Local radio station WBFZ is back on the air after filing for temporary reinstatement of their license to broadcast. The station, which broadcasts at 105.3 FM, discontinued broadcasting after the Federal Communications Commission sent them notification that their license had expired April 1 due to their failure to submit the proper renewal documentation and fee by the Dec. 1, 2011 deadline.

Peter Doyle with the FCC confirmed that Imani Communications, the company that operates WBFZ, submitted an application to have the station’s broadcasting rights temporarily reinstated while the FCC considers whether to allow the license to be reinstated.

“On April 18, the licensee filed both a license renewal application and a request for special temporary authority to resume broadcasting,” said Doyle in an email.  “The (request) was granted by letter on April 19th.”

Doyle said previously that once a radio station’s license expires, the FCC seeks public input on whether the license should be renewed or not.

“The public can file (with the FCC) comments regarding the station’s performance and if they believe the station has not operated in the public’s interest,” Doyle said. “Then the station would have the opportunity to oppose that and the initial filer would have an opportunity to reply. “Part of the process is for listeners to object to the license application.”

Doyle said the 90-day period began Tuesday, and that anyone interested in commenting on the application could do so by emailing the FCC at ecfs@fcc.gov and including the words “get form” and the sender’s email address in the body of the email. Hard copies can be mailed to the FCC via Express Mail, Priority Mail, or First Class Mail by sending to: Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Secretary, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.

An attempt by the Times-Journal to reach station owner Faya Rose Toure Sanders was unsuccessful.