June 2014

WISCONSIN:
The Stoughton Courier Hub reports that the Town of Rutland has again rejected a new tower that would allow WBKY/95.9 to deliver a rimshot signal to Madison. The Magnum Communications station has long had a construction permit to change its community of license from Portage to Stoughton, using 2.65kW/153m (class A), but the Town of Rutland denied construction of a new tower in 2011. Magnum reapplied after a state law change. The newspaper reports the town's latest denial is still subject to review by a Dane County committee. (6/28/2014)

MINNESOTA:
Hubbard Broadcasting ABC affiliate KAAL/6.1 (Austin-Rochester) has announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art studio facility with about 45 employees in Rochester. The new 9500-square-foot facility at TJ Maxx Plaza, 1300 16th St SW, will house the station's news department. The station currently has a smaller news bureau in Rochester with its main studio and newsroom in Austin; the Austin facility will stay in operation. KAAL hopes to move into the new facility in early 2015 and will also add a new weekday newscast at an undisclosed time. The Rochester-Austin-Mason City market is a classic "hyphenated" market where 1950's regulators cobbled together three small-town stations to form one set of network affiliates, but Rochester has grown to be much larger than other parts of the market. Many Twin Cities stations are also available on cable in Rochester, further adding to the competition. (6/27/2014)

IOWA:
Kansas-based My Town Media is buying KMYQ/97.1 (North English) from Justin McLuckie for $50,000. KMYQ signed on in 2012 but filed for special temporary authority to remain silent the same day the final license was granted, and has received several more STA's since then. The station is licensed for 3.9kW/40m (class A) and covers a rural area southwest of Iowa City. My Town Media also owns nine radio stations in Kansas and Missouri and is buying a Missouri station from McLuckie in a separate transaction. (6/26/2014)

WISCONSIN:
Bliss Communications announced Wednesday that it's selling its AM-FM combos in Racine and West Bend to Magnum Broadcasting for an undisclosed price.

The deal includes WRJN/1400 and WEZY/92.1 (Racine) and WBKV/1470 and WBWI/92.5 (West Bend), all of which deliver rimshot signals to Milwaukee. WRJN signed on in 1926, making it one of the nation's oldest stations, and has been owned by Bliss along with WEZY for 17 years; Bliss has owned the West Bend stations for 43 years.

"We have enjoyed our relationship with the communities and all of our terrific employees," Bliss President Sidney H. "Skip" Bliss said in a press release. "However, this sale represented an opportunity for me to pass the ownership of these great radio stations on to another Wisconsin broadcasting family."

Magnum, based in Tomah and headed by Dave Magnum, owns 12 other radio stations and three low-power/class A TV stations in Wisconsin. Bliss retains ownership of WCLO/1230 and WJVL/99.9 (Janesville), the Janesville Gazette, the Monroe Times, the Marinette EagleHerald, and several weekly and shopper newspapers. (6/25/2014)

MINNESOTA:
FOX Television Stations announced Wednesday that it's adding news at many of its stations, including FOX 9 (KMSP Minneapolis). KMSP will begin carrying a weeknight 6:00 newscast on Sept. 6, following the existing hour of news at 5:00. The station had carried 6:00 newscast specials during some previous election years. KMSP will also expand its Sunday 10 p.m. newscast to an hour and also add an hour Sundays at 10 a.m. beginning July 13. (6/25/2014)

NEBRASKA/NORTH DAKOTA:
The two FCC commissioners who opposed the commission's moves to limit TV joint sales and shared services agreements are blaming the crackdown for causing three stations in Nebraska and North Dakota to go off the air.

As previously reported, KHAS-TV/5 (Hastings), KNDX/26 (Bismarck), and KXND/24 (Minot) went silent June 13 after Gray TV hired their staff, purchased their programming and non-license assets, and moved the programming to stations Gray already owned. Gray made that move after deals fell through to sell the stations to Excalibur Broadcasting, which would've had Gray run them through shared services agreements.

In a statement released Tuesday, Commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O'Rielly say the move will actually result in Gray getting a higher share of the advertising revenue in the markets than it would've had under the SSA's. They asked, "Are these the victories for competition that critics of sharing agreements were hoping to see? Or has the real goal all along just been to drive television stations off the air?"

Gray is working with the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council to find buyers for the three stations as well as KXJB/4 (Valley City-Fargo), which Gray has said will go silent after CBS programming is moved to a subchannel of Gray's KVLY-TV/11 (Fargo). (6/24/2014)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Nine years after signing on with an Adult Contemporary format, Programmers Broadcasting's KWGO/102.9 (Burlington-Minot) has switched to Country. The new format directly takes on Clear Channel's longtime "97 Kicks FM" (KYYX/97.1 Minot); "WGO" says on its Facebook page that its format will have more local content and local announcers. Programmers also owns Classic Rock-formatted 94.9 "The Zoo" (KTZU Velva-Minot) and Country-formatted "Sunny 101.9" (KBTO Bottineau), the latter of which does not target Minot. (6/24/2014)

WISCONSIN:
Roger Utnehmer's WRKU/102.1 (Forestville-Sturgeon Bay) and WSBW/105.1 (Sister Bay) have launched Adult Contemporary formats as "More FM." The stations carry John Tesh in the evening and run the same playlist with separate imaging and commercials. WRKU had previously carried Classic Hits, while WSBW had run a Soft Oldies/Smooth Jazz format similar to Utnehmer's WBDK/96.7 (Algoma). WSBW has a construction permit to change its community of license to Ephraim but was still ID'ing as Sister Bay on Monday night. (6/24/2014)

IOWA/MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
GetTV, a classic movie subchannel owned by Sony Pictures Television Networks, announced Monday that it's coming to Minneapolis and four other Upper Midwest markets as part of a 33-station deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group. New affiliates will include WUCW (Minneapolis), WVTV (Milwaukee), WMSN (Madison), KGAN (Cedar Rapids), and KDSM (Des Moines). Some of the stations also carry ZUUS Country on subchannels and have had extra room waiting since dropping The Cool TV a few years back. (6/23/2014)

ONTARIO:
CKED-FM/103.5 (Shuniah-Thunder Bay) and CFQK-FM/104.5 (Kaministiquia-Oliver Paipoonge) have dropped Country for Hot Adult Contemporary as "Energy 103 & 104." Dougall Media operates the pair of small stations, which broadcast with 10 Watts and 50 Watts, respectively. The switch happened June 13 and comes three months after Acadia Broadcasting launched "Country 105" on 100kW CKTG-FM. Dougall also operates longtime Adult Contemporary station CKPR-FM/91.5 and "Rock 94" (CJSD-FM), while Acadia's "Magic 99.9" rounds out the market's five stations with a Contemporary Hits format. (6/23/2014)

ONTARIO:
Following regulatory approval of its plans to drop the CBC, Dougall Media's CKPR-DT/2 (Thunder Bay) has announced plans to switch the station's affilation to CTV. The change will take place on Sept. 1. Dougall had carried CTV on CHFD/4 until dropping it for Global in 2010. The two are the only commercial TV stations in the city. (6/23/2014)

MANITOBA:
Steinbach's "Country 107.7" (CJXR-FM) officially launched Thursday (6/19), according to the station's website. The new station uses 30kW/117m (class B) and is owned by Golden West Broadcasting, which also owns CHSM/1250 and "Mix 96.7" (CILT-FM) in Steinbach. The city of about 13,500 is "under the umbrella" of the major Winnipeg stations. (6/22/2014)

MICHIGAN:
Two Upper Peninsula stations have joined the "K-Love" network: DX-midAMerica reports that WCRR/88.9 (Manistique-Escanaba) and WSHN/89.3 (Munising-Marquette) have switched to "K-Love." ChristianRadioBroadcasting.org had originally operated the stations with a Contemporary Christian format as "Ready FM." (6/22/2014)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has proposed a $10,000 fine against Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises for alleged lighting violations at the KOTA/1380 (Rapid City) tower site. Duhamel said it had intentionally turned the lights off in 2005 based on an informal opinion from a Federal Aviation Administration representative that it would be OK to turn off the lights, but the FCC says the FAA offially denied KOTA's request in 2005 and again after the FCC issued a Notice of Violation in 2013. Duhamel has 30 days to either pay the fine or request a reduction or cancellation. (6/22/2014)

IOWA:
Powell Broadcasting is buying an FM translator to use for News/Talker KSCJ/1360. Powell will pay VSS Catholic Commucations $62,400 for K235CA/94.9, which is not yet on the air. The construction permit for K235CA calls for 250 Watts from a tower on the northwest side of town. (6/20/2014)

MINNESOTA:
FOX 9 (KMSP) and My 29 (WFTC) will consolidate their channels under then channel 9 banner next week, matching a strategy used by two other station groups in town. FOX will air on 9.1 and 9.9, My 29 will air on 9.2, Movies! will air on 9.3, and Bounce will air on 9.4. The change will take place Tuesday (6/24) at 10 a.m. It's not immediately clear which channels will come from which RF frequencies. Currently, 9.1 (FOX) and 29.2 (WFTC SD simulcast) originate on RF channel 9 while 9.2 (KMSP-SD), 29.1 (My), 29.3 (Bounce), and 29.4 (Movies!) originate on RF channel 29. Digital VHF signals have proven to be more difficult to receive with indoor antennas. KTCA/KTCI (channel 2) and KSTP-TV/KSTC-TV (channel 5) already use a similar setup of two stations both remapping to the same primary channel, though all four of those stations broadcast on UHF frequencies. (6/19/2014)

WISCONSIN:
Caballero Acquisition is buying WIWN-TV/68.1 (Fond du Lac-Milwaukee) from Pappas Telecasting for $1.8 million. WIWN, which is licensed to Fond du Lac but transmits from Milwaukee on RF channel 5, carries WeatherNation TV. Caballero Acquisition is owned by Randy Nonberg and Terence Crosby of Pacific Palisades, CA and is the licensee of a half-dozen class A (low-power) stations in California and Texas. (6/19/2014)

ONTARIO:
Canadian regulators have approved a Thunder Bay TV station's plan to drop the CBC, but urged the station and the CBC to consider alternate ways of keeping the public broadcaster on the air in the city. Dougall Media's CKPR-DT/2 plans to drop the CBC and go independent as soon as Aug. 31; CKPR is operated alongside the city's only other commercial TV station, CHFD/4, which switched from CTV to Global several years ago. CKPR will continue to carry at least 14 hours per week of local programming per week. Though the CRTC received some interventions expressing concern about the loss of CBC programming, it approved the disaffiliation, saying private broadcasters can't be required to carry the CBC. In approving the application, the CRTC encouraged both sides to consider continued carriage of the CBC on a digital subchannel. CBC Radio reported in May that CBC-TV doesn't plan to establish a new station in Thunder Bay since only about two percent of the market uses over-the-air signal. (6/18/2014)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio's K231AT/94.1 (Pine City) has switched from Classical MPR to "The Current." The translator was no longer needed for the Classical service after WGRH/88.5 (Hinckley) began carrying the network. W226AY/93.1 (Hinckley) continues to carry Classical MPR; "The Current" is already heard on W248AS/97.5 (Hinckley) while MPR News is heard on WINH/91.9 (Hinckley). (6/18/2014)

WISCONSIN:
Results Broadcasting is buying W254AX/98.7 (Merrill) from WRVM, Inc., which has simultaneously applied to move the translator to Antigo to relay Results' WATK/900. Results is paying $22,500 for the translator. WRVM signed on the translator in 2011 around the same time it signed on WHJL/88.1 (Merrill). The translator is currently licensed for 99 Watts from Merrill and would use 250 Watts from the WATK tower if the move to Antigo is approved. WATK currently carries a Soft Oldies format. (6/18/2014)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Riverfront Broadcasting has signed on new station KCCR-FM/104.5 (Blunt-Pierre), bringing a mainstream Rock format to the capital city. KCCR is the longtime callsign of the new station's sister at AM 1240, but on FM the callsign means "Capital City Rocker." KCCR-FM uses 100kW/158m from a tower shared with sister station "Country 95.3" (KLXS-FM) and officially signed on last Friday (6/13), according to its Facebook page. It's the fifth commercial FM station in the market, and its closest competition is the Classic Hits format on Ingstad Family Media's "100.1 The Eagle" (KJBI Fort Pierre). (6/16/2014)

IOWA:
Townsquare Media says it'll bring ESPN Radio to FM in the Quad Cities on KQCS/93.5 (Bettendorf) starting Monday, displacing the longtime "Star 93.5" Hot Adult Contemporary format. Though ESPN just debuted on Townsquare's KJOC/1170 (Davenport) just last month, the Quad City Times reports KJOC will switch to a different format this fall. 93.5 will be the only one of the eight commercial FM stations in the market with a non-music format. (6/13/2014)

MINNESOTA:
After several weeks carrying a variety of music, Clear Channel debuted Alternative "Alt 93-3" on KQQL-HD2 and translator W227BF/93.3 (Shoreview-Minneapolis) Friday.

The format competes with Minnesota Public Radio's "The Current" (KCMP/89.3 Northfield), Cumulus Media Hard Rocker "93X" (KXXR/93.7), and the University of Minnesota's "Radio K" (KUOM), but also comes close musically to sister Modern Adult Contemporary station "Cities 97" (KTCZ/97.1).

W227BF transmits from the IDS Center with 99 Watts. It's owned by the Educational Media Foundation, which had originally signed on W227BF about a decade ago carrying its "K-Love" network from a tower in Arden Hills.

"Alt 93-3" is Clear Channel's seventh FM signal in the Twin Cities and its debut marks the company's first attempt at a format on a translator in the market. Clear Channel also owns translator K278BP/103.5, which has simulcast AM 1130 from the IDS Center since 2010. (6/13/2014)

NORTH DAKOTA/NEBRASKA:
The CBS-TV affiliation in Fargo will move to a subchannel, Gray TV announced Friday, matching moves made in two other markets.

The announcement came as Gray closed on its purchase of NBC affiliate KVLY-TV/11.1 (Fargo), along with several other stations in the Dakotas and Nebraska, from Hoak Media. Gray said it would assume Hoak's agreement to operate Parker Broadcasting CBS affiliate KXJB/4.1 (Valley City-Fargo), but that the CBS affiliation would move to a KVLY subchannel within the next few months, pending network approval.

KXJB will then go silent and Gray will work with the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council to find a minority-owned, female-owned, or non-profit organization to buy KXJB. The same applies to KHAS-TV/5.1 (Hastings), KNDX/26 (Bismarck), and KXND/24 (Minot), which all went silent Friday after their programming was moved to Gray stations (see earlier story below).

Gray also confirmed that it bought almost all of the non-license assets of KHAS-TV from Hoak and hired KHAS-TV's employees; a similar announcement about buying the assets of KNDX/KXND had already been made.

Gray had originally planned to operate the stations under shared services agreements with Excalibur Broadcasting, which was buying the stations, but the company said Friday the deals have been abandoned amid increased FCC scrutiny of joint sales and shared services agreements. (6/13/2014)

NEBRASKA/NORTH DAKOTA:
With increased FCC scrutiny of deals that allow one TV station to run another, Gray TV is trying a different method to add major network affiliations in central Nebraska and western North Dakota: It's moving the affiliations to stations it already owns.

In Nebraska, Hoak Media NBC affiliate KHAS-TV/5 (Hastings) announced Wednesday that beginning Friday, NBC and KHAS-TV newscasts will move to Gray's KSNB/4.1 (Superior). The programming will be simulcast on Gray's KOLN/10.2 (Lincoln) and KGIN/11.2 (Grand Island). KOLN/10.1 and KGIN/11.1 carry CBS.

KSNB, KOLN-DT2, and KGIN-DT2 currently carry Me-TV and My Network TV, which will continue on KSNB-DT2/4.2 only. KHAS-TV's announcement said it expected cable and satellite providers would continue carrying NBC and the Me-TV/MNT affiliations on their current channel numbers.

Meanwhile, in North Dakota, current FOX affiliates KNDX/26 (Bismarck) and KXND/24 (Minot) have announced that beginning Friday, the FOX lineup will move to KFYR/5.2 (Bismarck), KMOT/10.2 (Minot), KQCD/7.2 (Dickinson), and KUMV/8.2 (Williston). FOX will continue to be seen on KNDX-LD/38 (Dickinson) and KXND-LP/38 (Williston), which Gray bought from Prime Cities Broadcasting for $500,000.

Gray is in the process of buying KFYR-TV, KMOT, KQCD, and KUMV from Hoak Media in a deal that already has FCC approval. The stations carry NBC on their .1 channels. KFYR-TV's website says Me-TV, which currently airs on the .2 channels, will move to .3 on Friday.

The announcements did not say what would happen to KHAS-TV, KNDX, or KXND. KHAS-TV did say on its Facebook page that Cozi TV, currently seen on 5.2, would no longer be available, suggesting that channel 5 may go silent. (An earlier version of the announcement had said KHAS-TV would go silent.) KHAS-TV has been on the air since 1956 and the FCC just granted license renewal on Tuesday.

Late last year, Gray TV had announced plans to operate KHAS-TV, KNDX, and KXND through shared services agreements after Excalibur Broadcasting purchased the stations from Hoak (KHAS-TV) and Prime Cities Broadcasting (KXND/KNDX). Several months later, the FCC announced it would give extra scrutiny to such deals. Prime Cities withdrew its application to transfer the KNDX/KXND licenses, while the application to transfer KHAS-TV from Hoak to Excalibur remains pending.

Federal ownership rules do not allow a top-four TV station to directly buy another top-four station in the same market. Shared services agreements that allow one station to run another have become commonplace in small markets over the past decade, but the FCC has been cracking down on the practice both through increased scrutiny of sales and an order that companies end deals that allow one station to sell more than 15 percent of advertising on another. The moves have prompted a legal challenge from the National Association of Broadcasters.

Gray is also in the process of buying Hoak NBC affiliate KVLY-TV/11.1 (Fargo), which already operates Parker Broadcasting CBS affiliate KXJB/4.1 (Valley City-Fargo). Gray has said it would operate KXJB after a sale to Excalibur is completed. The KVLY sale has received FCC approval but the KXJB sale has not; no announcements about Fargo-market programming had been made as of Wednesday night.

The Nebraska move will mark the first time that an in-market NBC affiliate has been available over-the-air in Lincoln, where Omaha stations (first KMTV/3 and then WOWT/6) have served as the capital city's de facto NBC affiliates since the 1950's. WOWT is also owned by Gray. (6/11/2014)

NEBRASKA:
Digity Companies is buying an FM translator to use for KFOR/1240 (Lincoln). Digity is buying the construction permit for K277CA/103.3 from Calvary Chapel of Omaha for $250,000. The current CP for K277CA calls for 62 Watts from a site southeast of Lincoln but the translator has applied to use 250 Watts from the KFOR tower in Lincoln. (6/11/2014)

NEBRASKA:
Mid Nebraska Broadcasting's KBRY/92.3 (Sargent-Broken Bow) has signed on as "K-Bear Country 92.3". The station's Facebook page says Gov. Dave Heineman flipped a switch to turn the station on June 5. KBRY is essentially a new station for the region, though it did previously exist as an 110-Watt Christian station on 92.1 before its sale to Mid Nebraska Broadcasting. It now uses 100kW/254m (class C1) with a strong signal to Broken Bow and Ord. Mid Nebraska Broadcasting, LLC is headed by Mark G. Jensen, who also owns the two stations in Ord through MWB Broadcasting II, LLC. In Broken Bow, KBRY competes with Custer County Broadcasting's KCNI/1280 and KBBN/95.3 (Broken Bow). (6/9/2014)

NEBRASKA:
New translator K257FK/99.3 (Columbus) has signed on carrying VSS Catholic Communications' "Spirit Catholic Radio" network. K257FK uses 250 Watts. (6/9/2014)

ONTARIO:
Canadian regulators have approved the sale, upgrade, and conversion to commercial status of CJOA-FM/95.1 (Thunder Bay), setting aside interventions from the city's two commercial broadcasters. United Christian Broadcasters Canada, a non-profit broadcaster which owns three stations in southern Ontario, is taking over operations of CJOA from Thunder Bay Christian Broadcasters. UCB Canada has pledged to add staff to produce local programming, but the station's musical format will still be limited to non-Classical religious selections. It will also upgrade from 50 Watts (low-power) to 250 Watts (class A1). Dougall Media and Acadia Broadcasting submitted interventions opposing the change, expressing concern about the impact on existing commercial stations and the manner by which CJOA is getting a class A1 license. (The latter is a familiar conflict in the city, where Dougall and CJUK-FM/99.9, now owned by Acadia, had a protracted battle over CJUK's upgrade from low-power to a protected class in the 2000's.) The CRTC found that CJOA's conversion to commercial would have little impact on the market since UCB said it expected most of its advertisers to be churches and other groups that don't currently advertise on the radio. (6/9/2014)

MINNESOTA:
As of Sunday afternoon, there was still no sign of permanence at Clear Channel's new Twin Cities HD2/translator combo of KQQL-HD2 and translator W227BF/93.3. However, the HD2 signal is now being identified as "Alt 93.3" on HD radio screens - a slogan used by Clear Channel stations in other markets that carry Alternative formats. The translator is owned by the Educational Media Foundation and had previously carried EMF's "K-Love" format. It switched to relaying KQQL-HD2 a few weeks ago with a nameless mix of classic R&B hits and has cycled through Country, Classic Rock, Contemporary Hits, and Adult Gold since then. W227BF transmits from the IDS Center after a move from Arden Hills last year. (6/8/2014)

IOWA/ILLINOIS:
Nexstar Broadcasting is changing the partner it plans to work with in the Quad Cities, but would sell ads on three full-power stations if two proposed deals receive FCC approval.

The company announced Friday that FOX 18 (KLJB Davenport) will be sold to minority-owned Marshall Broadcasting, along with FOX affiliates in Louisiana and Texas, for $58.5 million. Nexstar, which is still awaiting FCC approval to buy KLJB and CW affiliate KGCW/26 (Burlington) from Grant Media, will provide sales and other non-programming services to KLJB and Marshall will get 70 percent of the revenue.

Nexstar closed on its purchase of CBS affiliate WHBF/4 (Rock Island) from Citadel Communications in March. The company had originally said that after the KLJB/KGCW deal closes, it would sell KLJB to Mission Broadcasting but continue to operate it under a local service agreement; such agreements came under increased FCC scrutiny earlier this year, leading to the new deal.

Nexstar said Marshall would add 13.5 hours per week of local news and public affairs programming on KLJB, which currently airs a newscast produced by the market's NBC affiliate.

Marshall Broadcasting is headed by Pluria Marshall, who owns a radio station in suburban Chicago and newspapers serving the African-American community in California and Texas. (6/6/2014)

WISCONSIN:
WSJP/1640 (Sussex-Milwaukee), formerly WKSH, has returned to the air carrying Relevant Radio, a Catholic network. Relative Radio parent Starboard Media bought the former Radio Disney station from Disney for $725,000. Starboard also owns Relevant Radio affiliate WSJP-FM/100.1 (Port Washington), which rimshots Milwaukee and simulcasts with 1640. The station announced that the addition of the AM signal brings another 2.6 million people into its listening area. WKSH had been silent since last fall except for a few brief broadcasts required to keep the license alive. (6/5/2014)

IOWA:
KWPC/860 (Muscatine) is poised to get an FM translator: Kaskasia Broadcasting's K233BI/94.5 has applied to move to 95.1 with 250 Watts. The application specifies KWPC as the station to be rebroadcast. (6/5/2014)

WISCONSIN:
New station WGBT/91.3 (Tomahawk) has signed on carrying Christian programming from Radio 74 Internationale. WGBT is owned by Tomahawk Light Broadcasting and uses 22kW/25m (class C3) from a tower northwest of Tomahawk, delivering a rimshot signal to the city itself. (6/5/2014)

NEBRASKA:
"B103" (KBIE Auburn-Nebraska City) has upgraded from 14kW (class C3) to 50kW (C2), improving the station's signal to Nebraska City and Shenandoah, IA. KBIE carries a Country format and is owned by Flood Broadcasting. (6/4/2014)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The Educational Media Foundation is buying KFAA/89.5 (Horace-Fargo), which already carries EMF's "Air-1" network. EMF will pay Selah Corporation $3,200, which the asset purchase agreement says is intended to cover the costs of the transaction. (6/4/2014)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Ingstad Family Media's KQDJ/1400 (Jamestown) and FM translator K246AM/97.1 (Jamestown) have dropped the regional "Dakota Country" network in favor of ESPN Radio. The change, first reported by RadioInsight, comes just under two years after KQDJ dropped Classic Hits for Country. The station had carried FOX Sports prior to adopting the Classic Hits format in 2010. "Dakota Country" continues on KOVC/1490 (Valley City), KDAK/1600 (Carrington), and KDDR/1220 (Oakes). (6/2/2014)

ONTARIO:
An isolated northwestern Ontario town is slated to get its first FM signal after action by Canadian regulators. The CRTC has approved a plan to convert the Ignace rebroadcaster of CKDR-FM/92.7 (Dryden) from AM 1340 to FM 97.5. The rebroadcaster uses 40 Watts on AM and will use 50 Watts on FM; it is officially be regarded as a rebroadcaster of CKDR-2-FM (Sioux Lookout). The only other local radio signal in the township of about 1,200 people along the Trans Canada Highway is CBC Radio One's CBES/690. (6/2/2014)

IOWA:
So much for Iowa City: Home Broadcasting's KCII-FM/106.1 (Washington) has modified its upgrade application to remove Iowa City from the proposed main coverage area. The station currently uses 3kW/91m (class A) and earlier this year applied to upgrade to 48kW/140m (class C2) from a tower midway between Washington and Iowa City. Now, it's modified the application to remain at its current Washington site with 22kW/88m (class C3). KCII-FM simulcasts an information-heavy Adult Gold/Oldies format with KCII/1380. (6/2/2014) (6/5 update: The FCC has already approved the application.)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Clear Channel's KXMR/710 (Bismarck) has reverted to "The Fan," dropping ESPN and bringing back FOX Sports Radio and "Fan" programming from KFXN-FM/100.3 (Minneapolis). The flip came at midnight June 1. The new lineup includes "Fan" Minneapolis programming from 6 a.m to Noon and 3 to 7 p.m., but FOX's Jay Mohr will air from Noon to 3 instead of Dan "The Common Man" Cole. After the daytime "Fan" lineup, KXMR carries TMZ Sports at 7 p.m. and FOX Sports Radio overnights and weekends. KXMR had dropped "The Fan" for ESPN in 2007 when Clear Channel put its Bismarck group (among others) up for sale, but the company ultimately kept the cluster. (6/1/2014)

MANITOBA:
Corus Radio is debuting two new morning shows in Winnipeg on Monday. Following CJOB/680's recent parting of ways with market veteran Hal Anderson, CJOB will debut "Winnipeg's Morning News" hosted by Richard Cloutier and Kathy Kennedy with Kelly Moore on sports and Jeff Braun anchoring newscasts. Meanwhile, Sarah Christie will join existing morning host Matt Sutton on 99.1 "Fresh FM" (CJGV-FM). (6/1/2014)