Update: It appears, at least from a recent post over at HB, that the Hobby Broadcasters group referred to in the article was the Facebook Part 15 page.
It's unclear whether the comment referring to professionals is from someone who is a member of that page, or HB. If it's the former, then the comment is even more amusing, as that page has definitely leaned more towards the pirate spectrum and casual hacker than anything else - at least, until Michelle Bradley came on as Moderator. I still see some who in the past posted that their 1/2 watt Amazon special transmitter was legal, since it was located in their basement and didn't get out very far; they don't post that any more (at least in the open) but I'm sure their 'philosophy' hasn't changed.
The article in RBR specifically mentioned the Hobby Broadcaster site as the site that tipped them off to the story. In fact, gave them a nice plug "
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The story of “Rock 104.1” was brought to </span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">RBR+TVBR</span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">‘s attention by </span></span></span><span style="color: #5ab948;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">HobbyBroadcaster.net</span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">, which assists the hobby broadcaster, school campus broadcaster or business broadcaster “with the information and resources to get on the air using legal, license free low power AM and FM radio broadcasting.”</span></span></span>
That article also explains, basically, how the station operators talked with a "now retired individual at the FCC named Pete" who told them, basically, that they'd never be discovered and they'd be OK saying they "go after the big hombres". He didn't actually tell them it was legal.
The article also quotes the station as saying a "local resident" turned them in.
They actually went on the air a few months ago. If you read this Williamson discussion forum you can see comments about it going back to February:
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/williamson-wv/T07UUBT4JCPJ1ATAT/a-new-radio-station-in-williamson
I would bet that area radio stations were quick to call their engineers and/or FCC reps (every station has at the least a lawyer in Washington who handles their FCC matters, if not their own rep) and say "Hey, we've got an unlicensed state on the air". And may very well have been among those filing a complaint. I'm sure every station listenable in the market gets the Williamson newspaper, so if they hadn't already heard about it, they did then!
TIB
I wonder who moderates that Forum? Half the posts shouldn't be there!
Based on some of the comments, I have to wonder why they bothered to set up shop. It doesn't bode well for a legal radio station there.
Hey! I talked to Pete who used to be an FCC guy. He told me it was OK.
Radio broadcasting, particularly the Part 15 variety, can be a nasty business.
It appears that there are hordes of so-called 'professional' and wanna be broadcasters out there just waiting to report what they perceive as illegal operation (and ready to give 'advice', whether others want it or not).
Judging by many of the comments to the newspaper article referenced by Tim, these individuals use Part 15 broadcasting as an ego trip rather than an opportunity to learn and explore (maybe because they think they know everything there is to know about it!).
Then, of course, there are those that leap right in and promote what they personally are doing and are interested in, regardless of the appropriateness.
Just recently over at another Forum, there was a major shakeup because some didn't like what others were posting, wanted more say, and didn't want to go through the proper channels.
To be in this game, you have to have a thick skin.