May 2006

IOWA:
"The Bus" is making a new stop in Des Moines: Clear Channel is moving the Classic Hits/Variety format from KDRB/106.3 to the more powerful KMXD/100.3, replacing the "My 100" Adult Contemporary format. After a morning of stunting with music-on-hold style Smooth Jazz music, 100.3 began simulcasting "The Bus" at Noon Thursday (5/25). Here's audio of the debut. The Des Moines Register reports that 106.3 will get a new format after several weeks of simulcasting. (5/25/2006, updated 5/26)

MICHIGAN:
DX-midAMerica reports that WIKB/1230 (Iron River) has reverted to its previous Oldies format, which had been simulcast with WIKB-FM/99.1. WIKB-FM continues its Light Adult Contemporary format and has added the syndicated Delilah show. (5/26/2006)

IOWA/WISCONSIN:
Josh Blake is the new program director and afternoon drive host at KNEI/103.5 (Waukon, IA). He moves from WVRQ-FM/102.3 (Viroqua, WI), where he hosted mornings. (5/20/2006)

MINNESOTA:
After 18 months on the market, there's a buyer for KSMM/1530 (Shakopee-Minneapolis). Broadcast One, owned 100% by Yong W. Kim of Glenview, IL, will pay Starboard Media $1.2 million for the station. KSMM's 8.6kW daytime signal is strong in the western half of the metro, but it must drop to 10W at night. An upgrade application was dismissed in 2004. The station is the former home of Starboard's "Relevant Radio," now heard on WLOL/1330. 1530 has broadcast a mix of Contemporary Christian, Adult Contemporary, and Oldies while Starboard searched for a buyer. (5/17/2006)

MORE "MY NETWORK":
The latest affiliates for MyNetworkTV are KCPM/27 (Grand Forks-Fargo), KOLN-DT2 (Lincoln), and KGIN-DT2 (Grand Island). All are currently UPN affiliates. (5/17/2006)

SOUTH DAKOTA/WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin-based Armada Media is buying Aberdeen Radio Ranch, which owns all six stations in the Aberdeen market, for $9.25 million. The Aberdeen American News reports that former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is Armada's chairman, and the COO is Chris Bernier, who is part-owner of several stations in the Fond du Lac, WI, area. The company's other principals are Jim Coursolle, John Larson, John Lynch, and Terry Shockley. Bernier told the paper Armada plans to buy stations in small and medium markets and could own 100 stations within two years. Aberdeen Radio Ranch is owned by Robert, Todd, and James Ingstad. (5/13/2006)

MINNESOTA:
KSTP/5 will add a newscast at 4 p.m. in late June, according to the Star Tribune. Unlike many other major markets, no station in Minneapolis currently has a 4 p.m. newscast. (5/12/2006)

MINNESOTA:
NRG Media plans to switch KLCH/94.7 (Lake City) from Adult Contemporary to Oldies, according to a job listing posted at All Access. (5/12/2006)

MINNESOTA:
Northwestern College's 250W translator K230AS/93.9 (Fergus Falls) has signed on, relaying "Life 97.9" (KFNW-FM Fargo). (5/11/2006)

NORTH DAKOTA:
DX-midAMerica reports that KQDJ/1400 (Jamestown) has dropped Soft Oldies and Talk for ESPN Radio as "1400 ESPN." (5/10/2006)

WISCONSIN:
DX-midAMerica also reports that WOWN/99.3 (Shawano) has dropped ABC's Oldies Radio format in favor of Jones Radio Networks' Classic Hits format as "B99.3." (5/10/2006)

NEBRASKA:
KBBN (Broken Bow) has moved from 98.3 to 95.3, making way for KRKU/98.5 to move from McCook to Maxwell, near North Platte. KBBN moved to a tower west of Broken Bow and increased antenna height from 95m to 175m, but remains 25kW. (5/8/2006)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
100kW KILI/90.1 (Porcupine) has been off the air since April 23 and may not return for four to six weeks, according to the Rapid City Journal. A lightning strike on April 15 damaged the station's antenna and transmission line. KILI is "The Voice of the Lakota Nation," serving the Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River, and Rosebud Reservations, and is also rebroadcast on K204FB/88.7 (Rapid City). (5/8/2006)

WISCONSIN:
Lenora P. Robinson, 85, who founded WVRQ AM-FM (Viroqua) with her husband D. Parks Robinson, died Thursday, May 4. The couple signed on WISV, now WVRQ/1360, in 1958, followed by WGBM, now WVRQ-FM/102.3, in 1967. Robinson was also a licensed nurse, and the family is starting a nursing scholarship. The stations are now owned by Lenora and Parks' son David Robinson and his wife, Jane, who also own a pair of radio stations in Prairie du Chien. (5/8/2006)

NEW CW AND MY AFFILIATES:
Sinclair Broadcasting has reached a deal to carry the CW on current WB affiliates KWMB/23 (Minneapolis) and WVTV/18 (Milwaukee). CW now has distribution in every Upper Midwest market, and as it worked out, every current WB affiliate in the region will become a CW affiliate. Meanwhile, WB affiliate KWKB/20 (Iowa City-Cedar Rapids), which has already reached a deal to carry CW, will also be a secondary affiliate of My Network TV. That leaves current UPN affiliate KWWF/22 (Waterloo-Cedar Rapids) without a network. (5/3/2006)