Alyce Maragus
MAGIC and the NPR Station
By Alyce Maragus
Jul 8, 2008 - 10:29:38 AM

Back in November MAGIC submitted an application for an NPR radio station. At the time it was widely reported that the station would be owned by Dennis Dunbar and MAGIC had only submitted the application because Dunbar needed a non-profit organization to do so. Confronted at an East Millinocket selectmen's meeting, the truth won out. It would be MAGIC's station

LIE #1

East Millinocket selectmen didn't take too kindly to being lied to and requested that MAGIC pull the application. Well it seems MAGIC couldn't do that simply on their request but would have to confer with Medway. Once the funding from both towns stopped MAGIC decided it didn't have to take anyone's advice and therefore refused to pull the application.

LIE #2

An article in the Lincoln News 11/15/07 quotes Dennis Dunbar as saying "he envisions a self-supporting tower on Hammond Ridge. The tower would be about half the height of the one recently removed by James Talbott owner of WSYY". He later says, "A self-supporting tower has a much smaller foot print with no guide wires and should be barely visible - above the trees". Now we learn the application calls for a 256 ft. tower which because of its height will also have to be lit in accordance with FCC regulations.

LIE #3

Further: MAGIC's original application specified a Class A station which would not exceed 6,000W. However, a revision now requests a Class C3 station which must exceed 6,000W and can go up to 25,000W.

LIE #4

Of interest is that the original application called for this tower to be constructed at Hammond (Hammatt) Ridge but was amended to transfer the location of the tower to a parcel of land owned by (none other than) Roxanne Quimby and located on the Stacyville Road. This according to the Lincoln News 7/3/08 article. And (same article) "moving it back to Hammond Ridge may still be a possibiliity according to Bruce McLean.

LIE #5

And then we have MAGIC's by-laws. Nowhere in MAGIC"s original by-laws was there any inference that MAGIC would partake in education pursuits. However MAGIC adopted a new article to their by-laws on Oct. 19th, 2007 suupposedly by a 2/3 vote (?) and just in time for the submission of their application. That article states to "maintain the characteristics necessary to - provide "Local diversity of ownership" pursuant to FCC Rules with respect to any application filed for a permit to construct a noncommercail educational radio station". My, my! How convenient.

LIE #6

Throughout all of this fiasco is the question of whether all the board members were aware of the application and whether they were asked to vote on it. Also in question is whether they knew their names were included on the application without their approval.

LIE #7

Lastly, we should all be aware at this point that one of the main reasons for this tower is so that Polstein will be able to acquire cell phone service for his clientele. And yet to further confuse the issue McLean is now saying MAGIC could possibly sell the license to another Christian group, possibly "Radio Assist Ministry" whose applications are still in conflict. Would that even be legal? and if so, why then is MAGIC applying for a license that if accepted would put our local station out of business.

LIE #8

Please think long and hard about MAGIC's motives. Here we have a supposed economic development organization that is competing against a long time privately owned and operated business - and with no apparent reason or plan. Also remember that without WSYY, we will have lost all of our local media outlets. Could that be the ultimate goal?