March 2007

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
Leighton Broadcasting's KZLT/104.3 (East Grand Forks, MN-Grand Forks, ND) has reverted to mainstream Adult Contemporary as "Lite Rock 104.3." The station had carried an adult-leaning Contemporary Hits format since September 2005, but carried an AC format before that. The Grand Forks market does not have any other AC station. The new lineup includes John Tesh in the afternoon. (3/27/2007)

IOWA:
Davidson Media is selling 1kW KXLQ/1490 (Indianola-Des Moines) to Birach Broadcasting. The purchase price for KXLQ has not yet been publicly disclosed, though it was one of four stations Davidson sold to three groups for a total of $7.1 million. KXLQ has been off the air for most of the past two years, except for a short-lived spanish-language format after the station's sale to Davidson. In a recent request for authority to remain off the air, Davidson said it was unable to enter into a permanent agreement with its most recent programming source and is looking for a replacement. (3/22/2007)

MINNESOTA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
All Access reports that Armada Media is buying four stations along the Minnesota/South Dakota border for a combined $2.9 million: KDIO/1350 (Ortonville), KPHR/106.3 (Ortonville-Watertown), KMSD/1510 (Milbank), and KBWS/102.9 (Sisseton). Robert E. Ingstad owns all of KBWS licensee Pheasant Country Broadcasting, and 90 percent of Big Stone Broadcasting, the licensee of KDIO, KPHR, and KMSD. Jeffrie S. Kurtz of Milbank owns the remaining 10 percent of Big Stone. Armada Media also owns a group in Aberdeen, which it bought from Robert and Todd Ingstad last year. Since then, Armada has entered several other markets, and will have a total of 25 stations with this purchase. (3/21/2007)

IOWA:
Coloff Media LLC is buying KHAM/99.5 (Britt) from the Estate of Lyle Evans for $10,000. The station signed on just before Evans' death in March 2006. KHAM is currently licensed for just 200W, but can likely be upgraded to full class A facilities (6kW/100m), and Coloff agreed to raise the purchase price to $25,000 if this is proven. At 6kW, KHAM's main coverage area could include Algona. Coloff Media's Anthony and Susan Coloff, who own half of the company, also own KIOW/107.3 (Forest City). Their son, James Coloff of Cedar Falls, owns the other half of Coloff Media, which also owns one station in Manchester, IA; Coloff Media has the same structure as Fife Communications LLC, which owns three stations in the Waterloo market. (3/21/2007)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
NRG Media's KLXS/95.3 (Pierre) has flipped from "XS95" Hot Adult Contemporary to Classic Hits/Hot AC "Bob FM." The six-station market has a remaining Hot AC, Robert E. Ingstad's KGFX-FM/92.7. (3/21/2007)

MINNESOTA:
250W "Refuge Radio" translator K270DZ/101.9 (New Ulm) signed on Saturday (3/17). K270DZ gets Refuge Radio/WJRF (Duluth)'s signal via translator K204FA/88.7 (Nicollet). (3/21/2007)

NEBRASKA:
92-Watt translator K229BI/93.7 (Omaha) has signed on, carrying the Bott Radio Network via KLCV/88.5 (Lincoln). 93.7 transmits from just a half-mile away from K224DJ/92.7 (La Vista), which also relays KLCV, and both stations have nearly identical coverage areas. (3/20/2007)

WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
Molly Nichols has joined WXOW/19 (ABC, La Crosse) as weekday evening co-anchor. Nichols last worked at KGAN/2 (CBS, Cedar Rapids) and worked at Lakeland Public Television in Bemidji/Brainerd before that. (3/20/2007)

WISCONSIN:
Some former WTMB/94.5 (Tomah) staffers have moved back to "Cow 97" (WCOW/97.1 Sparta-La Crosse) following WTMB's switch from Country to Classic Rock. Those who've made the move include morning team Mike Burns Gilbert and Steve Peterson (who is also general manager), midday hose Jake Preston, news reporter Clary Harris, and farm reporter Brian Winnikens. (3/20/2007)

WISCONSIN:
WKBH/100.1 (West Salem-La Crosse) has moved to "Classic Rock that Really Rocks" following the sign-on of Classic Rock competitor 105.5 "The Zoo" (WFBZ Trempeleau). (3/20/2007)

WISCONSIN:
"Cool Oldies WPVL" (107.1 Platteville) has added ABC's "True Oldies Channel" from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The station had carried ABC's "Oldies Radio" in the past. They've also added Dick Clark's "Rock, Roll, & Remember" on Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at Noon. (3/20/2007)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Robert E. Ingstad is buying the construction permit for a new station in the Pierre market. College Creek Media LLC won the CP for 100.3 licensed to Presho in FCC Auction No. 37 with a $414,000 bid. It was originally for a class A (6kW) station, but College Creek upgraded it to class C1 (100kW/299m). Ingstad's James River Broadcasting, which owns three of the other six commercial stations in the Pierre market, will pay $450,000 for the station. College Creek also holds the CP for a class A station on 104.9 licensed to Murdo. It has applied to upgrade that CP to 100kW/199m (class C1) on 104.5, which would cover Pierre as well. The Murdo station is not included in this deal. (3/17/2007)

MINNESOTA:
After years in limbo, the FCC has granted a license to WZFJ/100.1 (Pequot Lakes-Brainerd). The 5.2kW Minnesota Christian Broadcasters Inc. station has been operating under program test authority since it signed on in 2002. The FCC rejected two complaints: one from DJ Broadcasting, former owner of the former KBKK/95.9 (Pillager), about interference by WZFJ to KBKK, and another from Carol J. DeLaHunt, who questioned whether MCBI was financially qualified to be a licensee. Click here to read more. (3/13/2007)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC has renewed the license of Clear Channel's WISN/1130 (Milwaukee), rejecting a petition to deny filed by Marvin J. Tick based on a host's use of the word "wetbacks." In its decision, the FCC said the First Amendment and federal code "prohibit the Commission from censoring programming material or interfering with broadcasters' free speech rights. This holds true even if the material broadcast is insulting to a particilar minority or ethnic group in the station's community." (3/13/2007)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
After a weekend of stunting, KRVI/95.1 (Barnesville, MN-Fargo) has become KBVB "Bob 95 FM" with a Country format and the Chris, John, and Jane morning show, formerly heard on Triad's KLTA/105.1 (Breckenridge). The change from Adult Alternative is the latest adjustment following James D. Ingstad's purchase of the former Clear Channel group. Clear Channel's departure from the market meant the end of Country on two other signals, KFAB-FM/92.7 (Kindred) and KDAM/104.7 (Hope), with 92.7 becoming non-commercial Christian KFNL under Northwestern College's ownership, and Adult Contemporary "Mix 104.7" KMXW debuting on the other frequency. 95.1's new format can still be heard online through the River95.com website. (3/12/2007)

MINNESOTA:
KZTG/1470 (Brooklyn Park-Minneapolis) has changed its callsign to KRJJ, but continues its Gospel format with the new slogan "ReJoicing in Jesus." KRJJ is the fourth callsign used on 1470 in the last fifteen months. (3/9/2007)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
KRVI/95.1 (Barnesville, MN-Fargo) has dropped its "River 95" Adult Alternative format and is stunting. This morning, the station was repeating "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport." KRVI is a former Clear Channel station now owned by James D. Ingstad, who has already changed one station's format (104.7) and tweaked programming at two others (790 and 101.9). The station has already been promoting that the "Chris, John and Jane" morning show, formerly heard on Triad's KLTA/105.1, will return on 95.1 next Monday, March 12. (3/8/2007)

WISCONSIN:
Gateway Technical College's WGTD/91.1 (Kenosha) and Del Reynolds' W247AC/97.3 (Green Bay) have both been fined $7,000 for more than two years of unlicensed broadcasting and failure to file timely license renewal applications. Both stations' licenses expired on December 1, 2004, but W247AC did not apply for license renewal until April 29, 2005, and did not seek special temporary authorization to remain on the air. WGTD did not file its license renewal application or seek an STA until March 13, 2006. The FCC has now renewed both licenses. As earlier mentioned here, the FCC does not consider this type of unlicensed broadcasting to fall into the same category as "pirates" because the stations were previously licensed. (3/8/2007)

MINNESOTA:
KARE 11 has announced plans for a 4 p.m. news/lifestyle program hosted by Diana Pierce and Pat Evans, beginning May 30. The half-hour show will also be streamed on kare11.com. Pierce will continue to co-anchor KARE 11 News at 5, but Julie Nelson will take Pierce's spot at 6 p.m. and continue to co-anchor at 10 p.m. as well. The new 4:00 show goes head-to-head with KSTP's "5 Eyewitness News at 4," which launched last fall. (3/8/2007)

MINNESOTA:
Longtime Twin Cities morning radio host John Hines will move from Country K102 to News/Talk KTLK-FM/100.3 on March 19, according to the Star Tribune. Both stations are owned by Clear Channel. Hines has been on morning radio in the Twin Cities for most of three decades, including years at KSTP/1500 and WLOL/99.5 before moving to K102, detailed in this essay about Hines' late co-host Charlie Bush by broadcast historian Jeff Lonto. (3/7/2007)

MINNESOTA:
DX-midAMerica reports that KCAJ/102.1 (Roseau) has dropped its variety format in favor of Contemporary Hits as "Wild 102." The change follows KCAJ's sale to Joseph Bain. (3/7/2007)

WISCONSIN:
WisconsinBroadcasting.com reports Cumulus' WZNN/106.7 (Allouez-Green Bay) launched a new Alternative format as "The Zone" at 1:06 p.m. Tuesday (3/6). The station previously carried Classic Rock as WJLW. You can hear audio of the launch at WisconsinBroadcasting.com. (3/7/2007)

WISCONSIN:
WJZI/93.3 (Milwaukee) has dropped "Jazz" from its name and is now just "Smooth 93.3," having transitioned more towards a mainstream Adult Contemporary format, reports the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The playlist still includes some Smooth Jazz artists. Milwaukee does not have a major mainstream AC station. (3/6/2007)

WISCONSIN:
WisconsinBroadcasting.com reports that the former WJLW/106.7 (Allouez-Green Bay, now WZNN, has dropped its Classic Rock fromat and is stunting. Cumulus market manager Greg Jessen tells the Green Bay Press-Gazette an announcement about the station's future will be made at 1:06 p.m. Tuesday. (3/6/2007)

NORTH DAKOTA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has fined another two commercial stations $7,000 apiece for fifteen months of unlicensed broadcasting and failure to file timely applications for license renewal. The latest fines are to Media Associates' KBJM/1400 (Lemmon, SD) and Schweitzer Media's KNDC/1490 (Hettinger, ND). The licenses for both stations expired on April 1, 2005. On July 12, 2006, both stations applied for special temporary authorization to remain on the air. The FCC has now renewed both licenses. (3/5/2007)

MINNESOTA:
KFAI/90.3 (Minneapolis) plans to be off the air on Tuesday, March 13, and Wednesday, March 14, to move its transmitter and antenna from the Foshay Tower to the IDS Center. KFAI has broadcast from Foshay since 1984, but new owners have evicted all tenants as part of a building redevelopment. The FCC has approved a special temporary authorization for KFAI to use 30W/241m from IDS, which mostly replicates the current 125W/134m signal from Foshay. KFAI has also applied to use a directional antenna with 900W/241m from IDS, adding coverage to St. Paul and the southeast. The directional antenna is required to prevent increased interference to several other stations. (3/4/2007)

IOWA/ILLINOIS:
The Quad City Times and All Access report that Cumulus Media plans to return the "97X" moniker to WXLP/96.9 (Moline, IL-Quad Cities), but will save the current "97 Rock" format by moving it to KBOB/104.9 (De Witt, IA-Quad Cities). The move displaces the "River" Country format currently heard on 104.9. The two frequencies will simulcast the "Rock 104-9" format beginning Monday, March 5, with 97X relaunching with a Classic Hits format a week later. Bill Dwyer and Greg Michaels, last heard in the market on Clear Channel's Q106.5, will return to mornings on 97X, their original home, on July 1. (3/2/2007)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
More changes following James D. Ingstad's takeover of the former Clear Channel group in Fargo: KFGO/790 has reverted to CBS News, according to the Fargo Forum. Clear Channel had switched KFGO to FOX News as part of a national agreement with the network. (3/1/2007)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
KDAM/104.7 (Hope-Fargo) has flipped from Country to Adult Contemporary as "Mix 104.7" following James D. Ingstad's purchase of the station from Clear Channel. The new format debuted at 6 a.m. Thursday (3/1). It's the second format change resulting from Clear Channel's departure from the market, since KFAB-FM/92.7 (Kindred) went from Country to non-commercial Christian as KFNL under Northwestern College's ownership. On the dial, "Mix 104.7" is right next door to longtime market AC KLTA/105.1 (Breckenridge), owned by Triad Broadcasting. (3/1/2007)

WISCONSIN:
What's Cumulus Media up to with WJLW/106.7 (Allouez-Green Bay)? FCC records indicate the Classic Rock station's callsign was legally changed to WZNN on Wednesday (2/28). Stay tuned. (3/1/2007)