Meanwhile, the FCC dismissed applications for translators on 100.7 and 105.3 in Fond du Lac for being too close to the Appleton-Oshkosh market. Here's a list of translator applications that are being considered. (4/22/2013)
NEBRASKA:
The Praise Network has signed on new station KGKD/90.5 (Columbus) carrying "Good News Radio," which is also heard on four other stations plus four translators in northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. KGKD transmits from a site northwest of Columbus with 10kW/170m (class C2). The status of NET Radio translator K212AV/90.3 (Columbus) is unknown; it has not applied for a frequency change. (4/20/2013)
WISCONSIN:
Results Broadcasting is buying the construction permit for a new FM station in Rhinelander to add to its existing WCYE/93.7 (Three Lakes-Rhinelander). Results, which owns ten stations in northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, will pay Multi-Cultural Diversity Radio $65,000 for WHOH/96.5 (Rhinelander). Multi-Cultural Diversity Radio won the frequency in an auction last year with a $10,000 bid; it had received no bids in a prior auction. The construction permit for WHOH calls for 2.45kW/318m (class C3) from the WJFW-TV tower , with a main coverage area including Rhinelander, Eagle River, and Crandon. The station has until June 2015 to get on the air. (4/19/2013)
MINNESOTA:
Two Worthington stations continue to operate at reduced power after an ice storm took down the top 128 meters of their shared tower last week. Filings with the FCC indicate KWOA/730, which normally uses 1kW day and 159 Watts night, is operating at 350 Watts from a long-wire antenna hung between two telephone poles. "US95" (KUSQ/95.1), which normally uses 100kW/198m, is using 8.5kW from a temporary single-bay antenna mounted near the top of the remaining portion of the tower (apparently about 60m HAAT). The stations are owned by Absolute Communications, which also owns "Rock-It FM" (KITN/93.5) and "The Party" (KZTP/104.3 Sibley-Worthington), the latter of which was reportedly off the air in the immediate wake of the storm. (4/19/2013)
MINNESOTA:
An FCC filing indicates W227BF/93.3 (Shoreview) has completed its move from Arden Hills to the IDS Center in Minneapolis, where it uses 99 Watts. The Educational Media Foundation translator carries the non-commercial "K-Love" Adult Contemporary Christian network via Clear Channel's KFXN-FM-HD3/100.3. The network is also heard on K214DF/90.7 (Golden Valley), which transmits from the Wells Fargo Center and was W227BF's source up until recently. On a drive last weekend, 93.3's signal was listenable throughout much of the Twin Cities metro area.
Besides W227BF, six other EMF translators in the metro area have applied for or received construction permits to move with Clear Channel stations specified as the primary stations on all of the applications. The latest application comes from K277AS/103.3 (Big Lake), which applied to move its transmitter about five miles down I-94 from Monticello to Albertville, where it would upgrade from 10W to 250W and cover the far northwest metro. KFXN-FM is specified as the station to be rebroadcast from the new site. K277AS currently carries EMF's "Air-1" network as part of a chain of translators bringing the signal from St. Cloud to the Twin Cities.
Having trouble sorting all this out? Check the Twin Cities Class D FM's page for a summary of all of the translators in the metro area and what they're up to. (4/17/2013)
ONTARIO:
Canadian regulators have approved a move to FM for CBC Radio One in part of rural northwestern Ontario. A new 500-Watt transmitter on 95.3 in Sioux Lookout will replace CBLS/1240 (Sioux Lookout) and CBQW/1340 (Hudson). The two stations are among a dozen 40-Watt AM stations used by CBC Radio One in northwestern Ontario. CBC Radio One transmitters in northwestern Ontario relay CBQT/88.3 (Thunder Bay), though those in the Central time zone switch to CBW/990 (Winnipeg) for an hour in the afternoon so "The World at Six" airs at 6 p.m. local time. The Sioux Lookout area is also served by two low-power repeaters of regional commercial stations and the Wawatay Radio Network. (4/17/2013)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
Northwestern College's KNWC-FM/96.5 (Sioux Falls) is operating at reduced power after last week's ice storm. The station says in an FCC filing the feedline on the tower will no longer hold pressure and power has been reduced to 1.84kW to prevent arcing. The filing may be the first of several to come from the region; stations have up to thirty days to make a formal filing if they're operating at reduced facilities. KNWC-FM carries an Adult Contemporary Christian format as "Life 96.5." (4/17/2013)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Two Townsquare Media stations in Bismarck are operating at a fraction of their normal power due to an antenna malfunction. According to filings with the FCC, KBYZ/96.5 (Bismarck) is broadcasting at 1kW and KUSB/103.3 (Hazleton-Bismarck) is at 5kW. Both normally use 100kW. Townsquare says the stations began operating at reduced power on March 14 after their shared antenna apparently failed due to mechanical movement in the wind. They're now using a temporary one-bay antenna with plans for repairs to be made within sixty days. (4/16/2013)
MINNESOTA:
The HD3 signal of Clear Channel's KFXN-FM/100.3 (Minneapolis) is now carrying the non-commercial Adult Contemporary Christian "K-Love" network, replacing the "Wolf" Classic Rock format on the subchannel. (Here's the legal ID.) It's the first on-air change preceding a shuffle of FM translators in the Twin Cities area that could result in Clear Channel programming airing on some of the translators.
KFXN-FM's HD3 signal is now being relayed by existing "K-Love" translators W227BF/93.3 in Arden Hills and K260BA/99.9 in Plymouth, which both formerly relayed "K-Love" programming from K214DF/90.7 in Minneapolis. (K214DF continues to carry the network.) "K-Love" is operated by Educational Media Foundation, which also runs the "Air 1" Christian Hits network and has similar partnerships with Clear Channel in other markets.
As you've been reading here for more than a year, EMF has applied to move several metro translators to Minneapolis with Clear Channel stations specified as those to be rebroadcast. W225AP/92.9 (St. Paul) already has a construction permit to join K214DF at the Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis while 99.9 has a pending application to move to the Wells Fargo site. Meanwhile, K273BH/102.5 has applied to move from Wells Fargo to the IDS Center, where Clear Channel's K278BP/103.5 is already located, and 93.3 has also applied to move to IDS. Two other translators would be moved farther away from the metro core.
100.3 HD3's switch comes several months after "The Score" Sports format was reincarnated on the HD2 signal of KTCZ/97.1. Other current Clear Channel Twin Cities subchannels are Dance on 101.3 HD2, New Country on 102.1 HD2, `80s Hits on 107.9 HD2, and a simulcast of News/Talk KTCN/1130 on 100.3 HD2, the latter of which is relayed on 103.5. (4/15/2013)
MINNESOTA:
Northern Lights Broadcasting is selling KGLB/1310 (Glencoe-Hutchinson) to Iowa City Broadcasting, which has been operating the station under a local marketing agreement since last October. Northern Lights' only other station is 96.3 "K-Twin" (KTWN-FM Edina-Minneapolis), which was able to change its community of license from Glencoe to Edina after Northern Lights moved 1310, formerly KRBI, from St. Peter to Glencoe. Iowa City Broadcasting, owned by Tor Ingstad, will pay Northern Lights Broadcasting $195,000 for KGLB, which carries a Classic Country format. Iowa City Broadcasting and Ingstad Brothers Broadcasting, both owned by Tor Ingstad, own 18 stations in Minnesota, including KDUZ/1260 (Hutchinson) and KARP/106.9 (Dassel-Hutchinson). (4/15/2013)
NEBRASKA:
A lightning strike has silenced KAMI/1580 (Cozad). The 1kW station tells the FCC in a notification of suspension of operations that the lightning strike on or about April 10 destroyed its antenna tuning unit. The filing says repairs cannot begin immediately due to snow and ice at the transmitter site. KAMI is owned by Community Broadcasting and carries the Bott Radio Network, a Christian network which is also heard on KCVN/104.5 (Cozad). (4/15/2013)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
The owner of KGFX/1060 (Pierre) is buying translator K296FI/107.1 (Pierre), which has already specified KGFX as the station to be rebroadcast after an upgrade. James River Broadcasting, owned by Janice Ingstad, will pay First Ventures Capital Partners $26,500 for the translator. (4/15/2013)
WISCONSIN/ILLINOIS:
Mid-West Family Broadcasting is expanding to seven radio markets with the purchase of Maverick Media stations in Eau Claire, WI and Rockford, IL. The purchase price was not immediately disclosed, but an announcement Friday said Mid-West would take over operations of the Eau Claire stations on May 1. The Eau Claire group includes WAYY/790, WEAQ/1150 (Chippewa Falls), "92.9 The Big Cheese" (WECL Elk Mound), "I94" (WIAL/94.1), "99.9 Bob FM" (WDRK Cornell), and WAXX/104.5. With these and other sales, Maverick Media is exiting from radio ownership. Mid-West Family Broadcasting has existing groups in Madison, La Crosse, Springfield, IL, Springfield, MO, and southwestern Michigan. (4/12/2013)
MINNESOTA:
New station WAJC/88.1 (Newport) has signed on in the southeastern Twin Cities metro. The station, owned by the Religious Information Network, uses 5.52kW/22m from a site in Coates. It has a good signal to several southeastern suburbs and fringe coverage of St. Paul and Minneapolis. WAJC is likely mixing with the fringe signal of St. Cloud State's KVSC/88.1 in parts of the central and west metro. (4/12/2013)
NORTH DAKOTA:
A talk radio shift is underway in North Dakota. KFYR/550 (Bismarck) and KCJB/910 (Minot) have dropped the Joel Heitkamp show, which had been simulcast from KFGO/790 (Fargo). Scott Hennen is now co-hosting the 9 to 11 a.m. timeslot on KFYR with Steve Bakken, who was previously in the 3 to 5 timeslot. KCJB had also simulcast KFGO's Mike McFeeley show from 2 to 5. The simulcasts had begun when the three stations were all owned by Clear Channel, but KFGO is now owned by Radio Fargo-Moorhead and is in the process of being sold to Midwest Communications. KFGO management told The Forum that KVOX/740 (Fargo), which carries "Fan" sports programming, would simulcast Heitkamp's show to reach listeners in western North Dakota. Hennen also hosts a show on "The Flag" (WZFG/1100 Dilworth-Fargo) from 11 to 2, which is broadcast on KTGO/1090 (Tioga) from 2 to 5. (4/10/2013)
MINNESOTA/IOWA:
A winter storm has knocked KUSQ/95.1 (Worthington) and KZTP/104.3 (Sibley-Worthington) off the air. The station posted a picture of a partially-toppled tower on its Facebook page. Two sister stations, KWOA/730 and KITN/93.5, remain on the air. (4/10/2013)
MANITOBA:
Winnipeg will be getting an all-Classical format with the CRTC's approval of CFEQ-FM/107.1's flip to the format. The station will drop its Christian Hits "Ignite 107" format, which owner Golden West Broadcasting said was unprofitable. Golden West also owns Christian-formatted CHVN-FM/95.1. 107.1's format change may be a relief to Classical music fans, who have been outspoken nationally about the CBC's cutbacks to Classical programming on Radio Two in recent years. (4/8/2013)
IOWA/NEBRASKA/NORTH DAKOTA:
Bismarck and Sioux City are among seven new markets nationally getting classic TV network Me-TV. The network says Hoak Media's KFYR-TV (Bismarck) will begin carrying Me-TV on 5.2 beginning May 1 and Quincy Newspapers' KTIV (Sioux City) will begin carrying Me-TV on 4.3 on July 1. Both are primary NBC affiliates and KTIV also carries CW+ on 4.2. Me-TV will also be seen on subchannels of KFYR-TV's three satellites/semi-satellites in western North Dakota. The latest affiliate additions bring Me-TV to 147 markets containing 89 percent of U.S. households. In the Upper Midwest, the only markets that still don't have Me-TV affiliates are Lincoln-Tri Cities, North Platte, Mankato, Ottumwa, and Quincy, and the latter four markets only have one or two commercial stations. (4/5/2013, updated KFYR satellite info 4/14)
MINNESOTA:
KMHL/1400 (Marshall) has added an FM simulcast on translator K277AI/103.3 (Russell-Marshall). KMHL, owned by the Linder family, carries an information-heavy format mixing several types of music during the day with Joe Soucheray's show in the evening and FOX Sports Radio overnight. KMHL's addition of the FM translator is part of a frequency shuffle in the area: K277AI had previously relayed the "Praise FM" format from KCGN/101.5 (Ortonville); "Praise FM" recently moved to K212FH/90.3 (Balaton-Marshall), a former "Refuge Radio" translator that "Refuge" no longer needed after it signed on KRGM/89.9 (Marshall). (4/5/2013)
WISCONSIN:
WAUN/92.7 (Kewaunee-Green Bay) has released more information on its new Regional Mexican "La Mas Grande" format, which launched on March 25 is also heard on translators at 96.9 in Green Bay and 98.9 in Sturgeon Bay. Francisco Jaurez, who had previously purchased weekend air time on WNFL/1440 (Green Bay), is brokering time on WAUN from owner Magnum Broadcasting. In a press release, Juarez said, "It's amazing, everywhere I go people are saying 'thank you, thank you -- we have waited so long for our own station.'" The station set up its Facebook page on Monday and Juarez says they had 700 likes within the first 24 hours. Juarez says he and his fianc�e are moving to Green Bay and are in the process of assembling a station staff. "La Mas Grande" is running on WAUN all hours except 6 to 8 a.m. weekdays. (4/4/2013)
IOWA:
The FCC has issued a $1,200 fine against Thomas Costa for allegedly operating an unlicensed radio station on 87.9 in Iowa City. FCC agents visited Iowa City on Sept. 19 and 20, 2012, in response to a complaint and inspected the operation at that time. Costa argued that he was not actually the operator of the station but had allowed others, whose names he said he did not have, to install and operate the transmitter in a room he rented. In its forfeiture order, the FCC said that even if Costa did not actually operate the transmitter, federal law says he was still responsible for the operation of the unlicensed station as the renter of the room where it was located. However, the FCC did agree to reduce the fine from $10,000 to $1,200 because of Costa's inability to pay the higher amount. (4/4/2013)
MINNESOTA:
First came applications to move three FM translators to downtown Minneapolis to relay Clear Channel stations. Now come applications to move two other FM translators farther out of town. Educational Media Foundation has applied to move K249ED/97.7's transmitter from Maple Grove to Oak Grove in the far north metro and W221BS/92.1's transmitter from St. Paul to North St. Paul in the northeast metro. Both applications specify Clear Channel's KFXN-FM/100.3 as the station to be rebroadcast (which could include any of the station's HD subchannels).
The moves out of town come amid efforts to move three other EMF translators to downtown Minneapolis to join two that are already there. All of the applications specified Clear Channel stations to be rebroadcast; the translators currently carry EMF's "K-Love" and "Air-1" non-commercial Christian music networks. The only move with FCC approval so far is that of W225AP/92.9 from St. Paul to the Wells Fargo Center in downtown Minneapolis. Other applications would move a translator on 99.9 from Plymouth to Wells Fargo, a translator on 93.3 from Shoreview to the IDS Center, and a translator on 102.5 from Wells Fargo to IDS.
The Wells Fargo site is used by another EMF translator at 90.7 while IDS is used by a Clear Channel translator at 103.5, which carries KTCN/1130's News/Talk format via KFXN-FM-HD2. It's not clear how all of the frequencies would ultimately be used if all of the applications are approved; Clear Channel could change the format of one or more of its HD2 subchannels to carry EMF programming to feed some of the translators, which was what happened in Detroit as payment for Clear Channel's purchase of Minneapolis' 103.5 from EMF.
The former website for "The Score 690" has redirected to thescore1035.com since Clear Channel donated the AM signal to a minority group in 2011; "The Score" programming is currently heard on the HD2 signal of KTCZ/97.1. A logo specifying 102.5 as the FM home of KTCN's format briefly circulated in 2011 when Clear Channel swapped the formats of 1130 and 100.3, but the 1130 simulcast has instead remained on 103.5 without any promotion. (4/4/2013)
AM EXPANDED BAND: FREE LICENSES?
A case out of Indiana highlights the unsolved problem of AM stations that were supposed to leave the air but never did. Before consolidation in the 1990's, the FCC was trying to decide how to use the newly expanded portion of the AM band (1620-1700 KHz) and decided to allow existing stations to move to the new band in an effort to ease congestion. However, due to concern that listeners who had old radios would be left out, the FCC issued new licenses to the "moving" stations with the idea that the could keep the old frequencies on the air for up to five years. However, it was soon determined that the old and new frequencies didn't have to simulcast, and, even after some stations turned in their old licenses as planned, the five-year limit was forgotten amid deregulation that allowed groups to own multiple stations anyway. In essence, many groups got an extra AM license without having to go through the usual process associated with signing on a new station.
Now comes the case of WHLY/1580 (South Bend, IN) and its expanded band counterpart, WDND/1620. The stations ended up with separate ownership when the FCC approved a deal to sell both to the same buyer, but the buyer only closed the deal on one of the stations. Each station recently filed for ownership changes to separate companies, which the FCC has now denied, saying both would have to be sold to the same buyer. The FCC points out it also issued denials in a similar case in Michigan.
Not addressed in the FCC letters is what will ultimately be done about the stations that never left the air as originally planned. Some in the industry once thought the FCC's rationale for letting the old frequencies remain was to allow them to serve minority audiences. However, some of the stations have since adopted mainstream formats like Sports or Oldies.
Stations that were originally slated to go off the air but remain on include WLMV/1480 (Madison), KCFI/1250 (Cedar Falls-Waterloo), and KZOT/1180 (Bellevue-Omaha). The FCC recently granted license renewals for WLMV and KCFI even though their expanded band counterparts have been on the air for twelve years. KZOT is currently up for license renewal; its license was last renewed in 2005, four years after its expanded band counterpart signed on. Stations in Des Moines (1390), Iowa City (1560), West Fargo (1550), and Sussex-Milwaukee (1370) left the air as originally planned. (4/3/2013)
WISCONSIN:
After three months with ESPN Radio, WGBW/1590 (Denmark-Green Bay) has reverted to the True Oldies Channel. The switchover came at the end of an NBA game on Tuesday night (4/2). WGBW is owned by Mark Heller, who is also in the process of returning WLWB/1530 (New Holstein) to the air and building new station WEMP/98.9 (Two Rivers). (4/3/2013)
WISCONSIN:
WSRG/97.7 (Sturgeon Bay) has changed its name from "The Big Dawg" to "Door Country FM 97.7" with the new callsign WQDC following the station's sale to Case Communications LLC. The company, owned by Michael and Carrie Mesic, paid Al Johnson Broadcasting, LLC $410,000 for the station. Michael Mesic also owns Adult Alternative-formatted 106.9 "The Lodge" (WLGE Baileys Harbor-Ephraim). (4/2/2013)
MINNESOTA:
After a weekend of stunting with a variety of songs, Cumulus Media's simulcast of three stations on the 105's in the Twin Cities area has become a CBS Sports Network affiliate as "The Ticket." The switchover came around 11 a.m. Monday (4/1) with Jim Rome's show. The trimulcast is made up of WGVZ/105.7 (Eden Prairie-Minneapolis), WGVX/105.1 (Lakeville), and WRXP/105.3 (Cambridge) and had carried an Adult Contemporary format for the past year. "The Ticket" competes with Clear Channel's "The Fan" (KFXN-FM/100.3), which carries local sports talk by day and FOX Sports at night, and Hubbard Radio's "1500ESPN" (KSTP).
By the numbers:
7 FM signals in the Twin Cities area now carrying Talk or Sports formats. In addition to the three 105's and "The Fan," there's Hubbard Radio's "My Talk 107.1" (KTMY), a translator at 103.5 relaying the News/Talk format of Clear Channel's KTCN/1130, and Minnesota Public Radio's KNOW-FM/91.1. (And to top it off, the Minnesota Twins are on FM but not any of those stations - they're on Adult Pop 96.3 "K-Twin.")
5 additional HD Radio subchannels carrying News, Talk, or Sports: BBC on 91.1 HD3, Yahoo! Sports Radio on 97.1 HD2, KTCN on 100.3 HD2, WCCO on 102.9 HD2, and ESPN1500 on 107.1 HD2.
9 formats on the 105's since the three signals were paired sixteen years ago: REV 105 (Alternative), X105 (Active Rock), Zone 105 (AAA), Zone 105 (Alternative Classics), V105 (Groovin' Oldies), Drive 105 (AAA), Love 105 (variations of Oldies), and Love 105 (AC).
2 New York market callsigns that Cumulus Media has parked on the Cambridge license. 105.3 changed to WNSH late last year before Cumulus moved the callsign to New York for its new Country format. The heritage New York callsign WRXP then moved to Cambridge, where it remains. (4/1/2013)
MINNESOTA:
In a belated format change note, KQSP/1530 (Shakopee-Minneapolis) has reverted to its previous Tropical format. KQSP dropped its R&B "Magic 1530" format in early February and, after some periods of silence, resumed the mix of Cumbia, Merengue, Bachata, Hip-Hop, and Salsa that had run on the station from 2006 to 2011. KQSP is owned by Yong W. Kim's Broadcast One, Inc. and is licensed for 8.6kW day and 10 Watts night. Its studio is at the former KQRS building on Lilac Drive in Golden Valley. (4/1/2013)
MINNESOTA:
The HD2 signal of KLCI/106.1 (Elk River-Minneapolis) has switched the station it rebroadcasts. It had carried the Tropical/Regional Mexican format of "La Mera Buena" (KBGY/107.5 Faribault) but is now carrying the Christian format of "Hope 95.9" (WLKX Forest Lake). All three stations share ownership. KLCI carries Country as "Bob FM" on its main channel and continues to carry "Radio Asia" on HD3. (4/1/2013)
WISCONSIN:
Mississippi Valley Broadcasters' WQCC/106.3 (La Crosse) rebranded as "Kicks 106.3" Monday morning (4/1) but continued its Country format. The previous "CC106" slogan had been used since the station signed on in 1994 and stood for "Coulee Country." (4/1/2013)
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