March 2011

WISCONSIN:
WAXX/104.5 (Eau Claire) returned to its regular frequency less than a week after the collapse of the WEAU-TV/13 tower silenced TV13 and WAXX. 104.5 signed back on the air Tuesday using a temporary antenna mounted on the tower at the WEAU studio, which is also the regular transmitter site for WQOW/18 and WUEC/89.7. The temporary 2.4kW/171m facility gives WAXX coverage of Eau Claire, but not much of the rural coverage southeast of the city its 100kW signal normally enjoys from the Fairchild tower site. WAXX's Country format had temporarily been heard on WECL/92.9 (Elk Mound-Eau Claire) after the March 22 tower collapse. The station posted photos of the installation of the temporary facility on its Facebook page, and you can also see images of the downed tower on the NorthPine.com Facebook page. (3/31/2011)

WISCONSIN:
Green Bay's FOX 11 (WLUK-TV) has applied to more than double its power, from 17.19kW to 40kW. Though the station did not give a reason for the proposed upgrade in its application, a number of digital TV stations broadcasting on VHF have reported difficulty reaching viewers, especially those with indoor antennas. WLUK is the only station broadcasting on VHF in northeastern Wisconsin. The upgrade would add a few miles to its coverage area and strengthen the signal closer in. (3/31/2011)

NEBRASKA:
The Lincoln Journal Star's Jeff Korbelik reports that Sports will be the new format for KOLB/93.7 (Firth-Lincoln), which plans to change its callsign to KNTK. It'll carry FOX Sports Radio and local programming as "The Ticket" with a target launch date of mid-June. As reported here in February, Home Field Communications is in the process of buying the station from VSS Catholic Communications for $250,000. It recently upgraded to 6kW from a tower between Firth and Hickman, giving it rimshot coverage of Lincoln. (3/29/2011)

MINNESOTA:
Alexandria's Selective TV system has lost most of the national channels that were once part of its 17-channel UHF lineup. The only major channels remaining are MSNBC and The Weather Channel, with Discovery, Hallmark, and The History Channel disappearing in the last year. The system once scrambled some national channels but went in the clear about a decade ago, and Selective TV's president told the Alexandria Echo Press last year that the national channels were uncomfortable being carried in the unscrambled format. Besides MSNBC and The Weather Channel, the system's current offerings include eight broadcast channels, C-SPAN, FamilyNet, and Shaw TV, an anchorless news channel intended for Shaw cable systems in Canada. Selective TV has also added two digital translators carrying PBS stations KWCM/10 (Appleton) and KAWB/22 (Brainerd). Complete listings are on the Alexandria Dial Guides page.

In other Minnesota low-power TV news, K28IF (Willmar) has been converted to digital after being transferred to UHF TV, Inc., which owns most other TV translators in Willmar. K28IF is carrying the standard five-channel TBN lineup. The only analog translator remaining in Willmar is K30FZ, which carries KSAX-ABC. Farther north, Three Angels Broadcasting Network's K47KZ-D (Wadena) is now showing up on PSIP channel 47 rather than 73 and is carrying three 3ABN channels and two audio-only channels. And in Walker, digital LPTV station K21HX-D is mixing SD feeds of KMSP-FOX, KARE-NBC, and KSAX-ABC along with a local weather channel on 21.4. The weather channel is simulcast on digital LPTV station K51KE-D, with other subchannels reserved for future local programming. (3/29/2011)

WISCONSIN:
WAXX/104.5 (Eau Claire) is proposing returning to the air with a temporary, lower-power facility after the collapse of the tower it shared with WEAU/13 (Eau Claire) last week. WAXX proposes using 2.4kW at 171m above average terrain from the tower at the WEAU building in Eau Claire already used by WQOW/18 and WUEC/89.7. The temporary facility will give WAXX coverage of Eau Claire, but not much of the rural coverage southeast of the city it normally enjoys. WAXX's Country format is temporarily being heard on sister station WECL/92.9 (Elk Mound-Eau Claire) until 104.5 returns to the air. (3/28/2011)

MICHIGAN:
WIHC/97.9 (Newberry-Sault Ste. Marie) apparently won't be returning to the air anytime soon. The 100kW Northern Star Broadcasting station went off the air, citing economic reasons, when Northern Star sold its other U.P. stations a year ago. The original special temporary authority to remain silent was due to expire March 25. On March 23, the station filed another application for STA to remain silent, saying it had gone off the air on March 22, 2011. (In such cases, stations typically return to the air for a brief period and then go silent again; the exact circumstances were not listed in the latest application.) The latest application repeats an earlier statement that the station is silent due to the depressed economy in northern Michigan and that Northern Star is exploring the possibility of a sale. WIHC had previously simulcast the "Bear" Classic Rock format heard on several Northern Star stations in the lower peninsula. (3/28/2011)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has granted South Dakota Public Broadcasting a construction permit for a new station on 90.3 in Watertown. It'll use 35kW/71m (class C2) from a tower in Watertown, filling in a gap in city-grade coverage between SDPB's Brookings and Pierpont/Aberdeen transmitters. (3/28/2011)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC has proposed a $4,000 fine against FOX 9 (KMSP Minneapolis) for airing a video news release from General Motors in 2006 without identifying it as company video. The FCC held that even though the station received no consideration for airing the VNR, it was in violation of FCC rules because the story purported to report on summertime demand for convertibles but only showed GM vehicles. KMSP now has thirty days to either pay the fine or file a statement seeking a reduction or cancellation. (3/25/2011)

WISCONSIN:
In the wake of its tower collapse earlier this week, WEAU (Eau Claire) says its programming in La Crosse will move to WLAX/25.2 on Friday. It had been seen for the last few days on W50DR/50.1, which normally relays the NBC affiliate from Rochester, MN. WEAU's programming is also being seen in Eau Claire on WQOW/18.3. The combined coverage of WQOW and WLAX reaches most of WEAU's normal coverage area and extends farther south, but misses parts of central Wisconsin. Here's a map comparing the coverage areas. The feed is only in standard definition, though WEAU is providing an HD feed to Charter Cable, which is also carrying its 13.2 weather subchannel. (3/24/2011)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC has denied a request by ABC affiliate WISN-TV/12 (Milwaukee) to black out ABC programming from WLS-TV/7 (Chicago) on the Racine cable system. FCC rules allow cable systems to carry out-of-market stations without blackouts if the station is considered "significantly viewed" in the county in question, and WLS-TV is considered "significantly viewed" in Racine County. The rules allow one station to challenge another's "significantly viewed" status by submitting updated ratings data. However, in this case, the FCC found WISN-TV did not submit adequate data to conclusively show that WLS-TV is no longer "significantly viewed" in Racine. (3/23/2011)

WISCONSIN:
Programming from WEAU/13 (Eau Claire) and WAXX/104.5 (Eau Claire) is back on the air at other spots on the dial after the stations' 2,000-foot tower near Fairchild collapsed Tuesday night. WEAU's regular lineup of local news, NBC, and syndicated programming is being seen on WQOW/18.3 (Eau Claire), displacing ThisTV, and W50DR/50.1 (La Crosse), which normally relays the Rochester, MN NBC affiliate. Charter cable, DirecTV, and DISH Network have restored WEAU's signal. WEAU says its HD feed should be available on Charter sometime Thursday.

Meanwhile, WAXX's Country format is temporarily being carried on the smaller signal of WECL/92.9 (Elk Mound-Eau Claire), displacing the "Big Cheese" Classic Rock format normally heard on WECL. Both stations are owned by Maverick Media. The "Big Cheese" continues to stream online at 929thebigcheese.com. (3/23/2011)

WISCONSIN:
WEAU/13 (Eau Claire) reports its tower near Fairchild collapsed Tuesday night. No one was injured. The exact cause of the tower collapse was not immediately known, but severe weather was moving through the region. The tower is also used by WAXX/104.5 (Eau Claire). The 2,000 foot tower is about 30 miles southeast of Eau Claire, a location that also gives WEAU coverage of La Crosse and central Wisconsin. The station said it was working on alternative means to make its programming available to viewers. It is continuing to offer regularly-scheduled newscasts through streaming video at weau.com. (3/22/2011)

IOWA:
KMRY/1450 (Cedar Rapids) is closer to getting an FM simulcast. KMRY owner Sellers Broadcasting is in the process of buying translator K227BL/93.3 (Anamosa) from Extreme Grace Media, which completed a move to Marion earlier this month. It's now off the air with an application pending to move to a final site in northwest Cedar Rapids. The translator would move to 93.1 and use 250 Watts, enough to provide a strong signal to most of Cedar Rapids. KMRY carries a locally-originated Soft Oldies format with CBS News on the hour. (3/22/2011)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
New station KSLP/90.3 (Fort Pierre) is on the air, relaying "Power 107.3" (KSLT Spearfish-Rapid City). Both stations are owned by Bethesda Christian Broadcasting. KSLP uses 2kW/56m. KSLT had previously been heard on K272CJ/102.3 (Fort Pierre), which was deleted in 2006. (3/21/2011)

WISCONSIN:
WCLB/950 (Sheboygan) has dropped ESPN Radio in favor of FOX Sports Radio and is now known as "The Game." WCLB had carried ESPN since switching to the Sports format seven years ago. (3/21/2011)

HORIZON TRANSLATOR SALE:
Horizon Christian Fellowship is selling 73 FM translators nationwide, including 21 in the Upper Midwest, to First Ventures Capital Partners for $250,000. The desire for FM translators has increased in recent years due to FCC rulings allowing FM translators to relay AM or HD2 signals. Most, if not all, of the translators are currently off the air and have never been on the air for an extended period of time. They include:
Iowa: K205EZ Boone, K289BI Davenport, K213EP Eagle Grove, K236BB Fort Dodge, K279AN Marshalltown, K274BT Mt. Pleasant, K258BG Oskaloosa, K299BA Ottumwa, K237DH Pella, K248AY Sioux City, K230AT Winterset
Minnesota: K273BQ Blue Earth, K204FM Fairmont
North Dakota: K288FF Bismarck
South Dakota: K264AY Chamberlain, K237EL Huron, K296FI Pierre, K207EB Redfield
Wisconsin: W214BS Black River Falls, W290AZ Marshfield, W220DR Neillsville (3/21/2011)

IOWA/ILLINOIS:
Educational Media Foundation's WLKU/98.9 (Rock Island, IL), which normally uses 100kW, has been at reduced power of 174 Watts since Feb. 7 due to damage to its antenna. The "K-Love" station is using an interim antenna while it waits for a replacement antenna to be installed. (3/21/2011)

NEBRASKA:
Dawn Adventist Broadcasting is donating the construction permit for a new non-commercial FM station in Aurora to Radio 74 Internationale. The CP for a new station on 91.9 with 25kW/42m expires June 13, and Radio 74 Internationale is seeking an 18-month extension. (3/21/2011)

IOWA:
It appears a Williamsburg FM translator may be headed towards Cedar Rapids. Extreme Grace Media's K246BE/97.1 is currently licensed to transmit with 9 Watts from Williamsburg; it's applied to move its transmitter towards the northeast and change frequency to 96.9, using 227 Watts. It appears it would take several more moves to get the translator to Cedar Rapids, if that is the plan, since translators can only change facilities if the new and old coverage areas overlap. K246BE is not included in Extreme Grace Media's pending sale of KXGM-FM/89.1 (Hiawatha-Cedar Rapids) and six other translators to Educational Media Foundation. (3/16/2011)

MINNESOTA:
An FM translator move isn't stopping at Hutchinson: K288GE/105.5, which recently applied for a license to cover its construction permit to move to Hutchinson, has now applied to move to Silver Lake. The translator, owned by Radio Power, Inc., started its journey in Olivia a few years ago and also visited Buffalo Lake. Translators can only change facilities if the new and old coverage areas overlap. (3/16/2011)

WISCONSIN:
In a deal preliminarily reported here several months ago, Durand Broadcasting is buying WQOQ/1430 (Durand) from Zoe Communications for $20,000. Durand Broadcasting is owned by Karla and Brian Winnekins of Durand. Brian Winnekins is currently the Ag Director for "Cow 97" (WCOW/97.1 Sparta-La Crosse). WQOQ has been off the air for much of the past several years and had formerly simulcast with FM sister station WDMO/95.9, which has a construction permit to move to Baldwin on 95.7. The stations were formerly WRDN AM-FM. (3/15/2011)

WISCONSIN:
The last tower in what was originally Wisconsin's "state FM network" would be replaced under Gov. Scott Walker's capital budget proposal. It includes $521,700 for tower replacement at Wisconsin Public Radio's WHSA/89.9 (Brule), a project which already has $234,973 from the federal Public Telecommunications Facilities Program. The tower was built in the 1950's along with a half-dozen others around the state, but all of the others have since been replaced. According to the governor's proposal, "Recent inspection reports identified several twisted members on the tower which indicates a weakening of the infrastructure. A tower collapse would take the station off the air for months."

The governor also proposes $1,204,200 to the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board to replace broadcast equipment, including the antenna at WHBM/90.3 (Park Falls). The governor's proposals now go to the legislature for consideration. (3/15/2011)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
"97.9 The Point" (KTPT Rapid City) and "Power 107.3" (KSLT Spearfish) are now operating at about 70 percent of normal power. The stations, which normally use 100kW/579m, had been operating at about 10 percent of normal since a January ice storm damaged their shared antenna on Terry Peak. Now, the stations tell the FCC the antenna has been repaired, but a consulting engineer is still needed to re-tune the transmitters. That is expected to happen next month. (3/15/2011)

IOWA/NEBRASKA:
South Central Oklahoma Christian Broadcasting is picking up construction permits for one station in Iowa and two in Nebraska in two multi-state deals. It'll buy KNHU/89.9 (Humboldt, NE), KNEF/90.1 (Franklin, NE), and a station in Wyoming from Union Valley Baptist Church for $10,000. In a separate deal, it'll buy KOIA/88.1 (Storm Lake) and five other stations outside the Upper Midwest from Ron Elmore Ministries for $10,000. The CP's are due to expire in the coming months, and the buyer is requesting 18-month extensions. South Central Oklahoma Christian Broadcasting owns four stations in Oklahoma and one in Texas, and a CP for a fifth station in Oklahoma. (3/15/2011)

WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN:
Green Bay's FOX 11 (WLUK) is back on DISH Network after an eight-day absence due to a retransmission consent dispute. The satellite provider and WLUK owner LIN Media reached a deal with undisclosed terms covering LIN stations in 17 markets. (3/13/2011)

IOWA:
"Hits 105.9" is the new format for Connoisseur Media's KZWF (Patterson-Des Moines), which recently completed an upgrade adding coverage of Des Moines. KZWF has a rimshot signal to the capital city, using 15kW/129m (class C3), and is prevented from moving much closer by existing stations on adjacent frequencies. The station originally signed on in 2008 with 900 Watts, carrying Classic Country until going silent. (3/10/2011)

CUMULUS ACQUIRES CITADEL:
After a few weeks of exclusive negotiations, Cumulus Media announced Thursday morning it had reached a deal to acquire Citadel Broadcasting. The transaction values Citadel at approximately $2.4 billion. Cumulus expects the transaction to be completed by the end of the year. Citadel has 225 stations, including the former ABC radio group, while Cumulus has 347. Citadel's holdings include stations in Minneapolis and Des Moines, while Cumulus has groups in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Dubuque, Waterloo, Rochester, Faribault/Owatonna, Sioux Falls, Bismarck, Appleton, and Green Bay. (3/10/2011)

MINNESOTA:
There's another major shift in Twin Cities sports radio: the Gophers are leaving WCCO. On Wednesday, the University of Minnesota announced a new partnership with Clear Channel's KFAN/1130 and KTLK-FM/100.3 and Hubbard Broadcasting's KSTP/1500. Beginning with the 2011-2012 season, Gopher football broadcasts will air on KFAN/KTLK and Gopher men's and women's basketball and men's hockey will air on KSTP. The Gophers had aired on WCCO for decades, though Gopher hockey has been heard on KSTP in the past. In recent years, WCCO has also lost the Vikings to KFAN/KTLK and the Twins to KSTP, but is still the flagship for the Minnesota Wild. (3/10/2011)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Another new station could be coming to the Bismarck market. Midnation Media LLC has applied to move KNDH/102.3 (Hettinger) closer to the capital city, changing its community of license to New Salem with a transmitter southwest of Mandan. It would use 51kW/161m (class C1), enough to provide a city-grade signal to Bismarck. If the move is approved, KNDH would be the fourth new commercial FM to sign on in the Bismarck market since 2006. KNDH has never had regular programming and is currently off the air. Midnation Media is owned by Karl Lieber (40%), Roger Ingram (40%), and Aaron Ishmael (20%), all of Windsor, CO. (3/10/2011)

NORTH DAKOTA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has fined the licensees of KBJM/1400 (Lemmon, SD) and KNDC/1490 (Hettinger, ND) $7,000 each for failure to file timely license renewal applications. Michael J. Schweitzer is the sole shareholder of KNDC licensee Schweitzer Media and majority shareholder of KBJM licensee Media Associates. The FCC says the stations' license renewal applications should have been filed by Dec. 1, 2004, and the stations' licenses expired on April 1, 2005. The FCC wrote to the licensees more than a year later to tell them their licenses expired and the stations shouldn't be on the air, at which time the stations then sought special temporary authority to continue broadcasting and filed renewal applications. The FCC eventually renewed the licenses but proposed the fines in 2007. The licensees argued the fines should be reduced due to their history of compliance and also argued that the statute of limitations had expired. Now, the FCC has rejected the licensees' arguments and finalized the $7,000 fines. (3/10/2011)

NEBRASKA:
Calvary Chapel Omaha has signed on, or will soon sign on, new station KZLW/90.1 (Gretna). Although Gretna is known in the broadcasting industry as being the locale of a large broadcast tower, KZLW actually transmits from a tower with Wahoo with 100kW/20m, delivering a fringe signal to Omaha. (3/7/2011)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Christian broadcaster VCY America signed on KVCH/88.7 (Huron) at 2 p.m. Feb. 24. The new station uses 60kW/121m from a tower near Alpena also used by KJRV/93.3 (Wessington Springs). VCY also has full-power stations in Freeman and Gregory and translators in Mitchell and Pierre. KVCH's sign-on led Jimmy Swaggart's K204DW/88.7 (Mitchell) to apply to move to 89.3. (3/7/2011)

MICHIGAN:
Houghton Community Broadcasting, headed by Stephen Marks, is buying WCCY/1400, WOLV/97.7, and WHKB/102.3 (Houghton) from Heartland Communications Houghton License, LLC for $535,000. Marks, who lives in Ishpeming, also owns Lake Superior Community Broadcasting, the owner of Marquette-market ABC/CW TV affiliates WBUP/10 (Ishpeming) and WBKP/5 (Calumet). His holdings include a total of nine radio stations and five TV stations through various licensees. (3/6/2011)

WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN:
DISH Network customers lost "FOX 11" (WLUK) Saturday morning amid a dispute over how much DISH should pay to carry WLUK and other LIN Media stations. The dispute affect 27 LIN stations in 17 markets nationwide. Both sides say talks continue. (3/6/2011)

WISCONSIN:
Sinclair Broadcasting's WCGV-TV/24 (Milwaukee) has applied to increase its power from 625kW to 1000kW, the maximum for digital TV stations. The upgrade would add a few miles to WCGV's coverage area and intensify the signal closer in. The current and proposed coverage areas are compared on page 12 of this document. (3/6/2011)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN:
CW affiliate KDLH/3.2 (Duluth)-KRII/11.2 (Chisholm) has gained satellite carriage on DirecTV channel 7 and DISH Network channel 11. The CW feed replaces the NBC feed of KRII/11.1, which simulcasts NBC with KBJR/6.1. The addition is somewhat unusual since satellite providers typically don't carry subchannels. (3/2/2011)

ONTARIO:
CKPR-FM/91.5 (Thunder Bay) wants to expand its reach to Atikokan. The Dougall Media station, which carries an information-intensive Adult Contemporary format, proposes a 180-Watt rebroadcaster on 93.5 in Atikokan. The town of about 3,300 people receives reliable signals from only two other stations -- an FM CBC Radio One transmitter and an AM rebroadcaster of a Fort Frances station. Numerous Atikokan residents and officials submitted letters supporting CKPR's application. (3/2/2011)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
There's a move to prevent a translator from moving to 97.9 in the eastern Twin Cities metro area so the frequency can instead be used for low-power FM.

W239AM/95.7 (Hudson, WI), which relays KNXR/97.5 (Rochester), applied to move its transmitter to Woodbury, MN and change frequency to 97.9. Such large frequency moves aren't normally allowed for translators, but W239AM says it has to change frequency because of the pending sign-on of WDMO/95.7 (Baldwin, WI) and is seeking a waiver of FCC rules.

However, Jeff Sibert, in an informal objection filed with the FCC last week, says W239AM did not prove another frequency was not available and says the move to 97.9 would take away the only frequency that may be available for low-power FM in St. Paul. The frequency was not available under the rules in place when LPFM applications were accepted in the last decade, but Congress recently voted to allow LPFM stations on third-adjacent channels (frequencies 0.6 MHz away from local stations).

Translators are allowed on third- and second-adjacent frequencies, and in recent years new translators have been granted on or near frequencies that might have otherwise been available for third-adjacent LPFM stations in the metro area (93.1, 97.7, 103.5, 104.7). A complete list is available here. (3/1/2011)