WISCONSIN:
NRG Media and Donald Seehafer are trading some stations. NRG will get WLRK/107.9 (Wausau), and in exchange, Seehafer will get WDLB/1450 (Marshfield), WOSQ/92.3 (Spencer-Marshfield), WFHR/1320 (Wisconsin Rapids), and $3.7 million. The deal will split up several longtime AM-FM partners: Seehafer retains WXCO/1230 (Wausau), while NRG retains WLJY/106.5 (Marshfield) and WGLX/103.3 (Wisconsin Rapids), as well as WYTE/96.7 (Whiting-Stevens Point). (2/27/2006)
WISCONSIN:
Cumulus Media's WNAM/1280 (Neenah-Menasha) has received a construction permit to upgrade its daytime power from 5kW to 50kW, which will improve the station's signal to Green Bay. Here's a coverage map. WNAM will continue to use 5kW at night, with different directional patterns day and night. (2/27/2006)
NEBRASKA:
New owners have flipped KSWN/93.9 (McCook) from News/Talk/Sports to Adult Contemporary as "U.S. 93-9." Legacy Communications recently bought KSWN and KIOD/105.3, which remains Country. KSWN continues to carry Sports Nightly from 6-8 p.m. and updates from ESPN Radio as part of its new format. Gone are Bob and Sheri, Rush Limbaugh, and Dr. Laura. (2/26/2006)
NEBRASKA:
The Kearney Hub reports that Legacy Communications' Grand Island Family Radio group will manage new 100kW KKJK/103.1 (Ravenna). Legacy owns four existing stations in the Grand Island market and says the new station's studio will be in either Grand Island or Kearney. KKJK is owned by Community Radio, Inc., which won the station in FCC Auction No. 37. (2/26/2006)
MINNESOTA/ONTARIO:
The FCC has approved another new allotment for Grand Portage, MN, this one for a future class C (100kW/600m) station on 102.7. Allotments for class C on 92.7 and class C0 (100kW/450m) on 96.9 were also recently approved for Grand Portage, and could potentially serve the Thunder Bay, ON, market. However, that may not be the case for 102.7, since a 50W CILU already uses the frequency in Thunder Bay, and Canadian regulators negotiated to allow the station to remain on the air after the Grand Portage station signs on. The three new Grand Portage allotments will go up for auction at a future date. (2/26/2006)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
American Family Radio's KASD/90.3 (Rapid City) has signed on. The new 1kW station forces a previous Family Radio (separate network) translator off the frequency, but Family Radio recently signed on KQFR/89.9 (Rapid City). KQFR actually transmits from Terry Peak near Lead. (2/24/2006)
FOX TO LAUNCH NEW NETWORK:
Following the announcement that UPN and WB will sign off to make way for the CW, FOX has announced plans for another new network, called "My Network TV." The network will be carried on ten FOX-owned stations, including WFTC/29 (Minneapolis), and will seek affiliates in other markets. The network will be on the air Mondays-Saturdays from 7-9 p.m. Central time, a schedule similar to UPN's. My Network TV signs on Tuesday, September 5. For the first 13 weeks, the network will air two telenovela-style shows each night Monday-Friday. (2/23/2006)
WISCONSIN:
WRGX/88.5 (Sturgeon Bay) says it will drop its Christian Rock format unless listeners donate $120,000 by March 1. The station is owned by Family Educational Broadcasting of Door County, which also owns WPFF/90.5 (Sturgeon Bay). (2/23/2006)
WISCONSIN:
Days after flipping WROE/94.3 (Neenah-Menasha-Appleton) to Variety Hits, Midwest Communications has adopted the same format one market north at the former "Wild 99.7" (WLYD Sturgeon Bay-Green Bay). The former Rhythmic Hits format gave way for Variety Hits as "The Bay" this weekend, with the new callsign WZBY. (2/19/2006)
WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications' WROE/94.3 (Neenah-Menasha-Appleton) has tweaked its Adult Contemporary format towards a broader Variety Hits-type format, and has dropped Delilah. (2/14/2006)
IOWA:
KDAO/1190 (Marshalltown) has dropped its locally-originated Big Band/Swing format in favor of ABC's Stardust format. (2/13/2006)
NEW AM/FM CONSTRUCTION PERMITS:
NEW LOW-POWER FM CONSTRUCTION PERMITS:
NEW LOW-POWER TV CONSTRUCTION PERMITS:
NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
Ed Schultz is back on the air in Fargo. Triad's KQWB/1660 has picked up Schultz's syndicated show from 2-5 p.m., bumping Joe Soucheray to 5-8 p.m. and Michael Savage off the schedule. Schultz's national show is still produced across the street at Clear Channel's KFGO/790, which recently dropped the show. (2/10/2006)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Prairie Public Television has signed on KMDE-DT/25 (Devils Lake). The new 134kW digital station has no analog counterpart. (2/10/2006)
WISCONSIN:
Starboard Media is buying four construction permits for new translators from Sister Grace, Inc. The CP's are for 95.9 Fort Atkinson, 106.5 Janesville, 97.1 Shawano, and 92.9 Wisconsin Dells. Starboard operates the Relevant Radio network, which carries Catholic programming. (2/10/2006)
ABC RADIO MERGES WITH CITADEL:
The $2.7 billion merger will split the ownership of 1440 and 92.5 in the Minneapolis market for the first time. The new Citadel will own 22 current ABC stations in 9 markets, including KQRS, 93X, and the Drive 105 trimulcast in the Twin Cities. However, Disney will retain ownership of ESPN Radio and Radio Disney, as well as owned-and-operated Radio Disney affiliates, including KDIZ/1440 (Golden Valley-Minneapolis) and WKSH/1640 (Sussex-Milwaukee). Citadel will own the ABC Radio Networks and ABC's 24-hour formats, such as Real Country and Oldies Radio. After the merger is complete, Disney shareholders will own 52% of Citadel, while current Citadel shareholders will own 48%. Citadel currently owns stations in 49 markets, including Des Moines. (2/7/2006)
MINNESOTA/ONTARIO:
The FCC and the Canadian government have approved another new allotment to Grand Portage, MN, which could potentially serve the Thunder Bay market. The station on 92.7 could operate with up to 100kW at 600m (class C). An allotment for 96.9, class C0 (100kW/450m), was also recently approved for Grand Portage. The frequencies will be put up for auction at a later date. A proposal to allot 102.7 to Grand Portage for a future class C station is still under consideration. (2/7/2006)
NEBRASKA/IOWA:
KMTV/3 (Omaha) has a new look now that Journal Broadcasting has taken over the CBS affiliate. "KM3" became "Action 3 News" at the start of the February ratings period. See the new graphics here. (2/5/2006)
ILLINOIS/IOWA:
WHTS/98.9 (Rock Island) has switched to the Educational Media Foundation's "K-Love" Christian Adult Contemporary format under the callsign WLKU. 98.9's long-running Contemporary Hits format ended at Midnight 2/3-2/4 with Don McLean's "American Pie," and the station returned to the air Saturday evening with K-Love. Mercury Broadcasting sold the station to EMF, ending a joint sales agreement with Clear Channel, which continues to operate Mercury-owned WKBF/1270 (Rock Island). (2/5/2006)
NORTH DAKOTA:
The Educational Media Foundation has signed on three new stations in the Bismarck area. 5.5kW KBMK/88.3 (Bismarck) is carrying the K-Love network, and 250W KNRI/89.7 (Bismarck) is carrying the Air 1 network. There's no report on EMF's KVLQ/89.1 (Lincoln), which is south of Bismarck and has also applied for a license to cover its construction permit. At last report K-Love was also still heard on translator K207CA/89.3 (Bismarck). (2/5/2006)
AUCTION 62 ENDS:
After 61 rounds, the FCC closed bidding on 171 new FM construction permits across the country on Tuesday. Here's a list of winning bids in the Upper Midwest, and here are some of the highlights:
| Upper Midwest Broadcasting: News/Main | IA | MN | NE | ND | SD | WI | MI |