WISCONSIN:
StarStation 104.9 (WWLC Balsam Lake) added a second local DJ on June 28. Jon Ellis (that's me) is on weekdays from 3-6 p.m. The station has a local morning show from 6-9 and airs ABC's StarStation format at other times. (6/29/99)
WISCONSIN:
Construction of the tower for WBEP/105.7 (Siren) will begin on July 6. It will be located about a half mile south of W39AF's tower in Burnett County. No format decisions have been made for the station, which will sign on later this year. Casey Communications owns WBEP and WWLC, the latter of which is currently LMA'd by Pine City Broadcasting (WCMP). WBEP may be included in the LMA. (6/29/99)
NEBRASKA:
Channel 97.7 (Nebraska City-Omaha) adopts the call letters KQCH to go with its new format. It appears Journal Broadcasting will let someone else get the KESY call letters, since they haven't "parked" them anywhere. (6/29/99)
MINNESOTA:
Children's Broadcasting Company, the Minneapolis-based company that used to run Radio Aahs, has changed its name to Intelefilm to reflect its new focus on TV commercial production. "Intelefilm" stands for "intelligent television filmmaking." The company plans to open a production office in Minneapolis. (6/29/99)
MINNESOTA:
The Twin Cities has the "Jammin' Oldies" format for about six hours a week. Channellor's Kool 108 shifts from its regular Oldies format on Friday nights for a Rhythmic Oldies show. It began on June 18. (6/26/99)
IOWA:
The aforementioned application from KELR/105.5 (Chariton) is to move to 105.3 with 50kW at 118m. At this power, KELR's primary coverage area would include eight counties in south central Iowa, and the signal would just barely graze southwestern Des Moines. The FCC has already approved FMC Broadcasting's purchase of the station. (6/25/99)
MINNESOTA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
Pheasant Country Broadcasting is buying KDIO/1350 and KPHR/106.3 (Ortonville) and KMSD/1510 (Milbank) from Success Broadcasting. Pheasant Country owns two stations and one Construction Permit in Redfield, one in Aberdeen, and one in Sisseton. (6/19/99)
MINNESOTA:
KUSZ update: other "reliable sources" at Northland Broadcasting say they don't know anything about an LMA between Northland and KUSZ (see below). (6/18/99)
MINNESOTA:
The Duluth News-Tribune reports that three people from the Ely area are buying WELY and the station won't be given to MPR after all (see below). (6/18/99)
MICHIGAN:
Bresnan Communications got a nasty response from the FCC when it submitted routine applications to transfer TCI's control of ten Low-Power TV stations in Iron Mountain to AT&T. The FCC instead deleted the LPTV station's licenses. One of the stations, W43AN, had been acting as a translator for WBKP/5 (ABC, Calumet). (6/18/99)
MINNESOTA:
"Reliable sources" say that Northland Broadcasting (a subsidiary of Brill Media in Duluth) has signed a Local Marketing Agreement with KUSZ/107.7 and will take over the station in July. So that's what will fill in that omininous blank tile on Northland's sign and that extra studio included in the new building. Northland owns WEBC/560, Kool 101.7, B105-KKCB. Will they try to build Z-Rock's Classic Rock format, which is in third place behind KQDS and KRBR, or will they change direction to fill a more obvious hole in the market? (6/17/99)
MINNESOTA: Employees of the stations were notified of Mrs. Kuralt's gift and of plans to curtail broadcasting pending FCC approval of the license assignment to Minnesota Public Radio. MPR will fully evaluate the stations' operations considering all options, including their economic viability, with a goal of finding the highest and best use of the stations within MPR's statewide network. At least one of the stations will replace one of the existing translators which bring MPR to Ely at 101.7FM and 89.5FM and will allow a superior MPR signal to local residents and visitors. The current translators serve the city of Ely, but have only 32 watts of broadcast power and do not cover the population outside of the city. MPR will hold a public meeting in Ely on June 29. (6/17/99)
Petie Kuralt, Charles Kuralt's widow, is donating WELY/1450 and WELY-FM/92.1 (Ely) to Minnesota Public Radio. Here's an excerpt from MPR's press release:.
MINNESOTA:
John Schuldt, News Director at KDLH/3 (CBS, Duluth), has indeed been let go by the station. His last day is scheduled to be June 25. (6/16/99)
IOWA:
FMC Broadcasting is buying KELR/105.5 (Chariton) from Kleeco Radio. KELR has applied to change frequency, class, power, antenna height, and transmitter location, but the details are not yet available. (6/16/99)
IOWA:
Clear Channel/Jacor is buying KWMT/540 and KKEZ/94.5 (Fort Dodge). Jacor owns WHO/1040, KWKY/1150, KMXD/100.3, and KYSY/106.3 in Des Moines, where KWMT has occasionally shown up in the ratings in the past. KKEZ has a fair signal into Ames and may be upgradable. (6/16/99)
MINNESOTA:
The Educational Media Foundation is having a little trouble getting the license for its new Minneapolis K-LOVE translator, K214DF/90.7 (Golden Valley). Someone has filed a "complaint of actual interference." (New stations and translators don't actually receive a license until after they sign on.) (6/16/99)
MINNESOTA:
Digital Broadcasting is buying the Construction Permit for KAYF/97.3 (Starbuck) from Jerry Papenfuss. (6/16/99)
MINNESOTA:
Heartland Christian Broadcasters is buying KBHW/99.5 (International Falls) and the Construction Permit for a new station on 91.9 in ITF from Minnesota Christian Broadcasters. (6/16/99)
WISCONSIN:
WGBA/26 (NBC, Green Bay) has increased power from 2510kW to 5000kW. (6/16/99)
MINNESOTA:
CSN International has become the third group to apply for a new station on 88.3 in the Brainerd/Baxter area. CSN's station would be licensed to Baxter; MPR and Rochester Community Radio have applied for stations on the same frequency licensed to Brainerd. "CSN" is the Calvary Satellite Network, which operates a network of translators from KAWZ in Twin Falls, Idaho. CSN has also applied for stations in Albert Lea and Marshall. (6/16/99)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Broadcasting for the Challenged is the third group to apply for a new station on 89.1 in Lincoln, joining the Educational Media Foundation (K-LOVE) and Redwood Valley Broadcasters. Meanwhile, the Educational Media Foundation has applied for a new station on 89.7 in Bismarck. (6/16/99)
WISCONSIN:
Broadcasting for the Challenged has applied for a new station in Wittenberg on 88.9. (6/16/99)
NEBRASKA:
The FCC has approved Journal Broadcasting's purchase of WOW AM-FM (590/94.1). (6/14/99)
WISCONSIN:
Sydney Gohring joins WTMJ-TV/4 (Milwaukee) as producer of the 11 a.m. news. She last worked at KWQC/6 (Davenport, IA). (6/13/99)
MINNESOTA:
The FCC has granted Construction Permits for the Twin Cities three major network affiliates' digital stations. The digital channels will be WCCO-32, KARE-35, and KSTP-50, and all will transmit from the same Shoreview tower that the stations are at now. KTCI-DT/16 was granted some time ago, while WFTC/29 (DT-21) and KPXM/41 (DT-40) have applied but not yet received CP's. KTCA, KMSP, KMWB, and KVBM have not yet applied for their digital channels. KARE-DT, KSTP-DT, WCCO-DT, and WFTC-DT are supposed to begin construction by November 1. All other stations in Minnesota (and the entire country) must begin operations within five years. A complete listing of DTV channel allotments is here, or check out the FCC's page on digital television. (6/12/99)
NORTH DAKOTA:
KXMR/710 (Bismarck) is expected to be on the air soon with a News/Talk format. (6/12/99)
MINNESOTA:
KMSP/UPN9 has hired JJ Murray as the Executive Producer of its new morning show. He's worked as a Producer at KSTP-TV/5 since 1995. (6/12/99)
WISCONSIN:
WPXG/14 (Suring-Green Bay) is now WIWB following the station's sale and primary affiliation change from PAX to the WB. (WIWB still has a secondary affiliation with PAX.) (6/12/99)
WISCONSIN:
106.9 Brookfield-Milwaukee has changed call letters again, now from WMJO to WJMR. WMJO probably stood for "Milwaukee's Jammin' Oldies", which they may have originally planned on calling themselves but couldn't because Chancellor owns the "Jammin' Oldies" name. (6/12/99)
MINNESOTA:
KYRS/94.1 (Atwater) is now KKLN. The station calls itself "Classic Country 94.1", but, in their words, 'a song doesn't have to be old to be a classic.' They play a mix of newer and older Country. (6/12/99)
NEBRASKA:
The Construction Permit for a new station on 88.1 in Ralston has been given the call letters KMLV. The station, owned by the Educational Media Foundation, will likely be an affiliate of the K-LOVE network. (6/12/99)
MINNESOTA:
The talk in Duluth says that John Schuldt is no longer the News Director at KDLH/3. (6/12/99)
NORTH DAKOTA:
A source in Bismarck says that KXMR/710 is not on the air as was guessed here, so only the radio gods know why they've applied for a "license to cover." (These applications indicate that a Construction Permit has been put into use.) The station has been testing for years and was recently purchased by Cumulus. Originally, KBMR/1130 was going to move to 710, but the owners turned 710 into a separate station when deregulation allowed them to have both stations. (updated 6/8/99)
MINNESOTA:
KMSP/9 has signed two co-hosts for their new morning show, to be launched in a few months: Tim Sherno comes from WSVN (Miami), and Alix Kendall comes from WXIX (Cincinnati). (6/8/99)
MINNESOTA:
The format is evolving at KSMM/1530 (Shakopee). They're playing a variety of songs in addition to the commentary from listeners, and it appears they plan to experiment with the musical selection until they find a mix that the southwest metro community likes. Ruth Koscielak is still heard on the station. KSMM can be heard in RealAudio ® by clicking here. (6/7/99)
WISCONSIN:
Marathon Media's purchase of WYTE/96.7 (Whiting) has been approved by the FCC. (6/7/99)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Prime Cities Broadcasting is purchasing the Construction Permits for KNDX/26 (Bismarck) and KXND/24 (Minot) from KT Broadcasting, pending FCC approval. (6/7/99)
MINNESOTA:
Rochester Community Radio has applied for a new station on 88.3 in Brainerd, a frequency which MPR also wants. (6/7/99)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Broadcasting for the Challenged has applied for a new station on 88.3 in Bismarck. In Lincoln, Redwood Valley Broadcasting has filed on top of the Educational Media Foundation's application for a new station on 89.1. (6/7/99)
MINNESOTA:
KAOD/106.7 (Babbitt) is now relaying 92.1 Kiss FM (WWAX Hermantown-Duluth). It appears that this will be KAOD's permanent format. (6/3/99)
MINNESOTA:
The FCC has cleared Clear Channel's purchase of KAGR/26 (Bemidji). KAGR will likely relay Clear Channel's WFTC/29 (Minneapolis), since Bemidji is in the far northern reaches of the Minneapolis-St. Paul market. (6/3/99)
MICHIGAN:
WBUM/104.3 (Baraga) is being purchased by Milwaukee-based VCY/America. WBUM is already a VCY affiliate. (6/3/99)
MINNESOTA:
WCCO-TV will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Thursday, June 3, with a "Hometown Gala" at Peavey Plaza from Noon to 6:30. For more information click here. (6/2/99)
WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
Duke Skorich and Patty McNulty will return to the air on KUWS/91.3 (Superior) beginning June 22. Their show will air Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7 p.m. Also, KUWS recently rearranged its evening schedule to allow the Urban Contemporary program "The Network" to air Monday-Friday nights from 9-11, followed by alternative/independent music on "The Dean's List" from 11-1. (6/2/99)
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