NEBRASKA/IOWA:
A belated note that KZLW/90.1 (Gretna, NE) permanently signed on in May carrying Bible teaching and Christian music in a simulcast with KHLW/89.3 (Tabor, IA) as "Living Water Radio." KZLW had originally signed on last year but went silent citing electrical problems at its transmitter site near Wahoo, NE. The stations are owned by Calvary Chapel of Omaha and operated by Maranatha Fellowship of Bellevue. KZLW uses 100kW/21m (class C1) with a rimshot signal to Gretna and fringe coverage of Omaha and Lincoln. KHLW, which signed on in early 2012, uses 50kW/116m (class C2) from a tower just over the border in Missouri with coverage of Nebraska City and Shenandoah. (6/29/2013)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Another belated note that new "K-Love" station KNDL/100.7 (Berthold-Minot) is on the air. The station, owned by "K-Love" parent Educational Media Founation, uses 51.8kW/208m (class C1). (6/29/2013)
IOWA:
"K-Love" translator K205DC/88.9 (Sioux City) has moved to 100.1 with the new callsign K261DY. The move included an upgrade from 50 Watts to 250 Watts and comes in preparation for the sign-on of Little Priest Tribal College's KHGM/88.9 (Sioux City), which has until August 2014 to get on the air. (6/29/2013)
WISCONSIN:
The FCC has approved a move to Appleton for Calvary Satellite Network translator W204BK/88.7 (Sherwood). The translator currently broadcasts from High Cliff State Park southeast of Appleton with 10 Watts and will use 17 Watts after moving to Appleton. (6/29/2013)
MANITOBA:
Canadian regulators have approved a third radio station for Golden West Broadcasting in Steinbach. The new station will carry a Country format on 107.7 with 30kW/117m (class B). Golden West had initially applied for a more powerful facility on 88.5 but withdrew its application because it was in competition with CBC/Radio-Canada, which later received authorization to move Premi�re Cha�ne station CKSB/1050 (St. Boniface-Winnipeg) to 88.1. Golden West also operates Easy Listening CHSM/1250 and Adult Contemporary "Mix 96.7" (CILT-FM) in Steinbach, and also promotes its Christian CHVN-FM/95.1 (Winnipeg) in Steinbach. (6/28/2013)
WISCONSIN:
The Board of Regents of the UW System have returned the construction permit for new station WHAX/89.5 (Niagara), which would've brought a stronger Wisconsin Public Radio signal to the Wisconsin/Michigan border region in the area of Iron Mountain, MI. Steve Bauder, the Director of Field Engineering for Wisconsin Public Broadcasting and the Educational Communications Board, says the decision was partly the result of financial concerns and partly to allow another WPR station to upgrade. A federal grant program that existed when the application was filed is no longer around and prospects for raising money locally to construct the station were not good. Returning the CP for WHAX allowed WPR station WHND/89.7 (Sister Bay) to modify an earlier upgrade plan to specify a non-directional antenna. If approved, the upgraded WHND and its counterpart, WHDI/91.9 (Sister Bay), will have fringe coverage to some of the areas that would have been served by WHAX. WPR hopes to have WHND and WHDI upgraded by April 15, 2014. (6/28/2013)
MANITOBA:
Canadian regulators have approved the merger of Bell and Astral Media, meaning ownership changes for five Manitoba radio stations. In Winnipeg, Bell will take over Astral's Contemporary Hits 103.1 "Virgin Radio" (CKMM-FM), while Astral's Country "QX104" (CFQX-FM Selkirk) and Bell's Oldies "Fab 94.3" (CHIQ-FM) will be divested to Jim Pattinson Broadcast Group. After the merger, Bell's Winnipeg holdings will include CKMM, Variety Hits "99.9 Bob FM" (CFWM-FM), Sports "TSN 1290" (CFRW), and CTV affiliate CKY-TV/7. The deal also means Bell will take over Astral's two Brandon radio stations, Rock "KX96" (CKX-FM/96.1) and Country 101.1 "The Farm" (CKXA-FM). The CRTC had denied an earlier Bell-Astral merger proposal, prompting the companies to resubmit the application with more divestitures including the sale of ten radio stations and eleven subscription TV services. (6/27/2013)
ONTARIO/MICHIGAN:
The regulatory approval of the Bell-Astral Media merger, reported above, also has a positive benefit for Sault Ste. Marie: The CRTC is requiring Bell to keep CTV affiliate CHBX-TV/2 on the air until at least 2017. CHBX-TV is still operating in analog and is one of three Canadian TV stations remaining on the air locally after CBC, Radio-Canada, and TV Ontario turned off their Sault transmitters last year. A number of small-market Canadian TV stations have fallen silent in recent years. The Twin Soos are also served by two digital VHF stations carrying the four major U.S. networks. (6/27/2013)
MINNESOTA:
Christian station KNOF/95.3 (St. Paul) has completed its transmitter move to the IDS Center in Minneapolis. The IDS facility was activated at 2:52 p.m. Wednesday (6/26) and uses 900W/258m (class A), improving KNOF's signal to Minneapolis and the western suburbs. KNOF has applied to keep its previous 6kW/76m facility in St. Paul as an auxiliary site. The station is owned by North Central University through licensee Selby Gospel Broadcasting Corporation and simulcasts "Praise FM" with several western Minnesota stations. At IDS, KNOF joins Cumulus' WGVZ/105.7 (Eden Prairie), Fresh Air's KFAI/90.3 (Minneapolis), two FM translators, four low-power TV stations, and auxiliary facilities for a dozen major FM stations. Most major FM stations in the market transmitted from IDS until moving to the KMSP-TV tower in Shoreview a couple of decades ago. KFAI and WGVZ moved to IDS in 2007 and 2008. (6/27/2013)
IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
Iowa Public Radio and South Dakota Public Broadcasting will replace "Talk of the Nation," cancelled by NPR, with "Here and Now," the show NPR endorsed to replace it. The change in the 1 to 3 p.m. CT time slot takes effect July 1. As previously reported, Minnesota Public Radio is replacing TOTN with "The Takeaway" while Wisconsin Public Radio is revamping its schedule and will carry a statewide call-in show in the former TOTN timeslot. (6/27/2013)
MINNESOTA:
Lakeland Public Television stations KAWE/9 (Bemidji) and KAWB/22 (Brainerd) have announced plans to add First Nations Experience (FNX) on channels 9.2 and 22.2 on July 1, replacing a standard-definition simulcast of their main channel's programming. KAWE/KAWB will apparently be the first affiliate of FNX other than its flagship station in California. The network features programming about the lives and cultures of Native American and indigenous people around the world. KAWE/KAWB carry a total of six channels, including Create, the Minnesota Channel, and several PBS schedules. The stations are also relayed on six translators. (6/27/2013)
MICHIGAN:
WRPP/92.7 (Manistique-Escanaba) is now simulcasting the Classic Rock format if sister Great Lakes Radio station WRUP/98.3 (Palmer-Marquette), according to its website. A post on WRUP's Facebook page by a sister station suggests the change took place recently. WRPP had previously carried a News/Talk format as WPIQ; it was originally on 99.9 and upgraded to provide a rimshot signal to Escanaba with the move to 92.7 in 2010. WPRR has an application to upgrade from 24.5kW/217m (class C2) to 51kW/243m (class C1). (6/26/2013)
MINNESOTA:
A storm has damaged the antenna shared by nine major Twin Cities FM stations. In a request for special temporary authority filed with the FCC, Northwestern College's KTIS-FM/98.5 (Minneapolis) says it's operating at half-power of 50kW due to damage sustained during a June 21 storm. KTIS-FM shares a 12-bay antenna, located 316 meters up the KMSP-TV tower in Shoreview, with most of the major FM stations in the market. No other stations had filed an STA request as of Tuesday night. (6/26/2013)
WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin Public Radio is shaking up its Ideas Network schedule in the wake of NPR's decision to cancel "Talk of the Nation" at the end of the month. The Ideas Network has aired TOTN live from 1 to 3 p.m. weekdays for a couple of decades with statewide call-in talk shows making up most of the rest of the network's daytime schedule.
Beginning July 1, Kathleen Dunn's call-in show will move out of the 9 to 11 a.m. timeslot and into the former TOTN timeslot. In Dunn's place, the Ideas Network will air the nationally-syndicated "On Point," which currently airs in the evening, live from 9 to 11. Joy Cardin and Larry Meiller will continue in their current morning and midday call-in timeslots. Later in the day, WPR is launching a new magazine show, "Central Time," from 3 to 6 p.m., replacing a statewide call-in show from 3 to 5 p.m. and CBC arts program "Q" from 5 to 6. "Q" moves to 7 p.m., following a new airing of WPR's "To The Best of Our Knowledge" at 6. The schedule will be slightly different on Fridays, with WPR's "45 North" airing from 9 to 11 and repeated at 6 and NPR's "Science Friday" (an outgrowth of TOTN) continuing from 1 to 3. Additionally, regional programming will air in Eau Claire Mondays at 10 a.m., in Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Wausau Thursdays at 10 a.m., and in Superior beginning at 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and at 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays.
The Ideas Network is also making some changes to its weekend schedule, adding America's Test Kitchen Radio and the TED Radio Hour and moving some other shows. Click here for the full grid. (6/25/2013)
MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio's solution to the end of "Talk of the Nation" is much simpler than the Wisconsin Public Radio changes described above. MPR had only been airing the first hour of TOTN and will air national news magazine "The Takeaway" at 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday and continue to air "Science Friday." "BBC Newshour" continues at 2 p.m. (6/25/2013)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
Several FM station changes are on the way for the Pierre market. First, Riverfront Broadcasting has applied to modify its construction permit for a new station on 104.5. Currently permitted for 100kW/318m (class C0) from southeast of town, the station has applied for 100kW/158m (class C1) from a site south of town. The new station, which does not yet have a callsign, was slated to be licensed to Murdo but has applied to change its community of license to Blunt. Murdo would still have one license since Agnus Dei Communications is in the process of building a new station on 100.9 licensed to that community.
Meanwhile, Riverfront Broadcasting's KLXS-FM/95.3 (Pierre) has applied for an upgrade from 49kW/151m (C2) to 100kW/158m (C1). And the FCC has granted Janice Ingstad's KPLO-FM/94.5 (Reliance-Pierre) a construction permit to operate from the new KPLO-TV tower with 100kW/283m (C1). KPLO-FM has been operating at reduced facilities of 18kW/227m (C0) since the KPLO-TV tower collapsed a few years ago. (6/24/2013)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
Pandora Media is paying $600,000 to buy KXMZ/102.7 (Box Elder-Rapid City), according to documents filed with the FCC this week. Pandora's assistant general counsel announced last week that the company is buying KXMZ, known as "Hits 102.7," from Connoisseur Media in an attempt to get lower music royalty rates for online streaming. Pandora took over operation of the station through a local marketing agreement on June 10. Connoisseur has no other stations in the market. (6/21/2013)
NEBRASKA:
Rick Siebert, the owner of three radio stations in Fairbury and Beatrice, is buying the three Fremont-based radio stations from Community First Media of Nebraska for $1.15 million. The group, located just outside Omaha, includes News/Talk KHUB/1340 (Fremont), Country KBLR/97.3 (Blair), and Classic Rock "Gold 105.5" (KFMT Fremont). KBLR is legally located within the Omaha market but does not have a city-grade signal to most of the populated portions of the market; it had targetted Omaha via a now-silent translator under previous ownership. Siebert is buying the stations through R&R Broadcasting, Inc., of which he owns 100 percent. Roric L. Siebert is a vice president and secretary in the company but holds no ownership interest. The new owners took over operation of the stations through a local marketing agreement on June 1. (6/20/2013)
WISCONSIN:
Robinson Corp. is buying an FM translator to use for its Oldies-formatted WPRE/980 (Prairie du Chien). Robinson will pay World Radio Link $11,000 for W284AS/104.7 (Boscobel), which has applied to move its transmitter to Prairie du Chien and change frequency to 104.3 using 250W. (6/19/2013)
MINNESOTA:
The last analog TV station in the Twin Cities has taken a step towards entering the digital world. Univision affiliate WUMN-LP/13, which is now owned by Media Vista Minneapolis, has applied to construct digital facilities on channel 17. It would use 15kW, the maximum allowed for low-power digital TV. 17 was the former analog home of Twin Cities Public Television station KTCI, which now transmits on channel 23 and remaps to channel 2.3 but is still carried on channel 17 on satellite. The Twin Cities have several other low-power TV stations carrying Christian and home shopping programming; all have converted to digital. (6/18/2013)
MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio's Adult Alternative "The Current" is now available in another community. It's being carried on the HD2 channel of MPR's new News outlet KGRP/89.7 (Grand Rapids), which is being relayed on K297AD/107.3 (Grand Rapids). K297AD carried the News network prior to KGRP's sign-on. "The Current" is heard on two fully-licensed stations, six translators, and two HD2 channels. (6/18/2013)
WISCONSIN:
WRVM translator W280DT/103.9 has completed its move from Minocqua to Lac du Flambeau. The Christian broadcaster has another translator remaining in Minocqua. (6/18/2013)
NEBRASKA:
KMTY/97.7 (Holdrege) has changed format after Legacy Broadcasting took over operations of the station from Armada Media. KMTY, which had carried the "Jack" Variety Hits format, switched to "Big Country" at 10 a.m. Monday (6/17) after a weekend of stunting. The station has a rimshot signal to Kearney and has a construction permit to move into the Kearney market. It's operated alongside Oldies-formatted KUVR/1380 (Holdrege). (6/17/2013)
IOWA:
Fife Communications is buying an FM translator for its Oldies-formatted KCFI/1250 (Cedar Falls-Waterloo). Fife will pay Starboard Media $12,500 for K232EO/94.3 (Waverly). The translator is currently licensed for a coverage area in Waverly and has not applied for a move towards Waterloo, but the application specifies KCFI as the station to be rebroadcast. (6/17/2013)
MINNESOTA:
The FCC has approved several moves by Educational Media Foundation translators on the edges of the Twin Cities metro area. W221BS/92.1 will move its transmitter from St. Paul to North St. Paul, K249ED/97.7 will move its transmitter from Maple Grove to Oak Grove, and K277AS/103.3 will move its transmitter from Monticello to Albertville. W221BS and K249ED's moves are away from the urban core while K277AS will move a bit closer in, but still serve the fringe of the metro.
Regular readers will recall that EMF, which operates the Christian "K-Love" and "Air-1" networks, has been in the process of shuffling its Twin Cities-area translators for a few years with applications specifying Clear Channel stations as those to be rebroadcast. Clear Channel began carrying "K-Love" on the HD3 signal of KFXN-FM/100.3 this spring, and that signal is relayed on W227BF/93.3, which EMF moved from Arden Hills to the IDS Center in Minneapolis. EMF has a construction permit to move W225AP/92.9 from St. Paul to the Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis, an application to move K260BA/99.9 from Plymouth to Wells Fargo, and an application to move K273BH/102.5 from Wells Fargo to IDS. Presumably, some of the translators would carry Clear Channel programming and others would carry EMF programming, which has been the case in other markets.
See the complete list of translators on the Twin Cities Class D FM Stations page. (6/15/2013)
IOWA:
The FCC has deleted the license of one-time UPN and My Network TV affiliate WBQD-LP/26 (Davenport). The Commission says in a letter to station licensee Four Seasons Peoria, LLC that its records indicate WBQD-LP has been silent since December 9, 2011. The station told the FCC that it went silent after losing its tower lease. Federal law says stations that are silent for more than a year will have their licenses deleted. WBQD-LP had signed on in 2002 and ID'd as "channel 16" based on its cable position; here are some screengrabs from its time on the air. At one time WBQD-LP was simulcast on WQAD/8.3 (Moline), which continues to carry My Network TV on its own and assumed WBQD's slot on cable. (6/15/2013)
WISCONSIN:
An FCC commissioner has high praise for a small western Wisconsin radio station. In a statement released this week, Commissioner Ajit Pai says he recently met Brian Winnekins, co-owner of WRDN/1430 (Durand). Brian and his wife Karla relaunched WRDN last year after the station was silent for most of five years. Pai, who is pushing for an FCC initiative to revitalize AM radio, said Winnekins presented him with several ideas for improving the AM band and a folder full of letters from community members who appreciate having WRDN's locally-focused Country format back on the air. Winnekins' ideas include a crackdown on interference from electronic devices, expanding bandwidth, and allowing all stations to use the same power level day and night. You can read the letters here. (6/12/2013)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
In what may be the first time political news outlet The Hill has broken news of a radio station sale, Pandora assistant general counsel Christopher Harrison announced in an opinion piece that Pandora is buying KXMZ/102.7 (Box Elder-Rapid City) from Connoisseur Media for an undisclosed price. Pandora isn't interested in getting into the terrestrial radio business; Harrison writes that the company is buying KXMZ in an effort to qualify for lower music royalty fees. The deal had not been filed with the FCC or announced on Pandora's website as of Tuesday. KXMZ signed on in 2008 and carries a Hot Adult Contemporary format as "Hits 102.7." Connoisseur owns no other stations in the market. (6/11/2013)
WISCONSIN:
New station WCNP/89.5 (Baraboo) is on the air carrying Classical music and Christian programming from studios in Reedsburg, with plans for more local programming once volunteers come forward. The station is owned by Liberty and Freedom, Inc. and will use 6.5kW/321m (class B), but stated at its sign-on June 5 that it was only using half-power until it gets approval from the FCC to go to full-power. The station will deliver a strong signal the Wisconsin Dells region north of Madison and fringe coverage of the capital city. (6/11/2013)
MANITOBA:
CKMW/1570 (Morden) will officially move to 88.9 FM on Wednesday (June 12) at 10 a.m., according to the station's website. CKMW will keep its 25-year-old Country format and will use 100kW on 88.9, reaching across the border into the U.S. The CRTC approved the move to FM just five months ago and will allow 1570 to remain on the air for up to three months in a simulcast. The station is inviting the public to its Winkler studio to witness the switch and plans to give away $20,000 to promote the new frequency. CKMW is owned by Golden West Radio, which also owns Easy Listening CFAM/950 (Altona) and Adult Contemporary CJEL-FM/93.5 (Winkler). (6/11/2013)
MINNESOTA:
Donald Linder is transferring his ownership interest in Minnesota Valley Broadcasting to his sons as part of estate planning, according to a filing with the FCC. The Mankato-based company owns eleven stations in southern Minnesota and rents a twelfth. Currently, Donald Linder owns 37 percent of the company and his sons John, Thomas, and Doug each own 20 percent (the remaining 3 percent is not accounted for in filings). After the transfer, John's interest will rise to 55.63 percent and Thomas' will rise to 25.82 percent but Doug's will fall to 18.55 percent. John Linder separately owns four southern Minnesota stations. (6/11/2013)
MANITOBA:
Yes, there are still some full-power analog TV signals on the air in Canada, but soon there will be one less. The CRTC has approved an application from CKND-TV-2 (Channel 2, Minnedosa-Brandon) to convert to digital on channel 9 using 30.5kW. CKND-TV-2 is a secondary transmitter of Global affiliate CKND-DT/9.1 (Winnipeg, RF channel 40). CTV still operates a half-dozen analog stations in Manitoba, including one in Brandon, while the CBC turned off all of its transmitters outside of Winnipeg last year rather than convert them to digital. (6/10/2013)
NEBRASKA:
TVNewsCheck reports that KSNB-TV/4 (Superior-Lincoln) will add Me-TV on a subchannel. With the addition of KSNB, the classic TV network will have affiliates in every Upper Midwest market that has more than two stations. It has also surpassed the CW in the broadcast affiliate count in the region; the CW is still missing broadcast affiliates in Lincoln, Bismarck, and a few smaller markets. KSNB is owned by Gray Television and carries My Network TV on its main channel and Antenna TV on 4.2; Gray also owns CBS affiliates KOLN/10 (Lincoln) and KGIN/11 (Grand Island). (6/10/2013)
NEBRASKA/IOWA:
A former downtown Omaha train station will become a TV station: Hearst ABC affiliate KETV/7.1 announced plans last week to move to the historic Burlington Station. The station anticipates a 2015 move-in, more than forty years after the last train pulled out. KETV is currently located about two dozen blocks away on Douglas Street near I-480.
The day before the KETV announcement, NBC affiliate KWWL/7.1 (Waterloo) announced plans not to move. The Quincy Newspapers station says after an exhaustive review, it has decided to stay in the downtown Waterloo location it's used since 1958 but extensively renovate the facility. The KWWL Building is also home to KBOL-LP/100.1. (6/10/2013)
IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA/WISCONSIN:
Young Broadcasting, which owns several stations in the Upper Midwest, is merging with Media General in an all-stock transaction announced Thursday. Young's stations include ABC affiliate WBAY/2.1 (Green Bay), NBC affiliate KWQC/6.1 (Davenport), CBS affiliate KELO-TV/11.1 (Sioux Falls), and CBS affiliate KCLO/15.1 (Rapid City). Media General's holdings are mostly in the southeastern U.S. The combined company will have thirty network-affiliated TV stations in 27 markets representing 14 percent of U.S. TV households. (6/6/2013)
CANADA:
CBC/Radio-Canada's French-language networks and websites have announced plans to drop the name "Radio-Canada" later this year in favor of "ici," which translates to "here" in French. The word has long been used in Radio-Canada promos and ID's: "ici Radio-Canada." Radio-Canada's broadcast TV network will become ici T�l� on Sept. 9. On the radio, La Premi�re Cha�ne will become ici Premi�re on Aug. 19, while a date for Espace musique to become ici Musique was not listed in a promotional video. The corporate name of the public broadcaster will continue to be CBC/Radio-Canada. (6/5/2013)
WISCONSIN:
Want a radio station in Milwaukee? Here's your chance: Variety reports that Radio Disney is putting its Milwaukee station, WKSH/1640 (Sussex), and six other mid-sized market stations up for sale. Radio Disney will retain its stations in the top 25 markets, including KDIZ/1440 (Golden Valley-Minneapolis). WKSH uses 10kW day and 1kW night, non-directional. (6/4/2013)
IOWA:
Puerto Rico-based Telecinco, Inc. is buying the construction permit for digital low-power TV station K14NV-D (Sioux City) from EICB-TV East for $40,000. Telecinco owns an Univision affiliate in Puerto Rico. EICB-TV also holds the construction permit for K45LM-D (Sioux City) and the agreement contains a provision calling on Telecinco to find a transmitter site that both stations can use. (6/4/2013)
NEBRASKA:
A filing with the FCC has revealed the purchase price for part of a previously-reported station swap between Legacy Communications and Armada Media. Legacy will pay Armada $400,000 for KUVR/1380 and KMTY/97.7 (Holdrege). The purchase price is actually $800,000, but half of that purchase price will be used as a credit against Armada's purchase of six stations in the Scottsbluff market and two in the North Platte market from Legacy. That portion of the deal has not yet been filed with the FCC. Armada and Legacy traded operations of the stations under local marketing agreements on May 1. (6/4/2013)
IOWA/NEBRASKA/WYOMING:
Six TV stations in Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming are getting new operators in deals announced Monday. Sinclair Broadcasting is buying FOX 42 (KPTM Omaha) and FOX 44 (KPTH Sioux City) from Titan Television Broadcast Group and also assuming the rights to operate CW 15 (KXVO Omaha) and CBS 14 (KMEG Sioux City) as part of a $115.35 million deal that also includes two stations in Fresno, CA. The Omaha and Sioux City groups both include subchannels carrying Azteca America and My Network TV/This TV. Meanwhile, Sagamorehill Broadcasting is selling CBS affiliate KGWN/5 (Cheyenne, WY) and satellite KSTF/10 (Scottsbluff, NE) to Yellowstone Media, LLC in a $20.5 million deal that also includes a station in Laredo, TX. Both deals were revealed to TVNewsCheck and Broadcasting&Cable but have not yet been announced on the companies' websites. (6/3/2013)
MINNESOTA:
The sales manager of Liberal Talk station KTNF/950 (St. Louis Park-Minneapolis) is buying the company that owns the station for $1.5 million. Chad Larson will pay Janet Robert $1.5 million for all of the shares of JR Broadcasting, LLC. The stock purchase agreement filed with the FCC states Larson will become the station's general manager when the sale is completed. Neither person has any other broadcast interests. (6/3/2013)
IOWA:
The FCC has denied an application from future Iowa Public Radio station KNSX/97.1 (Moville) to provide a stronger signal to Sioux City. The current KNSX construction permit calls for 5.2kW/109m (class A) and the station applied to upgrade to 11.8kW/149m (class C3) from a site 8.5km closer to Sioux City. Even if the proposed facility meets technical requirements, it ran afoul of the rules by which the frequency was originally reserved for non-commercial use. The non-commercial reservation was made, in part, because more than ten percent of the people in the new station's coverage area would be served by just one other non-commercial station. However, by widening KNSX's coverage area, the percentage of listeners in the coverage area receiving only one other non-commercial station would have dropped below ten percent. In a letter informing ISU of the denial, the FCC says the facility specified in KNSX's modification application would have been disqualified in the initial round of competing applications since it would not have met the ten-percent standard. It said ISU had failed "to present good cause for waiver" and "not shown sufficiently unique 'special' circumstances, i.e., rare and exceptional circumstances beyond its control to justify a waiver." The deadline to build KNSX is January 31, 2015. IPR also once held the construction permit for KHGM/88.9 (Sioux City) but sold it to Little Priest Tribal College earlier this year. (6/3/2013)
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