July 2004

IOWA:
The company that has been operating KXLQ/1490 (Indianola-Des Moines) under a time brokerage agreement since March is now buying the station. KXLQ Insight Sports LLC will purchase the station from Warren Broadcasting for $360,000. KXLQ Insight Sports LLC is owned by the Natenshon family of Highland Park, Illinois. (7/30/2004)

MINNESOTA:
Clear Channel has received a construction permit for a translator that would prevent reception of a competing station in a southeastern Twin Cities suburb. Radio One's 100kW KTTB/96.3 (Glencoe-Minneapolis) transmits from west of the metro area, leaving enough room under FCC criteria for a translator on the same frequency in Cottage Grove. Though KTTB can be heard in that area, it is outside of the station's protected coverage area.

Clear Channel's 250-Watt W242BA/96.3 would transmit with a directional antenna near the western border of Cottage Grove. Here is the coverage map. W242BA's life could be short-lived if it ever signs on: translators must leave the air if even one person complains that the translator is preventing reception of another station. The application stated that W242BA would serve as a fill-in translator for Clear Channel's KJZI/100.3, though the primary station could be changed. (7/28/2004)

IOWA:
KDLS-FM/105.5 (Perry) is being sold and has applied for an upgrade that would give it a good signal to part of Des Moines. Chester P. Coleman of American Radio Brokers in San Francisco has entered into an agreement to purchase all of the stock in Perry Broadcasting, licensee of KDLS/1310 and KDLS-FM/105.5. Terms of the deal are not yet available. KDLS-FM has applied to use 25kW at 100m (class C3) from a tower north of Dallas Center. The proposed facility's coverage area is shown here.

To make room for the KDLS-FM upgrade, KELR/105.3 (Chariton) would move its tower 25 kilometers to the southeast to a site on the north end of Rathbun Lake, retaining its current 50kW, but increasing antenna height to 150m. The move would give KELR a stronger signal in Ottumwa. Coleman would reimburse KELR owner Thomas Palen for the move. (7/27/2004)

NEW FM TRANSLATOR CONSTRUCTION PERMITS (7/19-7/23):

WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN:
100-Watt WLCJ-LP/92.5 (Marinette) has signed on, carrying Catholic programming from the Relevant Radio network. (7/22/2004)

MINNESOTA:
WCMN-LP/13 (St. Cloud) has been off the air for about two weeks. The station had been carrying the Sportsman Channel since a relaunch last fall. (7/21/2004)

MINNESOTA:
WWWI-FM/95.9 (Pillager) has dropped Country for News/Talk following the station's sale to Tower Broadcasting, owner of WWWI/1270 (Baxter). 95.9 had already been carrying Bill O'Reilly, and continues to carry that show, as well as Joe Soucheray's "Garage Logic" and Coast-to-Coast, which move from 1270. Meanwhile, 1270 has added Ed Schultz and Neil Boortz. The stations simulcast their morning show. Both use the slogan "3WI" and carry CBS News. (7/20/2004)

WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin Public Television translator W24CL (Grantsburg) has increased power from 679W to 3.4kW. (7/20/2004)

MINNESOTA:
No, that wasn't an FCC typo: Waite, Minnesota, is the community of license for W221BS/92.1, Educational Media Foundation's new construction permit for 55-Watt translator (not Waite Park, near St. Cloud). The location of Waite is unknown to the author, but the specified transmitter location is in St. Paul, near East 7th Street (Highway 5) and Mounds Boulevard. According to the application, W221BS would carry EMF's "Air1" network via a proposed translator in Fridley, though that plan is not binding. EMF also applied for a translator on 92.9 from the same site, and has several other pending applications around the Twin Cities metro area. (7/19/2004)

MINNESOTA:
The "K-Love" network is coming to another frequency in the Twin Cities metro area. Educational Media Foundation has received a construction permit for a 10-Watt translator on 93.3 licensed to Shoreview (W227BF), which would transmit from a tower near I-694 in Arden Hills. "K-Love" is also heard on a 10-Watt translator at 90.7 broadcasting from downtown Minneapolis, and on 195W KMKL/90.3 (North Branch), on the far north end of the metro area.

Other translator construction permits announced this week:

MINNESOTA:
KOWZ/1170 (Waseca) has increased its daytime power from 1kW to 2.5kW, though it is still 1kW during critical hours (the two hours after sunrise and the two hours before sunset). KOWZ continues to use 60W at night and is nondirectional at all hours. The daytime upgrade strengthens KOWZ's daytime signal in its core market area, which includes Owatonna and Faribault, and extends its fringe area coverage further north in the Twin Cities metro area. (7/16/2004)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Another new radio station is headed for the Rapid City market, with an application by KFMH/102.1 (Belle Fourche) to move to 101.9, using 95kW/461m (class C). 101.9 would transmit from Terry Peak near Lead, near towers used by five other stations targeting Rapid City. Laramie Mountain Broadcasting recently bought the station, which is off the air and must sign on again by September 11, 2004, to keep its license. KFMH is currently licensed for 7kW at -4m HAAT from a site in Belle Fourche. (7/16/2004)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Jim Babbit is selling KVMI/103.9 (Arthur-Fargo) to Media Entertainment Group, which is already operating the station under a local marketing agreement, for $1.05 million. Media Entertainment Group is owned by Al Hovland of Moorhead (40%), Lynn Elliot of Fargo (40%), Ben Zeigler of West Fargo (10%), and Dr. Hoadley Harris of Fargo (10%). "Star 103.9" carries WestwoodOne's Bright AC format for part of the day. (7/15/2004)

NEBRASKA:
Pappas Telecasting brought its spanish-language Azteca America network to Nebraska last month, using three low-power stations: KAZO-LP/57 (Omaha), KWAZ-LP/56 (Lincoln), and K57HV/57 (Columbus). Azteca America consists mainly of programming from Mexico's TV Azteca network. KAZO is expected to offer some local news. This is the first time spanish-language TV has been available over-the-air in Nebraska. The Hispanic population of the Omaha metro area grew 143% in the 1990's, while it grew 114% in the Lincoln metro. (7/13/2004)

MINNESOTA:
Some not-so-breaking news from the Brainerd area: KVBR/1340 and KLIZ/1380 swapped formats following BL Broadcasting's takeover of the stations a few months ago. KLIZ is now Sports as "The Fan," carrying the FAN Network and Sporting News Radio. KVBR now carries a talk format. Meanwhile, Tower Broadcasting's 95.9 (Pillager) is still using the callsign KBKK, though the FCC database indicates a callsign change to WWWI-FM effective July 1. 95.9 continues to carry Jones Radio Networks' CD Country format, which is also heard in the Brainerd area on Quarnstrom Media's KFGI/101.5 (Crosby). (7/11/2004)

IOWA:
Catherine Campbell Currier is buying out her partners' shares of Camrory Broadcasting, the licensee of KZAT/95.5 (Belle Plaine). Currier will pay $125,500 to David and Katherine Hogendorn, and $1,250 each to Brittany Hogendorn, Shannon Hogendorn, and Craig and Tedre Henze. (7/10/2004)

NEW FM TRANSLATOR CONSTRUCTION PERMITS (7/6-7/9)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Feller Broadcasting is buying the group of Sioux Falls market radio stations it has managed since the beginning of the year. KSQB/1520, KSQB-FM/95.7, and KWSF/107.9 are currently owned by Lee O. Axdahl and Robert Faehn through L A Skywave, L A Radio, and L A Communique. The purchase price is $100,000; $70,000 has already been paid, and the remaining $30,000 will be paid directly to the IRS to cover 2003 payroll taxes. As part of the sale, Axdahl signed a five-year non-competition agreement. Feller Broadcasting, LLC, is owned by Nicholas Feller of Englewood, CO (51%), and Rob Feller of Sioux Falls (49%). (7/7/2004)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN:
Duluth CBS affiliate KDLH/3 has reverted to a more traditional newscast format. The station no longer leads every newscast with weather, sports is no longer included in the first segment, and the news ticker has been dropped. (7/6/2004)

MINNESOTA:
Three Angels Broadcasting Network's Minneapolis low-power TV station has moved from channel 69 to 14, as K14KH. The channel change includes an upgrade from 27.6kW to 49.8kW. (7/3/2004)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Prairie Public Television faces opposition for its application for a new digital TV station in Devils Lake. ESP Technology Community Broadcasters has also applied for a 100kW station the channel. (7/3/2004)

NEW FM TRANSLATOR CONSTRUCTION PERMITS (6/28-7/2)

NEW LOW-POWER TV CONSTRUCTION PERMITS:

NEBRASKA/WYOMING:
The FCC has approved a table of allotments change that will move one Scottsbluff station to the Cheyenne, Wyoming, market, and change the frequency of another Scottsbluff market station. KMOR/92.9 (Scottsbluff) will change its community of license to Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, downgrading from class C1 (100kW) to C2 (50kW). Meanwhile, KOZY-FM/103.9 (Gering) will move to 93.1, upgrading from class A (currently 7kW/31m) to class C1 (100kW). KMOR and KOZY-FM are both owned by Michael J. Tracy. The stations will still have to apply for and receive construction permits before changes can be made. (7/2/2004)

WISCONSIN:
Magnum Communications has asked the FCC for a table of allotments change which would allow its WBKY/95.9 (Portage) to move into the Madison market. The station's community of license would change to Stoughton, remaining class A (6kW/100m). From a new transmitter site 10.2km southwest of Stoughton, 95.9 would provide a good signal to Madison. The FCC will accept comments and counterproposals through August 19. (7/1/2004)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KOWW-LP/98.1 (Burlington) has signed on with a format of mostly Classic Rock. (7/1/2004)

MINNESOTA:
W62BD (Minneapolis) has received a construction permit to move to channel 31 as W31CP, using 150kW, the maximum allowed for a low-power TV station. W62BD carries the Daystar network. (6/29/2004)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
The Fargo-Moorhead area could soon get two more FM move-in's. KRJB/106.3 (Ada) had already applied to upgrade from 6kW to 50kW; now, KRJB has applied to move to 106.5 with 100kW/138m (class C1), using a new tower near its present tower. The frequency will clear the way for KQLX-FM/106.1 (Lisbon) to upgrade from 50kW to 100kW/218m (class C1) from a new site closer to Fargo. Both stations would deliver good signals to the metro after the upgrades. The FCC has not yet approved the plan.

KQLX owner Sheyenne Valley Broadcasting will partially reimburse KRJB owner R&J Broadcasting for the facility change. Sheyenne Valley will pay for the KRJB frequency change, but will not pay for changes made exclusively for the KRJB upgrade to 100kW. However, KRJB will receive $115,000 for promotional expenses and $3,000 reimbursement for legal fees. Note: this item earlier stated that Sheyenne Valley Broadcasting is owned by the Ingstad family. That is not accurate. Sheyenne Valley is owned by Terry and Rita Loomis of Lisbon. (6/28/2004)