June 2001

MINNESOTA:
Broadcasting and Cable reports that a group headed by Luther Gatling has offered to purchase four TV stations from FOX. FOX has not stated whether or not it will accept the offer, but if it did, the problem of exceeding ownership cap limits with the purchase of Chris-Craft would be solved. If it accepted the offer, FOX would be able to keep KMSP/9. In a completely unrelated note, FOX29 (WFTC) has secured the rights for Timberwolves broadcasts beginning this fall. (7/6/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
In case you missed last week's article in the Star Tribune, WDGY/630 and WMIN/740 (both Hudson) have switched formats. That means 630, which recently upgraded to 2.3kW day and 300W night, is the Twin Cities' first 24-hour spanish-language radio station with it's "Radio Rey" format, though much of the metro has a hard time receiving the signal at night. Sporting News Radio is now heard on 740, which is an 850-Watt daytimer. (7/6/01)

NEBRASKA:
Reporter Ali Dramov is moving from Sioux City's KMEG/14 to Omaha's KPTM/42. (6/30/01)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
JJ Murray has been named news director at KDLT/46 (Sioux Falls). He worked as a photojournalist at KSFY/13 in the early `90s. (6/30/01)

IOWA:
The Ames Tribune reports that KLRX/96.1 (Madrid-Ames) is now rebroadcasting "The Jock" (KJJC/107.1 Osceola-Des Moines). Here's the ID. The change follows the sale of KLRX to Lifestyle Communications, the owner of KJJC. KLRX had been known as "Clear 96.1" with a Classic Rock format since it's sign-on several years ago. (6/27/01)

IOWA/ILLINOIS:
Jay Kidwell has joined the Quad Cities' WHBF/4 as sports director. (6/23/01)

WISCONSIN:
Radio/DX Information from Wisconsin reports that WHSM-FM/101.1 (Hayward) has switched from Hot AC to Classic Rock. The station is still called "Magic 101" with a local morning show and satellite programming for the rest of the day. It appears to be the same satellite format that airs on sister station WKLK-FM/96.5 (Cloquet). (6/23/01)

MINNESOTA:
The Educational Media Foundation's construction permit for a 191-Watt station on 90.3 in North Branch has been assigned the call letters KJLV. The station is expected to carry the "Air-1" network. (6/21/01)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has granted a large antenna height increase for KLMP/97.9 (Rapid City): from 119m to 579m. The transmitter site will move from Rapid City to near Lead. (6/21/01)

WISCONSIN:
The call letters WPLT have been assigned to the construction permit for a 6kW station on 106.3 in Spooner. Owner Zoe Communications also owns WCSW/WGMO in nearby Shell Lake. (6/21/01)

WISCONSIN:
WXCX/105.7 (Siren) was off the air for about a day and a half due to lack of power at the transmitter site following a tornado Monday night (6/18). The tornado cut a 30-mile path through Siren and Burnett County, taking three lives. The station's transmitter, located northwest of town, was not damaged. The station's studio is located in Milltown. (6/21/01)

MINNESOTA:
A construction permit has been issued for KMWB-DT/22 (Minneapolis). (6/15/01)

NEBRASKA:
A construction permit has been issued for KPNE-DT/16 (North Platte). (6/14/01)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KQJD/1550 (West Fargo) has returned its license to the FCC. After moving to 1660, the 1550 facility would have had to go off the air within five years. (6/14/01)

MINNESOTA:
The owners of UPN affiliate KDUL-LP/12 (Duluth) have let go all employees except one technician and put the station up for sale. The station will stay on the air until it's sold. The station has suffered from technical problems since it's initial sign-on last fall and parted ways with former management company ESI Broadcasting this spring. (6/12/01)

MINNESOTA/NEBRASKA/WISCONSIN:
The FCC has dismissed several applications for full-power TV stations, including Hubbard Broadcasting's application for a new station on channel 38 in Walker -- originally filed in 1988. There was no indication as to why the action took so long or why the application was dismissed. Hubbard applied for the station at around the same time it was building KSAX/42 (Alexandria) and KRWF/43 (Redwood Falls), which have both been on the air since the late 1980's. The FCC also dismissed applications by Oral Roberts University for channel 48 in Omaha, NE, and by Pappas Telecasting for channel 28 in Sheboygan, WI. (6/12/01)

NEBRASKA:
A construction permit has been issued for KETV-DT/20 (Omaha). (6/12/01)

MICHIGAN:
DX midAmerica sends word that WMPL/920 and WMPL-FM/93.5 (Hancock) are now simulcasting a format of Talk and Sports following the stations' sale to Victor Corporation. The lineup includes a local talk show in the morning, Rush Limbaugh, Chuck Harder, and Sporting News Radio evenings and overnights. The stations can be heard online at http://www.uppermichigan.com/wmpl. (6/9/01)

WISCONSIN:
DX midAmerica also reports that WKQH/104.9 (Marathon-Wausau) has dropped the "K-Rock" slogan in favor of "104.9 K-Q-H." The format is still Classic Hits. (6/9/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
If you didn't hear earlier, Family Radio is buying KSFF/94.7 (Caledonia-La Crosse), KQYB/98.3 (Spring Grove), and KHME/101.1 (Winona) from Marathon Media. Family Radio already owns La Crosse stations WKTY/580, WIZM/1410, WIZM-FM/93.3, and WRQT/95.7. (6/9/01)

WISCONSIN:
Rock 92.1 (WMEQ-FM Menomonie-Eau Claire) has completed its upgrade from the equivalent of 25kW to the equivalent of 50kW. (6/9/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
The FCC has approved new facilities for WIXK-FM/107.1 as it changes community of license from New Richmond, WI, to Coon Rapids, MN. A construction permit has been issued for 107.1 to use 25kW at 150m from Shoreview, which will give the station a city-grade signal across most of the Twin Cities metro. In order to make the move, KBFH/107.1 (Moose Lake) will be moved to 106.9, and KROC-FM/106.9 (Rochester) will change from class C to the newly-created class C0. Strangely, though, KROC-FM has applied to move 10km to the north from a slightly higher antenna, improving its signal into Rochester but apparently still far enough away from the WIXK-FM CP under the regulations for the new class C0. (6/8/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Construction permits have been issued for KTCA-DT/34 (St. Paul) and WXOW-DT/14 (La Crosse). (6/8/01)

NEBRASKA:
KJLT-FM translator K211DP/90.1 (Alma) is on the air. (6/8/01)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The University of North Dakota has awarded Sioux Athletics broadcast rights to Clear Channel. The three-year contract has not been finalized, but Clear Channel is expected to pay 25% of profits to UND and give $10,000 dollars worth of advertising to UND on each of its 22 stations in the Grand Forks, Fargo, Minot, Bismarck, and Dickinson markets. (6/8/01)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The recently-issued construction permit for a new station on 1450 in Pierre is being transferred from Leo Axdahl to James River Broadcasting, which is owned by Robert Ingstad. (6/8/01)

MINNESOTA:
All Access reports that Hubbard Broadcasting has made some management shifts: Todd Fisher will hand over VP/GM duties at KS95 to Marc Kalman. Fisher will take over duties at move-in WIXK. (6/7/01)

WISCONSIN:
WLSL/93.7 (Three Lakes-Rhinelander) has applied for an upgrade from 50kW to 100kW. (6/7/01)

WISCONSIN:
Starboard Broadcasting is buying WDVM/1050 (Eau Claire) from Totus Tuus Communications and WIBU/1240 (Poynette-Madison) from Magnum Communications. Starboard also purchased WAUX/1550 (Lake Geneva), a sale already approved by the FCC. The company is owned equally by John Kavil of Green Bay, Mark Follett of Green Bay, and Stephen Gajdosik of Wisconsin Rapids. Gajdosik owns 20% of Totus Tuus. Kavil and Follett are involved in Christ the King Communications, which owns WJOK/1050 (Kaukana). (6/6/01)

MINNESOTA:
Infinity/Viacom's KSGS/950 (St. Louis Park-Minneapolis) has dropped Urban AC in favor of Business Talk Radio as "K-Dow," though the official call letters are still KSGS. The music format had been unique in the market until B96 and V105 came along. The new format comes from the same network 950 used in the early `90s until beginning a simulcast with 104.1 in 1992. The station then went to Urban Oldies in 1995 and Urban AC in 1999. (6/5/01)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
The transmitter at Cities 104.3 (KZLT East Grand Forks) caught fire last Thursday (5/31). The station is trying to keep a temporary, lower-power transmitter on the air. (6/5/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications, which is purchasing Shockley's Duluth radio group, took over the stations in an LMA (local marketing agreement) on Friday, June 1. The stations are KDAL/610, WDSM/710, KXTP/970, KDAL-FM/95.7, KTCO/98.9, and KRBR/102.5. Midwest also owns and/or operates 22 radio stations in central and eastern Wisconsin and Michigan. (6/2/01)

IOWA:
A construction permit has been issued for KGAN-DT/51 (Cedar Rapids). (6/2/01)

IOWA:
Cherokee Broadcasting is buying KCHE/1440 and KCHE-FM/92.1 (Cherokee) from Sioux Valley Broadcasting. Cherokee Broadcasting is owned by Jeffrey Fuller, Michael Dudding, and Roy & Phyllis Rohlin. Fuller, Dudding, and Phyllis Rohlin also own KDSN AM-FM (Denison). (6/1/01)

MINNESOTA:
Robert Smith's Smith Broadcasting is selling WEZU/1220 (Stillwater) to Daniel and Gretchen Smith's Endurance Broadcasting. Smith recently sold WIXK AM-FM in nearby New Richmond, WI, to Hubbard Broadcasting. (6/1/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
By adding a third tower to it's antenna system and changing its directional pattern, WDGY/630 (Hudson-St. Paul) has been able to get an upgrade from 900W day and 200W night to 2.3kW day and 300W night. The change has already occurred. (6/1/01)

WISCONSIN:
Lawrence Busse is selling the construction permit for 25kW WDRK/99.9 Cornell to Central Communications, which owns 3 FM's and 2 AM's in the Eau Claire market. The FCC has indicated that it'll conduct more analysis than usual when considering approval of the sale. Busse owns 8% of Central Communications. (6/1/01, info added 6/4)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Calvary Satellite Network translator K201FN/88.1 (Dickinson) is on the air. (6/1/01)