Monday, July 18, 2022

WBIY Radio Station Flaunting FCC Rules?

LABELLE, FL. -- Broadcasting from a 230 foot tower on Murray Road and SR80 in western Hendry county, WBIY-FM radio is apparently breaking FCC advertising rules on it's non-commercial broadcast license.

The non-profit, non-commercial radio station appears to be a vehicle to primarily advertise the owner's and their relative's businesses including tax and accounting services, medical centers, and insurance offices.

Licensed by the FCC as a non-commercial radio broadcaster, and owned by a non-profit corporation, the station is prohibited from commercial advertising, but at regular intervals, jingles and advertising can be heard promoting Best Insurance USA, Inc., an insurance agency in Lake Park, Fl. in West Palm Beach County with offices in Lee and Collier. 

WBIY, owned by Association des Haitiens Vivant a l'Etranger pour le Develop, a non-profit corporation, is a Haitian language broadcaster sending out 9,000 watts on 88.3 mhz to the Hendry and  Lee county area, with a low power translator for a small east Naples neighborhood on 100.5 mhz.

Best Insurance USA is owned by PAULUCIENNE JEAN SIMON. Jean Simon is president of the non-profit company that owns WBIY radio. The insurance company has offices in Immokalee, Fort Myers, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, and Jacksonville and presumably can garner customers from ads on his non-profit radio station, albeit presumably illegally.

Heard as late as this afternoon, an hour-long commercial complete with Best Insurance USA music jingles promoting it's line of insurance offerings. Also heard later, was an ad for Jean Simon's Legal Accounting and Tax Services LLC. 

And later, a 45-minute talk show advertising Sante Plus Medical Center Inc, a one-year old, for-profit company owned by Ricot Jean Simon, a relative of the radio station owner. The medical center is located in Fort Myers next door to the Best Insurance USA office. Ricot Jean Simon is also part owner of Legal Accounting and Tax Service LLC.

Jean Simon also owns Miravera Beautiy LLC in Port St. Lucie and Legal Accounting and Tax Services LLC in Lake Park and formerly owned several other now dissolved corporations.

The radio station in LaBelle was purchased from religious broadcaster Oscar Aguero Ministries in 2000 for $500,000. It calls itself Radio Evolution Inter, broadcasting in Creole in monophonic sound with Latin style music and commercials. The company has an office in Fort Myers.

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