February 2003

SOUTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
WNCB "The Refuge" translator K213DI/90.5 (Milbank) has signed on, reaching Ortonville, MN, and much of the Whetstone Valley. (2/25/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Many personality moves in central Minnesota: Storm Davis has left the morning slot at KZPK/98.9 for afternoons at KS95 as Staci Mathews; Paige Turner leaves KS95 mornings to join KZPK's morning show as Amy Foxx; Anne Kelly leaves KS95; and Travis Wold leaves KZPK and KKLN/94.1 for a job in Kansas City. (2/25/2003)

MINNESOTA:
10kW TBN station K54HA/54 (Albert Lea) has signed on. (2/21/2003)

MINNESOTA CLARIFICATION:
As reported earlier, KOWZ-FM/100.9 (Blooming Prairie-Owatonna) has affiliated with ABC's "StarStation" Adult Contemporary format. However, the station is only carrying the network in late evenings and overnight, with local programming at other times. (2/20/2003, corrected 2/21)

MICHIGAN/WISCONSIN:
Jeffrey N. Eustis has received a construction permit for a new station on 650 in Manistique. The station will operate with 30kW day, 20kW during critical hours (from sunrise to two hours after sunrise and from two hours before sunset to sunset), and 212W at night, with different day and night directional patterns. The station's main daytime coverage area will stretch stretch along a narrow band from Newberry, MI, to Door County, WI. Eustis also holds CP's for new stations in Julian, CA, and Frankston, TX. (2/20/2003)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
Another batch of construction permits for new low power TV stations...

NORTH DAKOTA:
KGBZ/100.7 (Harwood-Fargo) has dropped its `80s Hits format and will begin a Smooth Jazz format this afternoon. The station has been simulcasting with sister "Kool 96.7" (KVMI Arthur) while changes are made. KGBZ and KVMI are owned by Tom Ingstad North Dakota Broadcasting. (2/19/03)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio expects its two Fergus Falls stations to sign on by April 8. KCMF/89.7 will carry MPR's Classical network and replace a translator for the same service that currently operates on that frequency. KNWF/91.5 will carry MPR's News/Talk network. Both will be 2.7kW at 66m, using a directional antenna. (2/19/03)

MICHIGAN:
Michiguide.com reports that 100kW WGLI/98.7 (Hancock) has signed on with Hard Rock as "The Rockin' Eagle." The station is owned by Keewanaw Bay Indian Community, which also owns WCUP/105.7 (L'Anse). (2/15/03)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
A few construction permits have been issued for new low-power TV stations:

NEBRASKA:
390W KLJV/88.3 (Scottsbluff) has signed on to carry the "K-Love" network, replacing a local translator on 88.7. (2/15/03)

WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin Public Radio Ideas Network morning talk host Tom Clark has announced his retirement after 27 years with the network. WPR is conducting a nationwide search for a replacement. Clark's last morning show will be on April 30th, but he may continue to co-host the weekly show "Zorba Pastor On Your Health," which is sydnicated nationally. (2/14/03)

MINNESOTA/NEBRASKA:
Construction permits have been issued for new low-power FM stations in Bemidji, MN, and Callaway, NE. Bemidji Religious Education Broadcasting's station will be on 92.3, and Callaway Village Radio's station will be on 102.7. (2/14/03)

WISCONSIN/IOWA:
At the request of the applicants, the FCC has dismissed eight applications for LPFM stations filed by Lyle Evans on behalf of others under various "Educational Association" names. The applications that have been dismissed were for 105.5 Ladysmith, 96.3 Merrill, 100.5 Mosinee, 97.3 Oconto, 105.3 Port Washington, 92.3 Steven's Point, 107.7 Sturgeon Bay, and 93.5 Ottumwa, IA. (2/14/03)

MINNESOTA:
Applications for four Minnesota LPFM stations are moving forward after the applicants changed the proposed frequencies:

WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications' WRIG/1390 (Schofield-Wausau) has applied to increase power to 10kW day and 7.3kW night and modify both the day and night directional patterns. The station is currently 5kW day and night. (2/14/03)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Red River Broadcasting has received a construction permit for a low-power TV station in Milbank, expected to relay NBC affiliate KDLT/46 (Sioux Falls). K47IC/47 (Milbank) has actually been on the air for more than five years under a special temporary authority, broadcasting with 7.6kW. (2/13/03)

IOWA/NEBRASKA:
The FCC is considering a proposal to allot 106.5 to Woodbine, IA, for a future class A (6kW/100m) station. A station using the allotment would provide a good signal to Harrison County, which does not currently have a radio station. The change would require KEXL/106.7 (Norfolk, NE) to change its class from C to C0. No actual facility changes would be made at KEXL, however -- class C0 was created for existing class C stations do not operate at maximum facilities but still block new stations or upgrades. (2/7/03)

NEBRASKA:
The FCC has dismissed Sutton Radio Company's petition to allot 105.3 to Sutton for a class C2 (50kW/150m) station. The facility could have served Grand Island and Hastings. The proposal was dismissed because Sutton Radio Company filed a request for dismissal of its petition, and the FCC cannot consider proposed new allotments unless at least one party has expressed interest in applying for a station. (2/7/03)

IOWA/WISCONSIN:
Radio Dubuque's new WVRE/101.1 (Dickeyville-Dubuque) has signed on with a Country format. The station first came on the air January 25, stunting with Polkas and construction noises. The Country format, called "101.1 The River," began on Tuesday (2/2). The station's morning host is Mike Kenneally, who has worked in Chicago, Cedar Rapids, the Quad Cities, Wausau, and Oklahoma City. Brian Davis is the station's Program Director and afternoon host. WVRE is a class A facility, transmitting from the same tower used by sister station KATF/92.9. (2/6/03)

WISCONSIN:
WZRK/1550 (Lake Geneva) has returned to the air with Catholic programming from EWTN Radio. The station left the air several years ago and was recently purchased by Starboard Broadcasting. (2/6/03)

MICHIGAN:
There have been big additions to Upper Peninsula TV sets over the past few weeks with the long-awaited sign-on of two new stations. ABC affiliate WBUP/10 (Ishpeming) has signed on, and FOX affiliate WMQF/19 (Marquette) is testing, according to Michiguide.com. Previously, only affiliates of CBS, NBC, and PBS could be received in much of the central U.P. (2/4/03)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC has granted Pensacola Christian College a construction permit for a new translator on 91.9 in Medina, on the west side of the Twin Cities metro. K220IQ will transmit from north-central Medina with 75W at 111m, vertical only, using a directional antenna. The translator should reach parts of Maple Grove, Plymouth, and Orono. It will relay WPCS Pensacola, FL. (2/4/03)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has approved the sale of KBMW/1450 (Breckenridge-Wahpeton) to Triad Broadcasting, dismissing a petition to deny filed by Randy K. Holland Investments. Holland Investments owns KGBZ/100.7 (Harwood-Fargo) and argued that KBMW's sale to Triad would cause concentration in Fargo-Moorhead advertising dollars. The FCC concluded that KBMW does not reach a sizeable portion of the Fargo-Moorhead market and does not show up in ratings there, so its sale to Triad could not have an adverse effect on the market. The KBMW sale was part of a deal in which Triad manages KGWB/107.1 (Wahpeton), which has a construction permit that would allow it to serve the Fargo-Moorhead area. Triad has an option to purchase KGWB but is prohibited from doing so by ownership caps. (2/4/03)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has approved a large settlement agreement and issued four construction permits for new non-commercial stations:

WISCONSIN:
Venite Adoremus has received a construction permit for a low-power (100W) station on 92.5 in Marinette. (2/4/03)

WISCONSIN:
Former Duluth radio personality Todd Ryan has returned to his hometown Rhinelander, and is now the morning host at "Hits 100" (WRHN/100.1). (2/4/03)

NEBRASKA:
The FCC has alotted 107.9 to Arthur as a class C1 (100kW/299m) station. Arthur is in western Nebraska and is the seat of Arthur county, population 444. There is a site restriction of 8km northwest of Arthur. The new allottment joins three other unused allottments that would serve the Ogallala-North Platte region. (2/2/03)

NEBRASKA:
Eternal Broadcasting's KCRO/660 (Omaha) has received a construction permit for nighttime operation of 54W nondirectional. The station is currently daytime-only. (1/28/03)