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NATIONWIDE:
Many stations across the country have had to suddenly switch to a different network newscasts following Westwood One's recent elimination of Mutual News. NBC has also been cut back, and now offers newscasts only between 4-10 a.m. CT weekdays (NBC affiliates can carry CNN at other times). WW1 also distributes CNN, CBS, and FOX News, and encouraged affiliates to switch to CNN. Here are some of the changes at regional stations: KSMM-CNN, KRWC-CNN, WBHR-CBS, WDGY-CNN, Catholic Family Radio (WWTC&WZER)-CNN. (4/30/99)
MINNESOTA:
KRWC/1360 (Buffalo) has added Oldies to the musical portion of it's Full Service/Farm format. (4/30/99)
MINNESOTA:
WCCO/830 will be the station to carry chats with Governor Ventura. They'll originate from his office and air every Friday from 11-Noon. KFAN/1130 isn't too happy about that --they say it's a violation of Ventura's non-compete clause with KFAN. Another station that can't be to happy with WCCO is WMNN "NewsRadio 1330," since WCCO has been heard calling itself "NewsRadio 8-3-0" in a promo for its Murrow award. (4/30/99)
NORTH DAKOTA:
KRRB/92.1 (Dickinson) is now KZRX. (4/30/99)
NORTH DAKOTA:
KABU/90.7 (Fort Totten) is on the air. The station is owned by the Dakota Circle Tipi. (4/30/99)
MINNESOTA:
In an apparent effort to get on the air before the Construction Permit expires, KBFH/107.1 (Moose Lake) has applied to drop to the minimum power of 100 Watts, with an antenna 16 meters below average terrain. KBFH is owned by Agate Broadcasting (Alan Quarnstrom) and has had trouble getting locals to allow a tower to be built. The current CP is for 25kW at 100m. (4/29/99)
NEBRASKA:
The FCC has approved Capstar's purchase of KFAB/KGOR/KTNP/
KXKT (Omaha market) and KTGL/KZKX/KKNB/KIBZ (Lincoln market) from Triathalon Broadcasting. (4/29/99)
MINNESOTA:
Northland Broadcasting is almost done with the move to its new studios on East Central Entrance in Duluth. Kool 101.7 is the first to move in, with WEBC and KKCB-B105 to follow. The off-air staff has already been in the new location for some time. The new address for WEBC/KLDJ/KKCB is 14 East Central Entrance, Duluth MN 55811. (4/27/99)
IOWA/NEBRASKA:
The FCC has OK'd a plan that will allow KTNP/93.3 (Bennington-Omaha) to increase power. KIOA/93.3 (Des Moines) will drop from class C to C1, which will require KIOA to drop power and/or decrease its antenna height (KIOA is currently 100kW at 322m). KIOA listeners will barely be able to tell the difference. KTNP will upgrade from class A (6kW) to class C3 (25kW). Agreements like this usually involve some sort of capital/cash exchange. (4/26/99)
IOWA/WISCONSIN:
From DX Mid-America:
MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Although KBJR/6 (Superior-Duluth) had planned on returning to the air on April 21, they're still not back as of April 24. Windy conditions and a shortage of tower crews have kept KBJR from mounting its antenna on WDIO/10's tower. Also, KUWS/91.3 is now up to about 2kW from KRBR/102.5's tower. (4/24/99)
Channel 21/Duluth is now KQDS-TV. (4/21/99)
WNCB's satellite-delivered translators were off the air all day Monday and Tuesday morning (4/19-4/20) due to a power supply failure in the satellite system. (4/21/99)
WCCO-TV's news has been named Best Newscast in the Twin Cities by the Minnesota AP Broadcasters. KDLH/3 (Duluth) was named the station with the Best Newscast by the Northwest Broadcast News Association and was also named Best Newscasts by the Minnesota AP Broadcasters. In addition, every station everywhere declared its newscast the Best Newscast. (4/19/99)
KLLZ-FM/99.1 (Walker-Bemidji) is now broadcasting a locally automated Rock format as "Real Rock 99-1." The station previously carried ABC's Classic Rock format, and before that, simulcast with KLIZ-FM/107.5 (Brainerd). KLLZ/1600 rebroadcasts KLLZ-FM. (4/17/99)
KAOD/106.7 (Babbitt) stopped rebroadcasting KQDS/94.9 (Duluth) several days ago and now has a locally automated Modern AC format. It's being programmed by 92.1 Kiss FM in Duluth and doesn't include any commercials or sweepers at this point. There's no slogan or positioner at this point either, just occasional ID's. (4/17/99)
It's rumored that WXXZ/95.3 (Grand Marais) will sign on soon, rebroadcasting KQDS/94.9 (Duluth). WXXZ is owned by Eclectic Enterprises (which also owns KAOD, above.) (4/17/99)
Three Eagles Broadcasting is buying KATE/KCPI (Albert Lea) and KYTC (Northwood, IA) from David Nolander. Three Eagles is based in Colorado but currently owns stations in Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. The closest to Albert Lea are KRIB/KLSS in Mason City, IA, and KQAD/KLQL in Luverne. (4/17/99)
The construction permit for a new station on 97.7 in Barron, WI, has changed from WBFE to WKFX (Fox?). WAQE-FM/97.7 (Rice Lake) must move to 99.1 before WKFX can sign on. WAQE AM-FM and WKFX are owned by Northwoods Broadcasting, which is owned by Tom Cozier, who also owns WJMC AM-FM in Rice Lake. (4/17/99)
K-Lite 100.5 (KXAC St. James) has moved its transmitter about 10 miles to the east, making its signal a little stronger in Mankato. (4/17/99)
KBJR/6 is planning to return to the air next Wednesday (4/21) from WDIO's tower. KUWS/91.3 (Superior) has received a new transmitter capable of about 6kW ERP from Duluth's hill and is now shopping around for a place to put it. To hear media people talk about the problems, go to KUWS and listen to "Final Edition." (4/16/99)
WSCN/100.5 (Duluth) returned to the air on Tuesday (4/13). (4/14/99)
KQDS/1490 (Duluth) is back on the air, having changed from KDDS, but still rebroadcasting KQDS-FM/94.9. (4/13/99)
KNLD/21 (Duluth) is still using these calls, having not yet changed to KQDS-TV. KNLD has added programming from Lutheran Hour Ministries and still broadcasts some programming from the Shop at Home network. The station is on the air weekdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (4/13/99)
More Duluth updates: MPR's WSCD/92.9 (Duluth) is now carrying "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered," because WSCN/100.5 (MPR's other Duluth station that normally broadcasts these shows) is still off the air. Over in Ashland, Wisconsin Public Radio has returned W275AF/102.9 to the air, relaying WHBM/90.3 (Park Falls). W275AF normally relays KUWS/91.3 (Superior), which is still operating at the paltry power of 17 Watts ERP (57W TPO!) (4/13/99)
Duluth update: KDNI/90.5 (Duluth) returned to the air on Saturday (4/10). This leaves KBJR/6 and WSCN/100.5 as the only stations still off the air completely. For a summary of the problems caused by last weekend's weather, check the Duluth Ice page. (4/11/99)
All Sports 710 (WDSM Superior-Duluth) has added another local personality. Bruce Ciskie's "The Other Side" airs weekdays from 5-7 p.m. (4/10/99)
The latest updates on the aftermath of last weekend's storms in Duluth:
KRPR/89.9 (Rochester) is being sold from the Rochester Community College to a group called Rochester Public Radio. (4/8/99)
Somebody has filed a petition to deny Granite Broadcasting's application for a TV new station on channel 11 in International Falls with the FCC. Fant Broadcasting also applied for the channel, but the two parties didn't come to a settlement agreement by last spring's deadline set by the FCC. The applications are basically on hold until the FCC comes up with rules for auctioning new licenses. At the time it filed, Fant owned KNLD/21 (Duluth), but they've since sold KNLD to Red River Broadcasting, so its unlikely that Fant even wants the station anymore. International Falls is in the northern part of the Duluth TV market, where Duluth TV stations can't be received unless there's a translator nearby. (4/8/99)
Duluth updates: KZIO/104.3 returned to the air on Thursday (4/8); KDNW/97.3 returned to the air on Wednesday (4/7); WDSE's antenna was damaged by falling ice on Tuesday (4/6). (4/8/99)
Cumulus Media is accumulating Phillips Broadcasting's stations in the Eau Claire market for $14.8 million. These are WBIZ AM-FM 1400/100.7, WMEQ AM-FM 880/92.1, WQRB/95.1, and WATQ/106.7. Cumulus has taken over the stations in a Local Marketing Agreement, and one change has already been made. WBIZ-FM has dropped the Modern AC format that was called "The Zone" and returned to its old format/slogan, Contemporary Hits as "Z100." The format is positioned as "Today's Best Music" (Zone was "Today's Music"). WBIZ had changed to "The Zone" in September 1997. Cumulus is based in Milwaukee and owns dozens of stations in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and will have a total of 227 stations once this and other recent purchases are approved by the FCC. (4/7/99)
DX Mid-AMerica says that WECL/92.9 (Elk Mound-Eau Claire) has changed its slogan from "Oldies 92.9" to "Cool 92.9." The format is still Oldies. (4/7/99)
KRRO update (see below): they're still calling themselves "The Crow," as in "Real Rock 103-7 The Crow." (4/5/99)
WNCB's Sandstone translator at 93.3 is back on the air after a week-and-a-half long outage. The translator had some serious performance problems but is now operating very well (it's been picked up south of Hinckley). (4/5/99)
KAOD/106.7 (Babbitt) is on the air relaying KQDS/94.9 (Duluth). The station initially signed on Friday, broadcasting CD's, and began the KQ rebroadcast on Saturday. Eclectic Enterprises had to get the station on the air by Saturday, or else it would have expired. Eclectic's Tom Lijewski said the format may not be permanent. Lijewski and Cheryl Pfeiffer are selling two Duluth area stations to Fant Broadcasting, KQ's owner. (4/5/99)
KRRO/103.7 (Sioux Falls, SD) has made some changes. They're now "Real Rock 103-7" instead of "The Crow." New Program Director John Price has modernized the playlist a little bit, adding more current Alternative and cutting back on `80s heavy metal. Former PD John Ford was let go about a month ago; he'd been with the station since it started in 1990. In recent years, KRRO has faced new competition in the Rock category from B102.7, and, more recently, KSOB/95.7. (4/2/99)
The Duluth News-Tribune reports that Red River Broadcasting wants to have KQDS-TV/21 (Duluth) up and running as a FOX affiliate by September 1 of this year. The article reports the sale price of WWAX/KZIO as $2.1 million. (4/2/99)
Storms in the Red River Valley knocked half a dozen stations of the air Thursday night (4/1), including WDAY-FM/93.7 and KPFX/107.9 in Fargo and KKXL-FM/92.9, KQHT/96.1, KYCK/97.1, and KJKJ/107.5 in the Grand Forks area. (4/2/99)
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