The Federal Communications Commission has warned Sault Ste. Marie based Sovereign Communications that it must pay more than $37,000 in overdue regulatory fees or risk losing the licenses for seven radio stations, including two serving the Newberry area.
In an order released Friday, the FCC said Sovereign owes $37,250.51 in unpaid regulatory fees covering fiscal years 2021 through 2024. The stations listed include “Rock 101” WSUE, “99.5 Yes FM” WYSS, “News Talk 1400” WKNW and WSOO in Sault Ste. Marie; classic hits “Oldies 93” WNBY-FM and country WNBY (1450 AM) in Newberry; and WMKD in Pickford.
The largest balances are tied to FM stations, including more than $9,500 owed for WSUE and more than $7,000 each for WYSS and WMKD. Smaller amounts are owed on the AM facilities, including the WNBY stations in Luce County.
Federal law requires the FCC to collect annual regulatory fees to recover its operating costs. When fees go unpaid, the agency must impose a 25% late penalty plus interest and administrative charges. Those costs will continue to accrue until the balance is paid.
The FCC has given Sovereign Communications 60 days to pay the outstanding fees or seek a waiver or deferral. The agency warned it has authority to revoke station licenses if regulatory fees are not paid in a timely manner.
Delinquent fee collection typically falls to the U.S. Department of Treasury, but the FCC said Treasury returned these cases to the Commission so it could pursue enforcement directly. Similar warnings have been issued to other broadcasters with unpaid fees in recent months.
More financial trouble for Sovereign Communications surfaced at Monday’s Sault Ste. Marie City Commission meeting.
Commissioners authorized interim City Manager Robin Troyer to negotiate a repayment agreement with Sovereign Communications, which owes more than $10,000 in unpaid rent on a city-owned broadcast tower the company has leased since 1990.
Troyer said city staff has tried unsuccessfully for seven years to collect the delinquent payments. In August 2025, the city’s attorney issued a formal notice of lease breach and demand for payment.
Troyer said the city heard from Sovereign for the first time about an hour before the meeting, when the company requested a payment plan beginning with a roughly $2,100 installment due Feb. 20.
Rather than terminate the lease, commissioners agreed to pursue a repayment agreement, allowing stations including Rock 101, Yes FM and other Sovereign properties to continue operating from the tower.
