FCC Ruling Against KMEX

I was saddened to read in The Times (Jan. 9) about a ruling by an administrative law judge of the Federal Communications Commission that would deny renewal of the operating license of Los Angeles television station KMEX (Channel 34) and those of 12 other Spanish-language stations across the country.

While I am not an attorney and thus am not qualified to judge the legal niceties of the FCC administrative law judge’s action, I am concerned that the ruling--if allowed to stand--will undermine the effectiveness of KMEX in serving the needs of the Southern California community, and particularly of its Latino segment.

As one who has been very interested in community activities of the greater Los Angeles area over the last few years, I can attest to the remarkably generous civic and social contributions of KMEX and those of its general manager Danny Villanueva.

For example, over the last few years KMEX and he have consistently worked on behalf of Los Angeles needy. Such work has included providing clothing and food for some of our more unfortunate neighbors, as well as the exercising of a major role in seeking to combat the unfortunately high dropout rate among Latino students.

Yet further, KMEX recently sponsored a most successful telethon that raised millions of dollars for the disaster victims of the terrible earthquake in Mexico City.

Beyond its community service, KMEX has shown leadership in providing viewers with quality television programming, including very much a responsible news operation.

Those of us who have been fortunate enough to work with Danny Villanueva and others at KMEX hope that the members of the Federal Communications Commission will take into account the responsible and generous community service exercised over the years by the station as they weigh the merits of the administrative law judge’s recommendation.

ROBERT M. McINTYRE

Los Angeles

McIntyre is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the Southern California Gas Co.