedsegmentofthepopulationof
NewYorkCityanditssurroundingareas,myselfincluded.
Assuch,grantingofthechallengedapplicationwouldcontinuetocausedirectinjurytomyself
andothers,injurywhichcanbedirectlytracedtothechallengedaction,injurywhichwouldbe
preventedorredressedbythereliefrequested.
ItisforthesereasonsthatIbelieveIhaveindeedestablishedaprimafaciecasethatthe
renewalofWQHTslicensewouldbeinconsistentwithSection309(k),andattheveryleast,
presentedenoughsubstantialandmaterialquestionoffacttowarrantahearing.
BasedontheoriginalPETITIONTODENYandtheadditionalstatementsinthisresponse,Iagain
requestthattheCommissiondenytheapplicantsrenewaltobroadcast.

Respectfullysubmitted,
By___________________________________