SOUTH DAKOTA:
A new station could be on the air within days in the Sioux Falls market: Friday (8/1) is the deadline for Cumulus Media to sign on KSOO-FM/99.1, which it won in FCC Auction No. 37 with a $2.384 million bid. The station's callsign was officially changed to KSOO-FM on Tuesday, possibly hinting at a News/Talk format, since KSOO/1140 is well established in the format. The new 25kW station is licensed to Lennox and will have a strong signal to Sioux Falls. (7/31/2008)
IOWA:
All Access reports that Cumulus Media's Cedar Rapids group completed its move back to its regular home last Friday (7/25), 42 days after being forced out by the flooding Cedar River. The group, which consists of KRNA/94.1, KHAK/98.1, KDAT/104.5, and KRQN/107.1, is located on the fourth floor of the APAC building. (7/30/2008)
MINNESOTA:
Kyle Underwood is leaving WDIO/10 (Duluth) on July 30 after six years at the station. Underwood was most recently the Chief Meteorologist and morning weather anchor, and was also a news reporter from 2002 to 2005. His new job is at WOOD in Grand Rapids, MI. (7/30/2008)
ILLINOIS/MINNESOTA/NATIONAL:
Former KSTP-TV/5 (St. Paul) anchor Mark Suppelsa returned to Minnesota TV screens Monday...and TV screens nationwide. Suppelsa is now the co-anchor of WGN News at 9 in Chicago, which is simulcast nationwide on the WGN America cable/satellite channel. Suppelsa had previously been at FOX Chicago (WFLD/32). He will also co-anchor a new 5:30 p.m. newscast on WGN-TV starting this September, but it's not yet known if it will be carried on the national feed, which carries separate programming outside of the WGN Noon and 9 p.m. newscasts and baseball games. (7/29/2008)
MORE DIRECTV HD LOCALS:
DirecTV has announced plans to add HD locals in another 44 markets by the end of 2008, bringing its HD locals offerings to 120 markets comprising 88% of U.S. households. The new HD markets to be launched include Des Moines, the Quad Cities, Lincoln-Tri Cities, Sioux Falls, La Crosse-Eau Claire, and Traverse City-Cadillac. (7/29/2008)
MANITOBA:
The CRTC has renewed the license of CFAR/590 (Flin Flon) after discussing concerns about Canadian content and broadcast of Cree-language programming at a public hearing in Winnipeg last month. The licensee, Arctic Radio, stated that it is now aiming for 38% Canadian content among popular music selections after a CRTC analysis found CFAR's Canadian content during the week of November 5-11, 2006, was 34.4%, just shy of the required 35%. Arctic Radio also stated that it has expanded its pool of available Cree-language speakers and begun recording backup programs to ensure that it meets the minimum two hours of Cree-language programming per week specified in its license. Because this is the second time these issues have been raised, CFAR's license was only renewed for a two-year term. (7/29/2008)
WISCONSIN:
Steven Resnik's Sunrise Broadcasting is buying WXCO/1230 (Wausau) from Seehafer Broadcasting for $250,000. Resnik is the general manager of WJMT/730 and WMZK/104.1 (Merrill-Wausau), but the application states he will resign from that position when the WXCO purchase is finalized. Seehafer retains ownership of AM/FM combos in the Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids, and Manitowoc markets. (7/29/2008)
WISCONSIN:
Weigel Broadcasting is launching a fifth channel in Milwaukee: the Journal-Sentinel reports WDJT-DT3 will begin carrying "This TV" on October 1. "This TV," a partnership with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, will feature TV shows and films from the MGM library. It will be offered to stations nationwide as a digital subchannel and will also be carried on Weigel stations in Chicago and South Bend, IN. The current occupant of WDJT-DT3, "Me TV," will continue on WBME/49, which Weigel took over earlier this year. Besides "This TV" and "Me TV," Weigel also operates Independent WMLW-CA and the CBS and Telemundo affiliates in the Milwaukee market. (7/29/2008)
WISCONSIN:
WVRQ AM-FM (Viroqua) has hired John Helgeson as news director, replacing Trina Erickson, who left the station after nearly eight years to become director of the McIntosh Memorial Library. (7/29/2008)
MINNESOTA:
WCCO-TV/4 sports reporter and weekend anchor Bob Rainey has died of colon cancer at the age of 46. Rainey was a native of Rochester, NY, where he began his career, but was a lifelong fan of the Vikings, and, according to WCCO, "often said he had to pinch himself knowing he was covering his favorite team." His career also brought him to Cincinnati, Louisville, Philadelphia, and Nashville before joining WCCO in 2004. (7/28/2008)
WISCONSIN:
WTRW/97.1 (Two Rivers), which is in the process of being sold to Midwest Communications, has applied to move into the Green Bay market. The station, which is not currently on the air, would change its frequency to 97.5 and its community of license to the Town of Glenmore, an unincorporated community of about 1,200 people south of Green Bay. The class A station (6kW/100m) would have a city-grade signal to 95% of the Green Bay Urbanized Area. To make way for the move, WHDG/97.5 (Rhinelander) would move to 97.3 but remain 100kW/168m, using a slightly directional antenna shaving a few miles off its signal to the northeast to prevent prohibited interference to WGLQ/97.1 (Escanaba, MI). (7/28/2008)
MANITOBA:
The CRTC has revoked the license of CJWV/107.9 (Winnipeg), which left the air last October. The 200-Watt campus/instructional station had carried a Hip-Hop format as "Flava." In a press release, the regulators stated "the licensee, Harmony Broadcasting Corporation, has been in breach of various regulations and conditions of licence since 2005 and has failed to comply with a number of mandatory orders imposed by the Commission." The CRTC held a hearing on CJWV at a meeting in Winnipeg last month, but said, "No convincing reasons for maintaining the licence were advanced." Here's the full decision. (7/25/2008)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Seventh-Day Adventist Church is donating KPAR-LP/103.3 (Dickinson) to Higher Plain Media. (7/25/2008)
WISCONSIN:
Tim Cuprisin of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that WTMJ-TV/4 will add a 6:30 p.m. newscast on August 25, and a 3-4 p.m. newscast on September 8. That will mean a four-hour block of news from 3-7 p.m. The additions bring TMJ4 to eight hours of live, local programming each weekday. (7/25/2008)
NEBRASKA:
A ranch with its own FM translator: the FCC has granted Owen Davis a new 205-Watt translator on 99.1 (K256BO) licensed to Davis Ranch, NE. Davis stated in the application the translator would rebroadcast KCMI/96.9 (Terrytown). Davis Ranch is located along Highway 250 south of Rushville in Sheridan County. K256BO's main coverage area will not include any incorporated communities. (7/21/2008)
MINNESOTA:
A FCC auction tentatively set to begin Nov. 5 will decide which one of three low-power TV stations gets to use channel 51 for digital operations in Minneapolis. WUMN-CA/13 (Univision), K43HB (HSN), and WDMI-LP/62 (Daystar) all applied for 51 as a digital companion channel. Unlike full-power TV stations, low-power stations may continue to operate in analog after February 17, 2009, but can also have digital companion channels. WTMS-CA/7 (Telefutura) already has a CP for digital channel 30 and K25IA (TBN) has a CP to flash-cut to digital. The Twin Cities' other LPTV stations, K14KH (3ABN) and K19ER (EWTN), have no current applications or CP's for digital operations. (7/19/2008)
MINNESOTA/IOWA:
The Worthington Daily Globe reports that KIMZ/104.3 (Sibley, IA-Worthington, MN) signed on Monday (7/14) carrying Bustos Media's "La Gran D" Regional Mexican format. The new class A station (3.4kW/134m) transmits from a site midway between Sibley and Worthington. KIMZ is owned by Absolute Communications, LLC, a partnership of Alfred B. Davenport III of Sioux City and John D. Daniels of Hinton, IA. (7/17/2008)
WISCONSIN:
The Green Bay Press Gazette reports that NBC 26 (WGBA) has dropped its local morning and midday newscasts on Monday (7/14), and is now simulcasting newscasts from sister Journal Communications' station WTMJ-TV/4 (Milwaukee) in their place. The simulcasts include TMJ4 newscasts from 5-7 a.m. and Noon-1 p.m. and "The Morning Blend" talk show from 9-10 a.m. The paper reports WGBA cut four full-time positions and one part-time position, and reduced three full-time positions to part-time. WGBA continues its own newscasts at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. (7/16/2008)
MINNESOTA:
Chris Shaffer is the new evening meteorologist at WCCO-TV/4 (Minneapolis), replacing Paul Douglas, who owner CBS let go in a cost-cutting move earlier this year. Shaffer, a native of Stillwater, had previously been WCCO's morning meteorologist and has also worked at six Twin Cities radio stations. (7/16/2008)
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR NEW STATIONS:
MINNESOTA:
Cumulus Media's "Kool 104" (KVGO/104.3 Spring Valley-Rochester) has switched from ABC's Classic Hits Radio format to ABC's True Oldies format. The change comes after ABC transitioned Oldies Radio to Classic Hits Radio; Cumulus also owns Classic Hits-formatted KLCX/103.9 (Eyota-Rochester). (7/14/2008)
MICHIGAN/MINNESOTA:
The FCC has approved a transfer of five construction permits from Advance Acquisition to Sovereign City Radio Services. They include 1400 (Bemidji, MN), 750 (Duluth, MN), 1490 (Ironwood, MI), 1490 (Houghton, MI), and a CP in Florida. It had been presumed the stations would carry Catholic programming from Starboard Media's Relevant Radio network, since Advance Acquisition is a subsidiary of Starboard, but SCRS' plans for the stations are not known. (7/12/2008)
IOWA:
Sinclair Broadcasting is switching the source of the 9 p.m. newscast on FOX 17 (KDSM Des Moines). Beginning in September, the newscast will be produced by NBC affiliate WHO-TV/13, and will expand to an hour on weeknights. FOX 17's newscast is currently produced by Sinclair station KGAN/2 (Cedar Rapids) with reports filed from a Des Moines office. Most of the newscast is simulcast on Cedar Rapids FOX affiliate KFXA/28. (7/10/2008)
MICHIGAN:
DX-midAMerica reports that WUPG/96.7 (Republic) is now on the air with a Variety Hits format. The class C3 station (25kW/52m) has a rimshot signal to Ishpeming and fringe coverage of Marquette, a market where owner Radioactive, LLC also owns WUPF/100.3 (Gwinn). (7/10/2008)
MICHIGAN:
WUPF/100.3 (Gwinn-Marquette) has signed on with a Classic Hits format as "The Point." The new class C1 station (66kW/139m) is owned by Radioactive, LLC. It has no direct competitor in the market, but fits musically between two Northern Star Broadcasting stations, Classic Rock WUPK/94.1 and Oldies WNGE/99.5. (7/9/2008)
NORTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability to Clear Channel for an incident at KFGO/790 (Fargo) in 2006, before Clear Channel sold the station. The FCC said there is evidence KFGO broadcast a listener's voice mail message at least twice without consent. Clear Channel has thirty days to pay a $12,000 fine or ask for a reduction or cancellation. (7/9/2008)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Western Edge Media says on its website that it plans to have KDXN/105.7 (South Heart-Dickinson) on the air this fall. The new 100kW station will carry a Country format as "Wild 105.7" with "Wild Bill" Palanuk in the morning. Palanuk, who has worked at all of the other stations in Dickinson, owns 37% of Western Edge Media. (7/8/2008)
MINNESOTA:
KLFN/106.5 (Sunburg-Willmar) has dropped Classic Rock and is now carrying ABC's Classic Hits Radio format. Also, a correction on an earlier item -- KNSG/94.7 (Springfield) is carrying ABC Classic Hits Radio but is not simulcasting the format from sister station KXAC/100.5 (St. James) as had earlier been reported. KNSG is automating the format separately from KXAC. (7/7/2008)
WISCONSIN:
After four months as "Country Legends 104.9," WLMX-FM (Balsam Lake) has reverted to its "Mix 105" slogan, this time using Jones Radio Networks' Variety Hits format outside of mornings. General Manager Ron Revere will join Janey Raven on the morning show beginning Monday (7/7). The station continues to carry Twins Baseball but has dropped hourly AP newscasts. (7/5/2008)
MINNESOTA (CORRECTED):
One simulcast starts while another ends in southern Minnesota: KHRS/105.9 (Winthrop-New Ulm) is now rebroadcasting the Rock format of KXLP/94.1 (Eagle Lake-Mankato). KHRS had signed on this spring carrying ABC's syndicated Adult Contemporary format. The switch to a KXLP simulcast restores a strong signal for the format in New Ulm, where listeners had easily heard KXLP up until last fall when it was on the New Ulm-licensed 93.1 (now Country as KATO-FM). Meanwhile, KNSG/94.7 (Springfield) has dropped its rebroadcast of KDOG/96.7 (North Mankato) and is now carrying ABC's Classic Hits Radio format. KNSG, which has a strong signal to Redwood Falls and Marshall, is now on its fifth format since 2003. (7/4/2008, corrected KNSG 7/7)
NEBRASKA/NORTH DAKOTA:
"God's Country Radio" is now being carried on a handful of Educational Media Foundation stations, including KGCD/89.1 (Lincoln-Bismarck, ND) and K218DL/91.5 (Scottsbluff, NE). God's Country Radio mixes Christian Country, Southern Gospel, and some Contemporary Christian music. EMF operates the "K-Love" and "Air-1" networks, but has had three signals in Bismarck for a few years. In Scottsbluff, KDAI/89.1 recently signed on carrying Air-1, which K218DL had carried. (7/4/2008)
WISCONSIN:
WRGX/88.5 (Sturgeon Bay) is now WNLI, "Wisconsin's Northern Light," dropping Southern Gospel for a more traditional Christian format. The Southern Gospel format had launched in early 2006, replacing Christian Rock. WNLI is a sister station to longtime Contemporary Christian outlet WPFF/90.5. Both stations were sold to Bethesda Christian Broadcasting last year. WNLI is also heard on translators in Sheboygan and Marquette, MI. (7/4/2008)
WISCONSIN:
"The Valley" simulcast partners WOFM/94.7 (Mosinee-Wausau) and WIZD/99.9 (Rudolph-Stevens Point) have tweaked to Classic Hits. (7/4/2008)
WISCONSIN:
The FCC has denied a request from Radio Plus, the owner of WFDL/1170 (Waupun), to reduce a $7,000 fine for tower fencing violations. An FCC agent found the violations on a February 6, 2007, inspection. Radio Plus asked for a reducation of the fine, noting that it had consulted a contractor about fence repairs in September 2006 and that the fence was repaired in March 2007. The FCC says that is not enough of a reason for a reduction in the fine. (7/4/2008)
WISCONSIN:
News Director Trina Erickson has left WVRQ AM-FM (Viroqua) to become Library Director at the public library in Viroqua. (7/4/2008)
WISCONSIN:
Duey Wright's Midwest Communications is buying WTRW/97.1 (Two Rivers) from Radioactive, LLC for $1.725 million. Midwest does not own any other station in the Two Rivers/Manitowoc area, but does own stations in Green Bay, Appleton, and Sheboygan. WTRW was on the air for testing briefly earlier this year, but hasn't been on the air since it received its license in March. In an application for special temporary authority to remain silent, Radioactive stated, "the station went silent due to inadequate long-term staffing and programming resources." WTRW is a class A facility (6kW/76m) which will provide a strong signal to Two Rivers and Manitowoc. (7/1/2008)
MICHIGAN:
Radioactive, LLC, has renewed efforts to move a second construction permit into the Marquette market. Radioactive already holds the CP for WUPF/100.3 (Gwinn-Marquette). Now it's applied to move WUPZ/94.9 from Crystal Falls to Chocolay Township, an incorporated Charter Township of about 7,000 people located east of Marquette. WUPZ applied for a license to cover its existing CP in April, indicating that it was on the air or ready to go on the air from the Crystal Falls site. Just before applying for the license to cover, Radioactive abandoned an earlier application to move WUPZ to Harvey. (7/1/2008)
DISH HD LOCALS:
DISH Network has announced plans to add HD locals in the Des Moines, Omaha, Lincoln, Madison, Quincy, and Fargo markets this summer or fall. DirecTV already offers HD locals in a number of the markets. (7/1/2008)
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