June 2005

IOWA/WISCONSIN:
Cascade Community Radio has been tentatively selected as the winner of a construction permit for a new station on 88.9. The group applied for a 2.25kW station in Cascade, IA, which would actually provide a stronger signal to Dubuque than it would to Cascade. The Wisconsin Educational Communications Board applied for a 410W station on the same frequency in Platteville, WI. Cascade was tentatively selected because its new station would provide a first or second service in the noncommercial portion of the band (88-92 MHz) to at least 10% of the people in its coverage area, while the Platteville station would not. (6/19/2005)

MINNESOTA CORRECTION:
KADU/90.1 (Hibbing) does indeed already have a construction permit to upgrade to 22kW at 113m, a vast increase from its current 100W. (6/19/2005)

MINNESOTA:
250W translator K264AR/100.7 (Roseau) signed on June 9, carrying Minnesota Public Radio's News and Information network. MPR's Classical network was already heard on a translator at 90.9. (6/19/2005)

ONTARIO:
In a move that rarely happens in the U.S., Canadian regulators have denied the transfer of 50-Watt CFQK/104.5 (Kaministiquia-Thunder Bay) from Ari Lahdekorpi's Northwest Broadcasting to H.F. Dougall Company. Dougall and Northwest have been operating under a local sales agreement since last fall. The CRTC concluded that the relationship had exceeded the purpose of an LSA, and Lahdekorpi had not maintained effective control of the station. Specifically, the power output of CFQK repeater CKED/103.5 (Shuniah Township) was increased "well above" its licensed 10 Watts in late 2004 without Lahdekorpi's knowledge. The CRTC has ordered the LSA terminated by September 9. Read the full decision here. CFQK/CKED recently launched a "Hot" Contemporary Hits format from Dougall's Hill Street facility, which is the station's fourth format since signing on in 2001.

This is just the latest development in a recent saga of ownership and format changes in the Thunder Bay market. Until 2001, the city of 115,000 had only three commercial radio stations -- CKPR/580, CJSD/94.3, and CJLB/105.3 -- all controlled by Dougall, which also owns the city's two TV stations. Then, four low-power stations signed on: commercial CFQK and CJUK/99.9, Lahdekorpi's tourist CITB/97.1, and Christian CJOA/95.1. CJUK was recently sold to Newcap Broadcasting, which also took control of 105.3 by severing a local marketing agreement with Dougall. The latest CRTC ruling leaves Dougall, Newcap, and Lahdekorpi with two stations each. (6/19/2005)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC's Enforcement Bureau has issued a $4,000 notice of apparent liability to Ingstad Brothers Broadcasting for failure to reduce power of KCHK/1350 (New Prague) at local sunset. KCHK is licensed for 500W day and 70W night. On December 1, 3, 4, and 6, 2004, a St. Paul FCC agent determined from field strength measurements that KCHK did not reduce to nighttime power until 6:56 p.m., though local sunset for KCHK is specified as 4:30 p.m. in the month of December. Ingstad Brothers Broadcasting has until July 1 to either pay the forfeiture or file a statement seeking a reduction or cancellation of the forfeiture. Read the full NAL here. (6/12/2005)

MICHIGAN:
Randy Michaels' Radioactive, LLC, has received a construction permit for a station on 94.9 licensed to Crystal Falls. The class C3 station will use 6kW at 203m from a site between Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain. Radioactive also has a CP for another class C3 station on 96.7 in Republic. (6/11/2005)

MICHIGAN/WISCONSIN:
The FCC has made allotments for future FM stations in Crystal Falls, MI, and Laona, WI. The Crystal Falls allotment is for a class C2 station (50kW/150m) on 103.9, with a site restriction 24.3 km southwest of town, putting the transmitter in Wisconsin. 103.9 could potentially provide a good signal to Iron Mountain, MI. The Laona allotment is for a class C3 station (25kW/100m) on 102.3, with a site restriction 11.1km north of town. Both frequencies will likely go up for auction in coming years. (There's also an existing unused allotment for a class C3 station on 103.1 in nearby Crandon, WI.) (6/11/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Longtime Eau Claire on-air and engineering vet Jim Casey lost his long battle with brain cancer on Thursday (6/9). "The Caseman" most recently on Cool 92.9's evening show, and kept all seven of the stations now owned by Maverick Media on the air for years. (6/11/2005)

MINNESOTA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
KCGN/101.5 (Ortonville) is off the air after its transmitter building near Summit, SD, was completely destroyed by severe weather early Wednesday morning (6/8). However, the tower was not damaged. Pictures are posted on the station's website. (6/10/2005)

MINNESOTA:
The Duluth News-Tribune reports that Heartland Christian Broadcasters plans to upgrade its KADU/90.1 (Hibbing) from 100W to 22kW; no application has been filed with the FCC. The paper also reports that Heartland's KBHW/99.5 (International Falls), which will be rebroadcast on KADU, plans to change add a slogan of "Psalms 99:5" on June 27. (6/10/2005)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio has improved its signal to Blue Earth with two new translators. 99-Watt K222BA/92.3 carries MPR's Classical network via KGAC/90.5 (St. Peter), and 250-Watt K270AQ/101.9 carries MPR's News and Information network via KNGA/91.5 (St. Peter). The translators were funded by public radio capital grants made available through appropriations from the State of Minnesota. (6/9/2005)

IOWA:
KXLQ/1490 (Indianola), which left the air at the end of January, may be preparing to return to the air. Rock music has recently been heard on the frequency. (6/8/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Adam Baum has left the evening slot at La Crosse's Z93 (WIZM-FM/93.3). The station is looking for a new host. (6/8/2005)

IOWA:
KDNZ/1250 (Cedar Falls-Waterloo) is indeed planning to become "Radio Bueno," but no launch date has been set. See the earlier item below for more information. (6/8/2005)

IOWA:
Is a spanish-language format coming to Waterloo? The schedule for "My Waterloo Days" included a logo for "Radio Bueno AM1250," but KDNZ/1250 (Cedar Falls) is still simulcasting with "The Fan" KCNZ/1650. The stations are owned by Fife Communications. 1250's license is due to expire in about a year, since 1650 was really meant to replace 1250 as part of the move to the expanded portion of the AM band. Stations that moved into the expanded band were allowed to use both their old and new frequencies for five years; it appears 1650 signed on in 2001. However, other stations have been able to get extensions to keep the old frequency on the air. (6/5/2005)

IOWA:
KWOF-FM/89.1 (Hiawatha-Cedar Rapids) and KWOF/850 (Waterloo) recently relaunched its Contemporary Christian format under the name "The Spirit." (6/5/2005)

NEBRASKA:
Broadcasting for the Challenged has received a construction permit for a new station on 89.1 in Scottsbluff, using 100kW at 76m from a site southwest of Mitchell. (6/5/2005)

WISCONSIN:
WisconsinBroadcasting.com reports that WOSQ/92.3 (Spencer-Marshfield) has flipped to a Sports format using ESPN Radio. WOSQ had carried ABC's Real Country format for about a decade. (6/5/2005)

WISCONSIN:
WNWC-FM/102.5 (Madison) is operating at reduced power from a backup site while its tower is replaced. The project is expected to take about two months. (6/5/2005)

MORE FEEDER TRANSLATORS?
Several more translator construction permits have been granted modifications to move from the commercial (92-108 MHz) to the noncommercial (88-92 MHz) portion of the band. K256BD/99.1 (Storm Lake, IA) became K202DW/88.3; K261DK/100.1 (Sisseton, SD) became K207DZ/89.3; and W268AI/101.5 (Black River Falls, WI) became W214BS/90.7. Also, W274AP/102.7 (Neillsville, WI) has an application to move to 91.9. Translators in the noncommercial portion of the band can receive their feed via satellite. The signal can then be picked up over the air and relayed by translators in the commercial portion of the band, which cannot receive their feed directly from satellite. The translators are owned by Edgewater Broadcasting and Radio Assist Ministry, which have CP's for dozens of translators in the region. Both are both based in Twin Falls, Idaho, the home of the Calvary Satellite Network and Effect Radio, which have large translator networks. (6/5/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Starboard Media's WYNW/92.9 (Birnamwood) has upgraded from 250W to 6kW, or soon will. The new facility gives WYNW, a Relevant Radio affiliate, a good signal to Wausau. (6/1/2005)

IOWA:
KNEI/1140 (Waukon) has moved to 1160, changing from 1kW daytime only to 880W day and 26W night, still non-directional. The station runs a sports format using ESPN Radio. (6/1/2005)