March 2014

NEBRASKA:
Salem Radio's KGBI/100.7 (Omaha) has adopted the "Fish" slogan used by other Salem Contemporary Christian stations. (3/31/2014)

FCC LIMITS TV JOINT SALES AGREEMENTS:
The FCC has adopted a Report & Order limiting the usage of joint sales agreements between TV stations, which could have an impact on several Upper Midwest markets.

The R&O says that agreements which allow one station to sell more than 15 percent of the advertising on another station will be considered attributable ownership. The order will apply to all agreements that allow advertising sales whether or not they are specifically called a JSA. Unless stations receive a waiver, such agreements will have to be unwound within two years. Existing JSA's will not be grandfathered.

It's not immediately clear exactly which stations might be affected since the FCC has not kept data on the amount of advertising sold under JSA's and other agreements, but stations in Cedar Rapids, Omaha, Lincoln/Tri Cities, Sioux City, Rochester, Duluth, and Fargo have agreements that may include joint sales. Several proposed station sales in the Upper Midwest were already facing extra scrutiny under a previous FCC announcement.

Commissioner Mignon Clyburn cast Monday's deciding vote, siding with Chairman Tom Wheeler and Jessica Rosenworcel in the 3-2 decision. Clyburn said the review of JSA's and Shared Service Agreements had uncovered "glaring abuses," while Commissioner Ajit Pai said the R&O ignores public interest benefts from JSA's.

In a press conference following the vote, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said suggestions that the Commission is putting pressure on broadcasters because of an upcoming incentive auction are "baloney." (3/31/2014)

MINNESOTA:
Clear Channel is now offering two '80s Hits formats in the Twin Cities: The HD2 signal of KQQL/107.9 has switched from "Kool 1-0-80's" to iHeartRadio's "My 80s." "Kool 1-0-80's" has resurfaced on the HD2 signal of KTCZ/97.1, replacing the iHeartRadio New Music Channel. It's the fourth format KTCZ-HD2 has carried in the last two years. However, it's not clear how long KTCZ-HD2 will be carrying "Kool 1-0-80's" since the format is still ID'ing as KQQL despite its current location on KTCZ. (3/30/2014)

ONTARIO:
Acadia Broadcasting's CKTG-FM/105.3 (Thunder Bay) has flipped to "Country 105," dropping a "Giant" mix of Classic Hits. The changeover happened Friday, according to the station's Facebook page. 105.3 had carried a Country format as "Kixx 105" (CJLB) until switching to Contemporary Hits in 2002 and then Classic Rock as "The Giant" in 2005. 100kW "Country 105" competes head-on with Dougall Media's "The Thunder" simulcast on 10-Watt CKED-FM/103.5 (Shuniah) and 50-Watt CFQK/104.5 (Kaministiquia/Oliver Paipoonge). The surplus of Country formats is a switch from the mid-2000's when the format was absent from the market. There are only five commercial formats serving the city of more than 100,000 people; Acadia also owns Contemporary Hits "Magic 99.9" (CJUK-FM) while Dougall also owns Adult Contemporary CKPR-FM/91.5 and "Rock 94" (CJSD-FM/94.3). Several potential commercial FM stations are poised to launch from just over the border in Grand Portage, MN. (3/30/2014)

MANITOBA:
The saying in the radio industry is that a frequency that changes format every year or two is cursed, and now a Winnipeg radio station wants to get away from the curse by changing frequency. Dufferin Commications has applied to move CFJL-FM/100.7 to 100.5, telling the CRTC that the station has been through a half-dozen formats since 2002 and "the frequency itself has become stigmatized as 'a station no one listens to.'" CFJL relaunched its Adult Contemporary format as "The Jewel" last December but says listeners continue call the station a "loser" and advertisers call it "last in the market." The owners believe moving CFJL one notch down on the dial will help the station shed some of its negative baggage. CFJL would also increase from 80kW to 100kW, which would increase the signal's intensity within Winnipeg but not add much population to the overall coverage area. (3/30/2014)

WISCONSIN:
There are several pending FM translator moves in the Milwaukee area. Here's the latest:

Cornerstone Community Radio's W284CI/104.7 (Milwaukee) has applied to move to 93.9, using 250 Watts from a site in Wauwatosa. The facility would cover much of the metro area, a far cry from the currently-permitted facility that would only reach a tiny area of northern Milwaukee.

The FCC recently approved the sale of W250BN/97.9 (West Allis) to El Sol Broadcasting, the owner of Latin Adult Contemporary WZTI/1460 (West Allis), and the new owners have applied for another facilty change. W250BN, which Radio Power, Inc. moved in from Beloit, is currently licensed to transmit from near Muskego and has a construction permit to move to the WJTI tower in West Allis. El Sol has now applied to move W250BN to downtown Milwaukee with 250 Watts.

You may recall an earlier item saying that Kevin J. Youngers had applied to move W289CB/105.7 (Milwaukee) to 105.1 from a site in Bayside, where it would relay Entercom Sports station WSSP/1250 with 10 Watts. Youngers has since modified the application to keep the translator on 105.7 from the Milwaukee antenna farm but upgrade to 200 Watts, which would cover most of the metro area. WSSP is still specified as the primary station.

As previously reported, Milwaukee Radio Alliance is buying translator W262CJ/100.3 (Milwaukee) from Mary Medicus and plans to use it to relay "Martini Radio" (WZTI/1290 Greenfield). No application has been filed to change the originally permitted facility, which calls for 12 Watts from far northern Milwaukee. (3/30/2014)

IOWA:
CBS 2 (KGAN Cedar Rapids) plans to make its move from RF channel 51 to RF channel 29 in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 5, according to announcements running on the station and its website. The Sinclair Broadcast Group station will contine to remap to channel 2.1 after the change, but over-the-air viewers will have to rescan their TV's to receive the new station. KGAN will continue to use 850kW at 585m from a tower midway between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. It's leaving channel 51 because the FCC auctioned off channels 52 to 69 for wireless use but failed to leave a buffer between TV channel 51 and the new wireless frequencies. (3/28/2014)

LOW-POWER TV/TRANSLATOR LICENSES DELETED:
The FCC has been cleaning house, so to speak, in its TV database: It's deleted more than a dozen low-power TV/translator stations that failed to apply for license renewal. Among those deleted:

Sioux Falls Independent oulet KCPO-LP/26: The G.I.G., Inc. station had originally launched as a UPN affiliate and continued as an independent after the affiliation went to KELO-DT2. Though the FCC informed KCPO its license was being deleted, the station's fate is unclear because Midcontinent Cable still has program listings for KCPO on cable channel 2. Also deleted is G.I.G.'s KVNJ-LP/2 (Fargo), which acted as a translator of co-owned KCPM/27 (Grand Forks).

Three translators and one LPTV in Ottumwa, Iowa: K23CI, K25DE, and K27CV had been owned by the Ottumwa Area Translator System and were last reported to be carrying KCCI-CBS, WHO-NBC, and KYOU-FOX. Also deleted was New Moon Communications' KUMK-LP/42, a former TBN station that New Moon had once touted as a future NBC affiliate.

Translator systems in North Dakota: K07EZ and K09EZ were owned by the Beulah Chamber of Commerce while K07JA, K09JR, and K11QD were owned by the City of Hazen.

Others deleted: K26IY (Ames, IA); K46EY (Ames, IA); K29EA (Des Moines, IA); K45FR (Olivia, MN); K50IZ (Duluth, MN); K42FY (Dickinson, ND); K44HR (Willison, ND); K06OA (Eau Claire, WI) (3/26/2014)

MINNESOTA:
WWJC/850 (Duluth) has begun carrying VCY America, a Milwaukee-based Christian network, under the new callsign WQRM, ending a local Christian format that had aired on WWJC for more than a half-century. VCY bought the station from WWJC, Inc. in a $400,000 deal that received FCC approval last week. WQRM uses 10kW nondirectional daytime but has no nighttime authorization. (3/25/2014)

IOWA/ILLINOIS:
The owner of KROS/1340 (Clinton) is buying an FM translator that already has a construction permit to move to the KROS tower. KROS Broadcasting will pay First Ventures Capital Partners $23,250 for W290AW/105.9 (Savanna, IL). W290AW is currently licensed for 10 Watts from a site midway between Savanna and Clinton and has a CP to broadcast with 250 Watts from Clinton. KROS carries a News/Talk/Sports format. (3/24/2014)

NEBRASKA:
The operator of KOAQ/690 (Terrytown-Scottsbluff) is buying an FM translator to relay the station. Armada Media is buying K269DO/101.7 (Scottsbluff) from My Bridge Radio for $12,500. My Bridge Radio no longer needs the translator after upgradinging KPNY/102.3 (Alliance) to provide a stronger signal to Scottsbluff. KOAQ, which is owned by Legacy Communications and operated by Armada, carries a Regional Mexican format. (3/24/2014)

WISCONSIN/IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
A station in the Green Bay market will apparently be divested as part of a national media merger announced Friday morning. Media General, the owner of ABC affiliate WBAY-TV/2 (Green Bay), is merging with LIN Media, the owner of FOX 11 (WLUK Green Bay) and CW 14 (WCWF Suring-Green Bay). The press release announcing the $1.6 billion deal mentioned that some stations would be divested but didn't say which ones. Ownership rules prohibit one company from owning more than one of the top four stations in a market. Media General also owns NBC affiliate KWQC/6.1 (Davenport) and CBS affiliates KELO-TV/11.1 (Sioux Falls) and KCLO/15.1 (Rapid City), while LIN also owns CBS affiliate KIMT/3.1 (Mason City). (Media General had owned KIMT until selling it in 2006 to New Vision Television, which sold it to LIN last year.) The combined company would be called Media General and would have 74 stations in 46 markets if the deal is approved by the FCC. (3/21/2014)

WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications is buying the construction permit for translator W221DA/92.1 (Howard-Green Bay) from David M. Stout for $65,000. Midwest's WNFL/1440 (Green Bay) was already listed as the primary station for W221DA, which is permitted for a 250-Watt signal covering Green Bay. (3/17/2014)

IOWA:
O-Town Communications is buying the construction permit for translator K299BA/107.7 (Ottumwa) from First Ventures Capital Partners for $25,000. The application to transfer the license says K299BA will relay KLEE/1480 (Ottumwa), which O-Town is buying from FMC Broadcasting. K299BA's CP calls for 50 Watts from downtown Ottumwa. (3/17/2014)

WISCONSIN:
New station WHOH/96.5 (Rhinelander) has signed on as "Sports Radio 96.5" carrying CBS Sports Radio, nationally-syndicated Dan Patrick from 8-11, and regionally-syndicated Bill Michaels from 11-2. The station's website also lists affiliations with the Brewers and Badgers. WHOH is owned by Bruce Grassman's Results Broadcasting, which also owns Country station "Coyote 93.7" (WCYE Three Lakes-Rhinelander) and was the winning bidder for new FM stations licensed to Crandon and Tomahawk in an FCC auction last year. WHOH uses 6.8kW/193m (class C3) from the WJFW-TV tower. The sign-on forced Radio 74 Internationale's W244BU/96.7 off the air; it has applied to move to 98.7. (3/15/2014)

NEBRASKA/IOWA:
As expected after KTFJ/1250 (Dakota City, NE-Sioux City) changed format, an FCC application has been filed to transfer the license from the Estate of Donald Swanson to Cup O' Dirt, LLC. The buyer will pay $12,500 for the station, which changed its callsign to KZOI after adopting the "Sunny" '80s Hits format also heard on Cup O'Dirt's KZOY/1520 (Sioux Falls, SD) and FM translator K221FO/92.1 (Sioux Falls). Cup O' Dirt is owned by John and Heidi Small of Sioux Falls. KTFJ had carried Christian formats since it signed on in 1990; it uses 500 Watts daytime and 700 Watts nighttime from a site east of Sioux City, using different day and night antenna patterns. (3/15/2014)

MICHIGAN:
Nexstar Broadcasting announced Thursday that the new news operation at CBS affiliate WJMN-TV/3.1 (Escanaba-Marquette) will launch sometime in April. "Local 3" will carry newscasts at 6 and 11 p.m. weekdays originating from a new facility west of Marquette, replacing simulcasts of newscasts from sister station WFRV/5.1 (Green Bay, WI). Cynthia Thompson, a veteran of both of the other TV newsrooms in the market, is the news director. The station has numerous newsroom jobs posted on its website. (3/13/2014)

ONTARIO:
CKPR-DT/2 (Thunder Bay) has again asked Canadian regulators for permission to disaffiliate from CBC-TV and operate as an independent station. The Dougall Media station had made a similar request in 2010 but then reached a new deal with the CBC in 2011, which is due to expire this year. CKPR is asking the CRTC for permission to end its CBC affiliation on Aug. 31, but would like the option of continuing the affiliation until 2016 if it can't find other programming. The station says it has not reached an agreement with any other program provider. It would continue its current amount of newscasts if the disaffiliation is granted. CKPR is operated alongside CHFD/4, which switched from CTV to Global in 2011. There are no other commercial TV stations in the city. (3/13/2014)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN/NORTH DAKOTA/NEBRASKA:
The sales of several Upper Midwest TV stations will apparently face more scrutiny under a new FCC policy detailed in a Public Notice released Wednesday. The new policy calls for extra scrutiny of deals that include a combination of shared services agreements and option agreements. Pending transactions that apparently fit the criteria include the sales of CBS affiliate KDLH/3.1 (Duluth) from Malara Broadcast Group to SagamoreHill Broadcasting, CBS affiliate KXJB-TV/4.1 (Valley City-Fargo) from Parker Broadcasting to Excalibur Broadcasting, NBC affiliate KHAS-TV/5.1 (Hastings) from Hoak Media to Excalibur Broadcasting, and FOX affiliate KNDX/26.1 (Bismarck) from Prime Cities Broadcasting to Excalibur Broadcasting. Quincy Newspapers would run KDLH alongside NBC affiliate KBJR/6.1 (Superior-Duluth), which it is buying from Granite Broadcasting, and would have an option to buy KDLH. Gray TV would run KHAS alongside its existing CBS affiliate KOLN/10.1 (Lincoln), KNDX alongside NBC affiliate KFYR-TV/5.1 (Bismarck), and KXJB alongside NBC affiliate KVLY-TV/11.1 (Fargo), with the latter two NBC affiliates being purchased from Hoak Media. Gray would have options to buy all three Excalibur stations. The Public Notice says the commission is concerned that companies in such situations "may obtain a degree of operational and financial influence that deprives the licensee of the second station of its economic incentive to control programming." It said companies proposing to transfer licenses will have the burden of showing that the proposed transfer is "consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity." (3/12/2014, added additional stations 3/13)

WISCONSIN:
Former Radio Disney affiliate WKSH/1640 (Sussex-Milwaukee) is being sold to a Christian broadcaster, but not the one originally indicated in an FCC filing: Starboard Media is buying WKSH from Disney for $725,000. Starboard operates the "Relevant Radio" Catholic network, which is also heard in the Milwaukee area on WPJP/100.1 (Port Washington). Wilkins Radio Network was once poised to buy the station, according to an application to transfer the license of a Virginia station to Wilkins filed last November, but an application to transfer WKSH to Wilkins was never filed. WKSH stopped carrying Radio Disney and went silent last September but briefly returned to the air on a few separate occasions until the FCC granted its request for special temporary authority to remain silent. WKSH is licensed for 10kW daytime and 1kW nighttime, non-directional. (3/12/2014)

IOWA:
Jomast Corporation, the ownwer of Oskaloosa's two radio stations, is buying an FM translator in Oskaloosa. Jomast will pay First Ventures Capital Partners $25,000 for K258BG/99.5; the deal was signed last August but not filed with the FCC until this week. Jomast's KBOE/740 was already specified as the station to be rebroadcast under a construction permit to relocate 99-Watt K258BG to the KBOE tower. 740 currently simulcasts a Country format with KBOE-FM/104.9. (3/12/2014)

NEBRASKA:
KBRY/92.3 (Sargent) could be on the air this summer and will have its studio in Broken Bow, according to a job posting on the Nebraska Broadcaster's Assocation's website. Mid Nebraska Broadcasting, LLC is looking for a general manager, sales manager, news and sports director, and other on-air positions to be filled by June 1. KBRY is currently licensed on 92.1 for just 110 Watts but has a construction permit to upgrade to 100kW on 92.3, delivering a strong signal to Broken Bow and Ord. Mid Nebraska Broadcasting is headed by Mark G. Jensen, who also owns KNLV/1060 and KNLV-FM/103.9 (Ord) through MWB Broadcasting II, LLC. KBRY will compete with Custer County Broadcasting's KCNI/1280 and KBBN/95.3 (Broken Bow). (3/10/2014)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications' WGEE/970 (Superior-Duluth) has dropped Nostalgia for CBS Sports Radio and continues to carry NASCAR programming. WGEE had carried ESPN from the early 2000's until switching to the "Music of Your Life" network in 2008. It competes with Townsquare Media's "ESPN 560" (WEBC Duluth) and Red Rock Radio's "FAN 1490" (KQDS Duluth), the latter of which carries the regional FAN Network and FOX Sports Radio. (3/7/2014)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC has reinstated applications for three low-power FM (100-Watt) stations in Minneapolis that had originally been dismissed because of an error on an FCC list. The Main Street Project, The Organizing Apprenticeship Project, and Pillsbury United Communities all applied for LPFM stations on 98.9 but the FCC dismissed them, saying they were too close on the dial to a radio reading service supposedly carried on an analog subcarrier of Minnesota Public Radio's KSJN/99.5. The FCC has now reinstated the applications after the stations submitted documentation showing that KSJN does not actually carry the service, which is actually on MPR's KNOW-FM/91.1.

South Minniapolis (sic) Community Radio also had its application for an LPFM station on 98.9 licensed to St. Paul dismissed because of the incorrect subcarrier listing. It separately filed a petition for reconsideration arguing that the proposed signal would not be strong enough to interfere with a radio reading service but doesn't mention that the service doesn't actually exist on KSJN. Its application status remains "dismissed" in the FCC database as of Friday.

Meanwhile, the FCC has dismissed a petition for reconsideration stemming from a similar error in Rochester. The FCC says Rochester Civic Media was four days too late in filing its petition regarding a proposed LPFM station on 88.1. The FCC had dismissed that application based on a mistaken listing showing the radio reading service was carried on MPR's KMSE/88.7 (Rochester). (3/7/2014)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC recently granted upgrades that will allow to FM stations to improve their signals to Bemidji. Country-formatted KKCQ-FM/96.7 (Bagley) will upgrade from 25kW/100m (C3) to 25kW/176m (C2), while Contemporary Christian outlet KKEQ/107.1 (Fosston) upgrades from 50kW/147m (C2) to 64kW/194m (C1). Both stations are owned by Pine to Prairie Broadcasting. KKEQ's signal is also relayed on a number of translators owned by Shine the Light, Inc. (3/7/2014)

MINNESOTA:
The company that's been programming a Hmong-language format on KFXN/690 (Minneapolis) for the past several years is buying the station outright. Asian American Broadcasting, LLC will buy the station for $225,000 from MMTC Broadcasting LLC, which received it as a donation from Clear Channel in 2010. Asian American Broadcasting is owned by Kongsue Xiong and Xeng Xiong of St. Paul. KFXN is licensed for 500 Watts daytime and 4 Watts nighttime, with full metro coverage during the day. (3/6/2014)

NEBRASKA:
A company headed by the former president of Waitt Media is buying R&R Broadcasting's group of three radio stations northwest of Omaha. Walnut Radio LLC, headed by Steve Seline, will pay $1.25 million for "Mix 105.5" (KFMT-FM Fremont), KHUB/1340 (Fremont), and "Country 97.3" (KBLR-FM Blair). The buyer has been operating the stations under a local marketing agreement since March 1. Seline, who is also the current chairman of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, was president of Waitt when it owned the stations in the early 2000's. Walnut Radio will be the fourth company to own the group in the past two years: In 2012, NRG Media sold the stations to Community First Media of Nebraska, which then sold them to Rick Siebert's R&R Broadcasting last fall. (3/6/2014)

IOWA/NEBRASKA:
KTFJ/1250 (Dakota City, NE-Sioux City) has ended its decades-old Christian format and is now running a 30-minute promotional loop of "Sunny Radio," and `80s format based at KZOY/1520 and K221FO/92.1 (Sioux Falls). Announcements say the station will soon begin carrying the format on a regular basis with a callsign change to KZOI planned. The Sioux Falls "Sunny" is run by John Small's Cup O' Dirt, LLC. KTFJ is owned by the Estate of Donald Swanson and had been simulcasting the Bott Radio Network with KTFG/103.3 (Sioux City), which Community Broadcasting bought from the Estate following Swanson's death. Swanson signed on AM 1250 in 1990. It uses 500 Watts daytime and 700 Watts nighttime from a site east of Sioux City, using different day and night antenna patterns. (3/5/2014)

IOWA:
Saga Broadcasting is buying an FM translator that's poised to move to Des Moines. Saga will pay First Ventures Capital Partners $87,500 for K230AT/93.9 (Winterset), which has a construction permit to move its transmitter to Des Moines on 93.7 as K229CC. The application to transfer the license says the translator will relay Clear Channel's WHO/1040, which would seem to be an unusual situation since Saga and Clear Channel are competitors. WHO had also been specified as the primary station on the application to move the transmitter to Des Moines. (3/5/2014)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has granted Bott Communications, which operates the Christian-formatted Bott Radio Network, a huge new AM daytime signal in western South Dakota. The new station on 860 will be licensed to Black Hawk and use 50kW daytime and 350 Watts nighttime, using different day and night antenna patterns from a four-tower array southeast of Rapid City. The daytime signal could be strong enough to reach parts of a half-dozen states; the nighttime signal won't be as impressive but should still provide interference-free service to Rapid City. Bott applied for the new station ten years ago and found itself in competition with Jet Fuel Broadcasting's application for a new station on the same frequency in Orchard Homes, MT. Last month, the FCC upheld its 2007 decision that essentially said Bott's application is preferential because Black Hawk is more independent from Rapid City than Orchard Homes is from Missoula. (3/4/2014)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC has approved the sale of W250BN/97.9 (West Allis-Milwaukee) from Radio Power Inc. to El Sol Broadcasting, which plans to use it to relay its Latin Adult Contemporary-formattted WJTI/1460 (West Allis-Milwaukee). W250BN is currently licensed to transmit from Muskego and has a construction permit to move its transmitter to West Allis with 250 Watts; the community of license will change from West Allis to Milwaukee as part of the move. The FCC had held up approval of the move over questions about how Radio Power moved the translator from Beloit to Milwaukee, which the regulator eventually dropped. (3/4/2014)

WISCONSIN:
One less AM, one more FM: The FCC recently granted a construction permit for a new FM station for the Clintonville/Shawano area while deleting the CP for an unbuilt AM station. The new station is Multicultural Diversity Radio's WAUT/106.9 (Tigerton), which will use 3.5kW/132m (class A) and have Clintonville in its main coverage area. MCDR is in the process of selling a CP for a new FM station in Rhinelander to Results Broadcasting, which also owns two stations in Clintonville, but no deal regarding the Tigerton CP has been announced. Meanwhile, the FCC recently cancelled Results Broadcasting's CP for a new station on AM 1460 in Shawano, where Results also has two stations, after the CP reached the three-year deadline. 1460 would've used 1kW daytime and 620 Watts nighttime with a directional antenna pattern. (3/4/2014)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Red Rock Radio has named Shawn Skramstad its new president. Skramstad has worked in radio for 39 years and has led Red Rock's Duluth group, which includes heritage Classic Rocker KQDS-FM/94.9, for 15 years. He replaces Ro Grignon, who owns 15 percent of the company and retired from the leadership role at the end of 2013. Red Rock Radio owns 25 stations in northeastern and north-central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. It's a sister company to Red River Broadcast Co. and KQDS Acquisition Corp., which own TV stationsin the Duluth, Fargo, and Sioux Falls markets. (3/4/2014)

IOWA:
Saga Broadcasting's KMYR/104.1 (Ames-Des Moines) has dropped its longtime "Lite 104.1" branding in favor of "More 104," coinciding with a brightening-up of the station's Adult Contemporary playlist. A change was expected since the station changed its callsign from KLTI-FM to KMYR last month. Saga also owns Hot AC-formatted "Star 102.5" (KSTZ Des Moines). (3/3/2014)

MICHIGAN:
DX-midAMerica reports that WUPG/96.7 (Republic) has dropped Classic Hits in favor of Classic Country as "Yooper Country." WUPG, owned by Radioactive, LLC, rimshots Marquette with a 50kW signal from Champion and has a construction permit for a 250-Watt booster (on-frequency rebroadcaster) in Marquette. (3/3/2014)

CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR NEW LOW-POWER FM (100-WATT) STATIONS:

  • Madison, WI: 102.9, First Unitarian Society of Madison
  • St. Cloud, MN: 97.5, St. Cloud State University. SCSU already operates KVSC/88.1 and says the new LPFM will be student-run, while KVSC will continue to be run by paid employees.
  • St. Cloud, MN: 105.1, St. Cloud Area Somali Salvation Organization
  • St. Louis Park, MN (suburban Minneapolis): 97.5, Park Public Radio (3/3/2014)

    AM-ON-FM TRANSLATOR MOVES RECEIVING FCC APPROVAL:

  • Algona, IA: David M. Stout will move K253BJ/98.5 from Humboldt to Algona, relaying KLGA/1600 with 250 Watts.
  • Wabasha, MN: Faith Sound will move W206BA/89.1 (Alma) to Wabasha on 99.7 as W259CG, relaying WBHA/1190 with 150 Watts. The translator currently relays Faith Sound's KFSI/92.9 (Rochester).
  • Wausau, WI: First Ventures Capital Partners will move W290AZ/105.9 (Marshfield) to Wausau on 95.1 as W236CO, relaying Midwest Communications' WSAU/550 with 250 Watts. The community of license will remain Marshfield. (3/3/2014)

    IOWA:
    Educational Media Foundation has applied to move K279BX/103.7 (Knoxville) to Des Moines, where Clear Channel's KPTL/106.3 (Ankeny-Des Moines) is specified as the primary station. K279BX is still in the construction permit stage and is not yet on the air; the current CP already calls for a site midway between Knoxville and Des Moines. The permit is actually held by Edgewater Broadcasting but is in the process of being tranferred to EMF, which filed the application. (3/3/2014)

    WISCONSIN:
    Entercom's WSSP/1250 (Milwaukee) could be getting a suburban FM translator: Kevin J. Youngers holds a construction permit for W289CB/105.7 (Milwaukee) and has specified WSSP as the primary station in a facility change application. The current CP calls for 10 Watts from the Milwaukee antenna farm; Youngers has applied to move it north to a cell tower in Bayside and change frequency to 105.1, remaining 10 Watts. The Bayside facility would reach only a portion of the Milwaukee metro area. The translator is limited by WLVE/105.3 (Mukwonago-Milwaukee) and other existing stations. (3/3/2014)

    MICHIGAN:
    Taconite Broadcasting's WMQT-FM/107.7 (Ishpeming-Marquette) tells the FCC it's operating at a fraction of its normal 98kW. The station says in a request for special temporary authority that its transmitter, antenna and/or feed line suffered damage in a January winter storm. The station initially used 750 Watts from a backup transmitter and is now using 2kW from the licensed site. The filing says tower crews were not able to resolve the antenna issue during an initial attempt and replacement parts are on order. (3/3/2014)

    IOWA:
    KCII-FM/106.1 (Washington) has applied for an upgrade that would add Iowa City to its main coverage area. The Home Broadcasting station, which currently uses 3kW/91m (class A), would upgrade to 48kW/140m (class C2) from a tower midway between Washington and Iowa City. KCII-FM currently simulcasts an Adult Gold/Oldies format heavy on local news and information with KCII/1380. Sister company M&H Broadcasting has a construction permit to move translator K273CC/102.5 (Mount Pleasant) to Washington to relay the AM station. (3/1/2014)


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