Hearing on Transfers of Stations to Niece Set for Oct. 1, 2024

A hearing over allegedly false transfers of control by the owners of several low-power radio and television stations is set for Oct. 1, 2024, said an order from FCC Administrative Law Judge Jane Halprin posted in docket 23-267 Monday (see 2308110063). The proceeding concerns allegations Antonio Guel transferred the stations to his niece, Jennifer Juarez, to avoid including the stations in a bankruptcy filing, although he remained in control of them. Since the hearing designation order's (HDO) August release, Juarez has waived her right to participate in the hearing and surrendered the licenses, and Guel has submitted documentation showing that his company targeted in the HDO, the Hispanic Christian Community Network, has been dissolved. In Monday’s order, Halprin ruled that due to those events, the hearing proceeding would continue forward on only some of the matters originally listed in the HDO, focusing on Guel’s alleged misrepresentation and fitness to hold an FCC license. In Monday’s order, Halprin also noted broadcast attorney Dan Halpert’s representation of both Juarez and Guel, along with the possibility he could be called as a witness in the proceeding, could create conflicts of interest and mean Guel would need another attorney. “Resolution of any client conflicts is primarily Mr. Alpert’s duty, but the Presiding Judge raises the issue at this early stage of the proceeding to forestall any potential future delay that conflict issues might cause,” the order said. Alpert didn’t comment.