August 2001

MINNESOTA:
KDAL-FM/95.7 (Duluth) has dropped the slogan "96Lite FM" in favor of "Magic 95.7." The format remains Adult Contemporary, positioned as "soft rock favorites of yesterday and today." Delilah's syndicated show is still broadcast. The change follows Midwest Communications' purchase of the station. (8/31/01)

IOWA:
Clear Channel's KLYF/106.3 (Ankeny-Des Moines) dropped Light AC/Oldies for Smooth Jazz as "V106-3" at 9 a.m. Thursday (8/30). A look at songs being played can be seen at klyf.com. More information can be found in the Des Moines Register. (8/31/01)

IOWA:
The call letters KIHS have been assigned to CSN International's construction permit for a new 10kW station on 88.9 in Adel. (8/31/01)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The call letters KSPY have been granted to Northern Lakes Broadcasting's construction permit for a new 100kW station on 98.5 in Williston. (8/31/01)

MINNESOTA:
Lynn Ketelsen is selling the construction permit for 6kW KLFN/106.5 (Sunburg) to Lakeland Broadcasting, which is owned 91% by Stephen Linder and 9% by Paul Linder. Lakeland owns KWLM/1340 and KQIC/102.5 (Willmar). KLFN will have a good signal into Willmar. Stephen Linder also owns 1/3 of Bold Radio, the licensee of KOLV/100.1 (Olivia). (8/30/01)

MINNESOTA:
KAKK/1600 (Walker) has been granted an increase in nighttime power from 47W to 250W. The antenna will continue to be nondirectional. (8/30/01)

MINNESOTA:
KSTC/45 will begin simulcasting KSTP/5's 6:30 p.m. on September 10th. KSTC will also pick up the ABC soap opera Port Charles, and Friends will move from KMSP/9 to KSTC, where it will be seen at 10 p.m. (8/29/01)

MINNESOTA:
WCCO-DT/32 (Minneapolis) is reportedly on the air, though it's not known if the station is on the air permanently or is just testing. (8/27/01)

IOWA/NEBRASKA:
A change in transmitter sites and frequencies will give Waitt Media a new station in the Sioux City market and improve the signal of KZFX/101.9 (Lincoln) into Omaha. KISP/101.5 (Blair) recently received a construction permit to move to 101.3, change community of license to Whiting, IA, and upgrade from 25kW to 50kW. (The FCC termed this change a "minor modification.") The new facility will have a strong signal into Sioux City. The Nebraska Radio Page reports that Waitt Media plans to move KISP's format to KBLR/97.3 (Blair) on September 10. The new 97.3 will have virtually identical facilities to the old 101.5. Meanwhile, KZFX would move its transmitter closer to Omaha, and KAYL-FM/101.7 (Storm Lake) would downgrade from 100kW to 50kW. (8/24/01)

WISCONSIN:
Central Communication's WDRK/99.9 (Cornell-Eau Claire) began its real format on Monday: Hard Rock as "The Carp." (8/23/01)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Randy Holland's KGBZ/100.7 (Harwood-Fargo) is on the air with an `80s Hits format called "The Buzz" positioned as "The `80s and Beyond." (8/17/01)

WISCONSIN:
Faith Sound, Inc., is buying La Crosse-area stations WKBH/1570 and WFBZ/105.5 from Riverview Communications. Faith Sound operates Christian KFSI/92.9 (Rochester), which is heard on a translator on the La Crosse area. WKBH is currently one of two all-Sports stations in the La Crosse area, while WFBZ runs a Modern Rock format called "The Buzz." (8/17/01)

MINNESOTA:
WCMN-LP/13 (St. Cloud) has begun it's all-news format. The half-hour lineup consists of eight minutes of locally-produced news followed by programming from All News Channel, a weather and sports update at 20/50 past, and more from ANC. (8/17/01)

MINNESOTA:
The Duluth News-Tribune reports that Charter Communications, which operates the cable systems in Duluth and Superior, plans to drop KDUL-LP/12 (UPN) from its lineup on September 15th due to poor pictur. The channel 16 cable position will be replaced with a new public access channel. Charter tells NorthPine.com it will stop blocking out UPN programming on KMSP/9, so cable customers will still be able to receive the network for now, but KMSP is expected to eventually switch to FOX. KMSP will likely be dropped from the system at that time since KQDS-TV/21 holds the rights to FOX programming in the Duluth market. (8/17/01)

MICHIGAN:
WMPL-FM/93.5 (Hancock) has switched to Hot AC as "Mix 93.5" and plans a call letter change to WKMJ. The format is from Jones Radio Network. The former Talk/Sports format, which launched just a few months ago as a simulcast with WMPL/920, continues on the AM side. (8/16/01)

WISCONSIN:
Central Communications' WDRK/99.9 (Cornell-Chippewa Falls-Eau Claire) is on the air with an `80s hits format positioned as "The `80s and More," but is the format permanent? The station signed on late Wednesday night (8/15). Al Shannon is the operations manager and morning host. (8/16/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
WEZU/1220 (Stillwater) is carrying the Packers Radio Network this year, formerly heard on former sister station WIXK/107.1 (New Richmond). WIXK dropped the network at the end of last season since new owner Hubbard Broadcasting is planning to move the station to the Twin Cities. (8/16/01)

WISCONSIN:
The Stevens Point Journal reports that WTMJ Sports Marketing has cut its affiliation with WSPT/1010 (Stevens Point), meaning that the Brewers and Packers are no longer be heard on WSPT. No reason was publicly announced for the action. (8/16/01)

NEBRASKA:
JRK Broadcasting's KLRB/97.3 (Aurora) has changed call letters to KRGY. It's unknown if the Classic Rock format has changed. JRK also owns KRGI in Grand Island. (8/16/01)

WISCONSIN:
CSN International's construction permit for a new 9.9kW station on 90.3 in Marshall has been assigned the call letters WJWD. CSN International is the same thing as Calvary Satellite Network, which operates a network of translators relaying KAWZ Twin Falls, Idaho. The station will have a good signal into Madison. (8/16/01)

WISCONSIN:
WDRK/99.9 (Cornell) has been testing with various music. (8/14/01)

WISCONSIN:
"Razor 94.7" (WZOR Mishicot-Green Bay) has completed its upgrade from 6kW to 25kW, improving the signal in Green Bay and Appleton. (8/14/01)

MINNESOTA:
All Access confirms that Tone E. Fly is no longer doing a live show at KDWB/101.3. Fly is now doing mornings in Austin, Texas, and voicetracking the afternoon KDWB shift, along with evening shifts in Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, and Jacksonville. All Access also reported last week that Alan Kabel is no longer at WLOL/100.3. (8/13/01)

IOWA:
Clear Channel's KWMM/98.7 (Osage) has dropped Nostalgia for Hot AC/CHR as "Kiss FM." The 6kW station is now targeting Mason City and has applied to increase power to 25kW, which would much improve the signal into Mason City. The Mitchell County Press has a story on the change, and coincidentally, a few other stories on the radio industry. Clear Channel has closed down KWMM's Osage office, and also recently closed the New Hampton office of KCZE/95.1 (New Hampton), which rebroadcasts KCHA-FM/95.9 (Charles City). (8/13/01)

MINNESOTA:
WCMN-LP/13 (St. Cloud) is back on the air using the AmericaOne Network. WCMN is expected to launch an all-news format, putting local cut-ins into All News Channel programming. (8/13/01)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KSOB/107.9 (Flandreau-Sioux Falls) has dropped Classic Rock for Country as "The Hog" with the call letters KKHG. The station is the fourth in the market with a country format and the third on FM. The change occurred last weekend. (8/9/01)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Randy Holland's construction permit for a 25kW station on 100.7 in Harwood has changed call letters to KGBZ. Holland filed an application for "license to cover" with the FCC, which usually means a new station is on the air, but reports from the area have indicated nothing but occasional dead air at 100.7. Holland is the Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Director of Iowa City Broadcasting. (8/9/01)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
(Updated) The changes to other stations that needed to take place to allow WIXK-FM/107.1 (New Richmond) to complete it's transmitter move to Shoreview are completed. WNCB's Moose Lake translator moved from 106.7 to 106.1 and KBFH/107.1 (Moose Lake) moved to 106.9 in July. KROC-FM/106.9 Rochester doesn't need to make any facility changes due to a recent change in FCC regulations. (8/5/01, updated 8/7)

WISCONSIN:
Radio K-T is buying WLKG/96.1 (Lake Geneva) from CTJ Communications. Radio K-T also owns WKTT/98.1 (Cleveland). The purchase includes a three-year non-compete agreement for both the current WLKG owner and station manager. (8/7/01)

MINNESOTA:
KLCI/106.1 has completed it's transmitter move 17km to the south from near Big Lake to near Albertville, power downgrade from 50kW to 25kW, and change in community of license from Princeton to Elk River. The station continues it's Twin Cities-focused Country format called "Bob 106.1." The change results in a slight increase in signal strength in the northwest metro and a slight decrease in signal strength in the south and east metro. (8/5/01)

WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
(Updated yet again) WIXK-FM/107.1 (New Richmond) has been off the air intermittently and has been broadcasting in mono for a week or two. Hubbard Broadcasting is expected to begin a Twin Cities-based format on 107.1 in the near future. The transmission site is being moved from near New Richmond to Shoreview, the station is upgrading to 25kW at 150m, and the community of license will change from New Richmond, WI, to Coon Rapids, MN. The new facility will provide a strong signal across the Twin Cities metro. Ironically, WIXK posted its strongest numbers in recent history during the past few Twin Cities books, without any promotion and without targeting the Twin Cities. (8/3/01, updated 8/4 and 8/5)

NEBRASKA:
Three Eagles Broadcasting is buying KJSK/900 and KLIR/101.1 (Columbus) from Heartland Broadcasting following the death of Heartland's owner and transfer of control of the company to a Sioux City bank. Three Eagles owns two other stations in Columbus and five other stations in Nebraska. (8/5/01)

WISCONSIN:
Radio DX/Information from Wisconsin reports that WJMR/98.3 (Menomonee Falls-Milwaukee) has dropped Rhythmic Oldies for Rhythmic Adult Contemporary, but still uses the slogan "Jammin' 98.3." And, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that WJMR will begin carrying the Tom Joyner show on Monday 8/6. (8/4/01)

MINNESOTA:
Two more low-power FM stations have been granted: 98.5 Alexandria, 60 Watts, Caravan Broadcasting Association; and 96.9 Spicer, 100W, Hope Presbyterian Church. (8/4/01)

MINNESOTA:
The call letters KLCH have been assigned to the construction permit for a 6kW station on 94.9 in Lake City. The station's main coverage area will include Wabasha and Red Wing. The permit doesn't expire until January 2003, so it may be awhile before the station signs on. KLCH is owned by Lake City FM, LLC, which is owned equally by Gregory Gentling, Jerry Papenfuss, and Sorenson Broadcasting. Gentling has an interest in Southern Minnesota Broadcasting, which owns three Rochester market stations. Papenfuss owns four stations in the Winona market and Sorenson owns two stations in Red Wing. (8/4/01)

MINNESOTA:
M2 affiliate K13UT (Minneapolis) has changed to WBWX-LP. (8/4/01)

NEBRASKA:
A construction permit has been issued for KHNE-DT/28 (Hastings). (8/4/01)

MINNESOTA:
Following WWTC/1280's conversion from Catholic programming to right-wing Talk, a group called Twin Hearts Media is looking to purchase a Twin Cities area radio station to broadcast programming from EWTN Radio, a Catholic network heard on shortwave and AM/FM stations in other parts of the U.S. (8/3/01)

WISCONSIN:
Rumors are that Central Communication's WDRK/99.9 (Cornell-Eau Claire) is set to sign on September 1 with either an `80s Hits or Modern Rock format. (8/3/01)