January 2012

SOUTH DAKOTA:
After a two-year wait to get its license, Dakota Communications has filed an application to transfer KXLG/99.1 (Milbank-Watertown) to TMRG Broadcasting, LLC, which has been operating the station under a time brokerage agreement since 2009. TMRG is headed by former state legislator and veteran station owner Bob Faehn and has programmed KXLG with a local-intensive Classic Hits format since it was moved from Huron to the Watertown market. Three Eagles Broadcasting, which owns all five Watertown-licensed commercial stations, had objected to the license for the new facility, alleging that Dakota Communications had transferred control of the station to Faehn without FCC consent, but the FCC rejected Three Eagles' arguments a few months ago. TMRG will pay Dakota $500,000 for KXLG, including $100,000 already paid in 2009. Faehn owns 40 percent of TMRG. Duane Butt, who owns Dakota Communications with his wife Barbara, owns 30 percent of TMRG, and Dean Sorenson owns the remaining 30 percent. (1/31/2012)

MICHIGAN:
Todd Noordyk's Great Lakes Radio is buying translator W286BC/105.1 (Marquette) from Bethesda Christian Broadcasting for $25,000. The application did not state which station Noordyk planned to rebroadcast on the translator; he owns three Marquette-market FM's, an AM in Munising, and an FM in Manistique. W286BC currently rebroadcasts the Christian format of WNLI/88.5 (Sturgeon Bay, WI). (1/31/2012)

MINNESOTA:
Longtime Minnesota broadcaster Ernest Bundgaard, better known by his on-air name Allen Gray, has exited from ownership of KLKS/104.3 (Breezy Point-Brainerd). Bundgaard has worked in radio since 1939, including many years at WCCO, and founded KLKS in 1984. Under a stock deal, Bundgaard sold his 67.9 percent interest in KLKS licensee Lakes Broadcasting Group to his sons, Robert and Bruce Bundgaard, for $237,650, which was paid in a promissary note that was transferred back to the sons as co-trustees of their late mother's estate. Robert is the morning host at KLKS. Diane Anderson and Thomas Kenow retain their respective 15.6 percent interests in the company. According to an agreement filed with the FCC, the KLKS tower was sold last year for $850,000 and the remaining assets are valued at about $350,000. Lakes Broadcasting Group also owns low-power TV station KLKS-LP/14, which left the air last year and will not return. (1/31/2012)

WISCONSIN:
After nearly a year using temporary backup facilities, WAXX/104.5 (Eau Claire) is back to its full 100kW/579m facility from the WEAU-TV tower near Fairchild. Since the old WEAU tower collapsed, "Waxx 104" had been broadcasting with reduced power from Eau Claire and had also added a second transmitter, also on 104.5, near Marshfield. From the WEAU tower, WAXX has the largest coverage area of any FM station in Wisconsin. The station is owned by Maverick Media and carries a Country format. (1/30/2012)

WISCONSIN/IOWA:
An Iowa Public Television translator is causing some problems for NBC affiliate WEAU-TV/13.1 (Eau Claire, WI) now that it's moved to digital channel 38. The channel change was part of a reconstruction of WEAU's tower. IPT has a translator on channel 38 in northeastern Iowa (K38LE-D Lansing) and tells the FCC it's received complaints from WEAU about interference within WEAU's protected contour. Indeed, a topographical map posted at TVFool.com shows K38LE's signal shooting straight up the Mississippi River valley towards La Crosse, the largest city in WEAU's market. The IPT translator has applied to move to channel 39, where it would continue to use 15kW and relay KYIN/24.1 (Mason City). (1/30/2012)

IOWA:
KJAS-LP (Ames) has made its anticipated move from 94.1 to 101.7. The low-power Christian station, which uses 94 Watts, told the FCC it wanted the move because of interference from low-power FM stations on 94.1 in Des Moines. (1/30/2012)

NEBRASKA:
The FCC has granted KJFT-LP (Lincoln) a move from 93.7 to 107.9. The 100-Watt Christian station was forced off its original frequency by the sign-on of KNTK/93.7 (Firth-Lincoln). (1/30/2012)

NEBRASKA:
The FCC has approved a plan that could give a Lincoln TV station coverage of Omaha. FOX affiliate KFXL-TV/51 currently transmits with just 14kW; it will move to channel 15 and upgrade to the maximum DTV power of 1,000kW, which will add about 700,000 people to KFXL's theoretical coverage area. The station must still apply for and receive a construction permit before it can implement the change. KFXL was restricted from upgrading on channel 51 because of the FCC's plans to auction channel 52 for other uses. KFXL will likely have to continue to remap to virtual channel 51.1 because of overlap with KXVO (Omaha), which broadcasts on channel 38 and remaps to 15, its old analog channel. KFXL is owned by Lincoln Broadcasting, LLC, and operated by Pappas Telecasting. (1/27/2012)

IOWA:
250-Watt translator K266AN/101.1 (Atlantic) is now on the air relaying KJAN/1220 (Atlantic), which carries an information-intensive Adult Contemporary format. KJAN owner Wireless Communications bought the translator and moved it in from Audubon. The station's former FM counterpart (103.7) moved into the Omaha market decades ago. (1/27/2012)

IOWA:
It appears the FCC will dismiss an application from KTIA-FM/99.3 (Boone) to essentially move into the Des Moines market unless the station can provide additional evidence to make the commission change its mind. KTIA-FM, owned by Truth Broadcasting, proposes moving its transmitter to Saylorville with 6kW/88m and changing its community of license to Johnston, providing a strong signal to 78.5 percent of the Des Moines Urbanized Area. In a recent letter, the FCC says KTIA-FM's application is in conflict with rules intended to preserve rural radio service. It found fault with KTIA's assertion that Johnston is independent from the Des Moines Urbanized Area but gave the station thirty days to come up with new evidence. (1/26/2012)

MINNESOTA:
Leighton Enterprises is buying translator K277BS/103.3 (Brainerd-St. Cloud) from Radio Assist Ministry for $24,000. The translator is already being used to relay Leighton's KNSI/1450, which carries a News/Talk format. K277BS moved its transmitter from Brainerd to St. Cloud in a series of hops but remains licensed to Brainerd. (1/26/2012)

WISCONSIN:
Milwaukee's "Majic 102.5" has gone off the air after interference complaints from a Madison station. Translator W273AT/102.5 (Mequon-Milwaukee) had signed on in 2010 carrying an R&B format originating at WNOV/860, but Northwestern College's WNWC/102.5 (Madison) complained that W273AT was preventing fringe-area listenership in the Milwaukee area. W273AT tells the FCC it went silent on Jan. 18 as a result of those complaints. The FCC has not yet acted on an application filed by W273AT last year to move to 93.9 as a result of the complaints; the move would require a waiver since rules normally only allow a move of up to 0.6 MHz. DX'ers report WNOV is also off the air, and the station's website is down. WNOV and W273AT are owned by Ivan Rene Moore. (1/24/2012)

NATIONAL/IOWA/MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
The FCC has dismissed an unusual proposal to split the licenses of ION Media stations in two. The ION stations include KPXM/41.1 (St. Cloud-Minneapolis), WPXE/55.1 (Kenosha-Milwaukee), KFPX/39.1 (Newton-Des Moines), and KPXR/48.1 (Cedar Rapids). ION and Urban Television LLC had proposed converting 41 ION stations into shared-time licenses, with Urban Television getting a subchannel on the ION stations. The move would have essentially required cable and satellite providers to carry two channels for each station instead of one. In a brief letter explaining its decision, the FCC said shared-time arrangements can apply only to stations that split up the broadcast day, with only one station broadcasting at a time, not stations that share the same digital spectrum. (1/24/2012)

NATIONAL:
News Corporation, owner of FOX, has announced plans to launch a national spanish-language broadcast network called MundoFOX this fall with stated plans to reach 75 percent of the U.S. at launch. There are numerous other spanish-language networks, but few have the backing of a major company like News Corp. or such wide distribution. Affiliates have not yet been announced. News Corp's owned-and-operated stations include KMSP/FOX 9 and WFTC/My 29 in Minneapolis. (1/24/2012)

IOWA:
Clear Channel's KKSY/95.7 (Anamosa-Cedar Rapids) has changed its callsign to KWMG following its flip to a simulcast of WMT/600. The station had been ID'ing as WMT-FM at the top of the hour in the days following the flip, but FCC records indicate that WMT-FM was never 95.7's official callsign. 96.5, which adopted KKSY's former "Kiss Country" format, is still WMT-FM despite putting the KKSY callsign on the air earlier this month. (1/24/2012)

NEBRASKA:
Clear Channel's KTWI/93.3 (Bennington-Omaha) has changed its callsign to KFFF following its flip to Classic Country as "The Wolf" earlier this month. Meanwhile, the station's former "Twister" New Country format is now being heard on the HD2 channel of KXKT/103.7 (Glenwood-Omaha). (1/24/2012)

MINNESOTA:
Minneapolis Home Shopping Network station K43HB has converted from analog to digital broadcasting and continues to carry HSN on channel 43.1. It's the 38th digital TV channel in Minneapolis, excluding duplicates, for households that can receive all of the area's stations. The conversion leaves Univision affiliate WUMN-LP/13 as the last analog TV signal in the Twin Cities. WUMN currently has no construction permit or application to convert to digital, but still has three years to make the change under FCC rules. (1/18/2012)

NEBRASKA:
Norfolk has gained four local digital TV signals. Pappas Telecasting converted its two Norfolk translators to digital shortly before the end of 2011. K30BP stayed on its current channel in a flash-cut to digital relaying KMEG (Sioux City), which carries CBS on 14.1 and Azteca America on 14.2. KPTP-LP moved from channel 57 to 31 and relays KPTH (Sioux City), which carries FOX on 44.1 and ThisTV and MyNetworkTV on 44.2. Meanwhile, Pappas' translators in Spencer, IA, went silent and its translators in Storm Lake, IA, were already off the air. (1/18/2012)

WISCONSIN:
Translator W272CN/102.3 (Ashland) is now carrying Wisconsin Public Radio's 24-hour Classical service from WHSA-HD2/89.9 (Brule), marking the first time WPR's HD2 Classical service has been available on analog radios. The network, heard on HD2 signals of WPR stations across the state, simulcasts WPR's News & Classical network in the midday, evening, and overnight, but switches to national Classical programming when the main network is carrying NPR's morning and afternoon news programs and weekend programming. W272CN is formerly W275AF/102.9, which moved to its new frequency to make way for Northland College's future station. W275AF had carried WPR's Ideas Network via KUWS/91.3 (Superior), which became unnecessary once full-power Ideas station WUWS/90.9 (Ashland) signed on last year. WPR also has a construction permit for a new station on 104.7 licensed to Ashland which will displace W284AN/104.7 (Ashland), which relays WHSA's main channel of NPR News & Classical music. (1/16/2012)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Translator K300BG/107.9 (Grand Forks) is now relaying the News/Talk format of KNOX/1310. The translator had originally launched in 2010 as "Rock 107.9," originating at KGFK/1590 (East Grand Forks). The Rock format was also heard on K239BG/95.7 (Grafton) when it moved to Grand Forks last fall, and KGFK relaunched as "95.7 The Hills" last week. K300BG transmits from the southwest part of the city and has a weaker signal than K239BG in many areas. The stations are owned by Leighton Enterprises. (1/16/2012)

IOWA:
In a followup to a story posted here last month, the FCC has approved a frequency change for a Cedar Rapids-area translator that specified KZIA/102.9 as the station to be rebroadcast. K246BE/97.1 (Williamsburg) will move to 96.9 as K245AE and change its community of license. It'll upgrade to 165 Watts but keep its current transmitter location between East Amana and Walford, with its main coverage area not reaching Cedar Rapids. (1/16/2012)

WISCONSIN:
NRG Media's WLJY/96.7 (Whiting-Wausau) has changed its callsign to WHTQ following its format change to Contemporary Hits as "Hot 96-7." The WLJY callsign had been in use in the market for more than three decades. (1/16/2012)

MINNESOTA:
The WLTE callsign, formerly used at "Buz'n@102-9" (KMNB Minneapolis), is now assigned to a silent non-commercial FM station in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. FCC records indicate the Toccoa Foundation station became WLTE on Jan. 5, about a week after KMNB dropped it after more than a quarter-century of use. But one has to wonder if it'll stick: The new WLTE has changed its callsign six times over the past four years. The station received its license last year and filings indicate it has never been on the air for more than several days. (1/16/2012)

IOWA/ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
Classic TV network Me-TV is adding several more Upper Midwest affiiates: KGCW (Burlington-Quad Cities), WLAX (La Crosse), and WEUX (Chippewa Falls-Eau Claire). [La Crosse and Eau Claire are one market but have separate sets of transmitters.] Me-TV's website indicates KGCW will begin carrying the network on Jan. 16 or later. It's already on WLAX/25.2, replacing a simulcast of NBC affiliate WEAU which had been carried while its tower was reconstructed. KGCW also carries CW and ThisTV, while WLAX/WEUX is a FOX affiliate. Me-TV, based in Chicago, launched nationally a year ago and already has carriage in 14 of 24 Upper Midwest markets. (1/13/2012)

NORTH DAKOTA:
WDAY/970 (Fargo) has applied to increase its power from 5kW to 10kW but move its transmitter about 25 miles southeast to a site near Barnesville, MN. The station is currently non-directional during the day and directional at night; under the application, it would use different directional patterns day and night. WDAY is owned by Forum Communications and carries a News/Talk format. (1/11/2012)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KTGO/1090 (Tioga), which has been operating from a temporary longwire antenna since the loss of its previous site in July for reasons not specified in FCC filings, has applied to move to a new tower next door to the old site. It would increase its daytime power slightly from 1kW to 1.1kW and add nighttime power of 6 Watts, enough to provide interference-free service to most of Tioga. (1/11/2012)

WISCONSIN:
WSPT/1010 (Stevens Point) has changed its callsign to WPCN coinciding with the launch of FM translator W221CN/92.1, which is licensed to Marshfield but actually transmits from Stevens Point. WPCN carries a News/Talk format by day and the True Oldies Channel in the evening, overnight, and on weekends. The callsign change helps differentiate WPCN and its FM translator from WSPT-FM/97.9. WSPT-FM also carries the True Oldies Channel for part of the day but switches to the syndicated Tom Kent show in the evening. (1/10/2012)

ILLINOIS/IOWA/NEBRASKA:
Live Well Network has announced affiliation agreements with Citadel Communications' stations starting Jan. 16, including WHBF (Rock Island-Quad Cities), WOI-TV (Ames-Des Moines), KCAU (Sioux City), and KLKN (Lincoln). It's not immediately clear whether Live Well would replace existing subchannels on all of the stations, but Jeff Korbelik of the Lincoln Journal Star tweeted it would replace RTV on KLKN/8.2. WOI and WHBF also currently carry RTV on their .2 channels, while KCAU carries weather. (1/9/2012)

ONTARIO/MINNESOTA:
Shortly before the new year, CFOB-FM/93.1 (Fort Frances) tweaked its format from Adult Contemporary to a mix of AC and Classic Hits, similar to the format used by its sister Acadia Broadcasting station in Kenora. With the change, CFOB changed its slogan from "B93" to "The Border," reflecting its international coverage. (1/9/2012)

POST-CHRISTMAS FORMAT CHANGE SUMMARY: