August 2003

NEBRASKA:
McCook Radio Group's new 100kW KADL/102.9 (Imperial) formally signed on at Noon Thursday (8/28). The station carries a `60s and `70s Oldies format, with local news, severe weather information, and high schoool sports. KADL carries news from ABC and ag reports from the Brownfield Network. McCook Radio Group is owned by Dave and Connie Stout. (8/29/2003)

MINNESOTA:
WBJI/98.3 (Blackduck-Bemidji) has completed its upgrade from 50kW to 100kW, changing from class C2 to C1. (8/29/2003)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
The FCC is giving 34 competing applicants for low-power FM stations in Wisconsin, and four in Minnesota, a chance to reach settlement agreements. Each applicant competes directly with at least one other applicant. In order for any of the competing applications to be approved, all of the applicants for a given frequency will have to agree on which applicant or applicants will use the frequency. Most of the frequencies have only two or three applicants, with the exception of 99.1 Madison, which has nine applicants. A complete list is available here. (8/29/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WBJX/1460 (Racine-Milwaukee) is planning to move its studios and offices to Milwaukee after a series of vandalisms knocked the station off the air, and left staff feeling unsafe. The heaviest damage came on Monday (8/25), when vandals cut guy wires, causing the tower to fall, and knocking the station off the air. WBJX is the only 24-hour spanish-language station in southeastern Wisconsin. (8/29/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WDMP-FM "D99.3" (Dodgeville) has moved in a unique direction: "The Best New Country, and Country That Rocks." Uncle Kracker, Kid Rock, and The Eagles are on the playlist along with mainstream Country tunes. (8/27/2003)

MANITOBA:
CHMI/13 (A-Channel) has moved its late newscast from 10 to 11 p.m. Unlike stations on the U.S. side, very few Canadian stations air a local newscast at 10. (That's when "The National" airs on CBC.) In Manitoba, CKND/9 (Global) has a late newscast at 10:30, and CKY/7 (CTV) has local news at 11:30. (8/27/2003)

WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin radio veterans Ed Paulson and Danny Wright are setting up a new meeting of jocks and programmers -- the "Wisconclave." It'll be held at the Holidome in Stevens Point on Saturday, September 6. The cost (not including a hotel room, of course) is $10, payable at the door. Check wisconclave.com for more information. (8/27/2003)

IOWA:
KQMG/1220 and KQMG-FM/95.3 (Independence) are being sold to KM Communications, from Keene of Iowa, for $500,000. KM's holdings include 7 radio stations, 5 full-power TV stations, and 18 low-power/class A TV stations. The nearest are KWKB/20 (WB, Iowa City), and three FM stations in Illinois. (8/26/2003)

WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin's Fourth District Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the University of Wisconsin in a dispute over the tower for WSUM/91.7 (Madison), which is located in the Town of Montrose, southwest of Madison. The court rejected an appeal from area residents, who contended that the permit to build the tower had expired because construction did not start within a year of approval. The court ruled that since construction began within a year of final county board action, the permit was still valid. WSUM is programmed by students and signed on in February 2002. (8/22/2003)

WISCONSIN:
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, WPJP/100.1 (Port Washington) was slated to return to the air Friday morning at 6:30, carrying Starboard Broadcasting's "Relevant Radio" network. (8/22/2003)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
A severe storm caused a power outage which took many Duluth TV and radio stations off the air at 8:55 p.m. Wednesday (8/20). KDLH/3, KBJR/6, WDSE/8, and WDIO/10 were all knocked off the air, though 3, 6, and 8 were able to remain on cable since power was still on at their studios. On FM, WSCD/92.9, KDAL-FM/95.7, KDNW/97.3, KTCO/98.9, KLDJ/101.7, KUMD/103.3, KKCB/105.1, and KBMX/107.7 were knocked off the air. The stations were off the air for about three hours. (8/21/2003)

MINNESOTA:
KARE/11's Paul Magers will leave the station later this year. He's headed to KCBS/2 (Los Angeles), where he will be lead anchor. He has been at KARE since 1983. (8/19/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
Some news schedule changes have been made at KXJB/4 (CBS) following its management consolidation with KVLY/11 (NBC). KXJB has swapped the CBS Evening News and its local news, with local news now at 5:30 and CBS at 6. It's a rarity, since virtually all stations in the central time zone air network newscasts at 5:30. Fargo still has three newscasts at 6, on the ABC, FOX, and NBC affiliates. (8/14/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Pointe of View Institute has received a construction permit for a low-power (100W) station on 98.1 in Burlington. (8/14/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Ed Piette is bringing some company from his old station, KSTP/5, to his new job as VP and GM at WCCO/4. Former KSTP sales manager Trey Fabacher will serve as WCCO station manager. Meanwhile, WCCO news director Maria Reitan announced Monday she is leaving the station at the end of the month, after 20 months at WCCO. (8/12/2003)

WISCONSIN:
Todd P. Robinson's WUSP/105.5 (Nekoosa) has signed on, playing Oldies. The 6kW station delivers a good signal to Wisconsin Rapids, with fringe coverage of Marshfield, Stevens Point, and Adams. (8/11/2003)

IOWA:
The University of Northern Iowa has received a construction permit for a new station on 90.1 in Dubuque. The class A station will use 810W at 159m, and will presumably be used to relay KUNI/90.9 (Cedar Falls). KUNI is currently heard in Dubuque on a translator at 98.7. (8/8/2003)

MINNESOTA:
WEZU/1220 (Stillwater-Twin Cities) has changed calls to WMGT, with the slogan "Mighty 1220." The call change reflects the station's transition from Nostalgia to Talk over the last few years. (8/8/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Heartland Christian Broadcasters has turned in the licenses for four translators: W269AP/101.7 Aurora, W237AF/95.3 Buhl, W280CO/103.9 Gilbert, and K265DD/100.9 Grand Rapids. The first three translators were transferred from JPI Radio earlier this year, and were once part of the WAKX Iron Range translator network. The Grand Rapids translator was replaced with a former JPI translator on 95.1. (8/8/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KDJZ/100.7 (Harwood-Fargo) has been granted a booster station in Fargo. (Boosters operate on the same frequency as the primary station and simultaneously broadcasts the same program.) KDJZ-1 will use 140 Watts at 29m from a tower on the south side of Fargo. (8/8/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The North Dakota Department of Transportation has received two more construction permits for low-power FM (100W) stations, on 95.7 in Minot and 96.3 in Valley City. (8/8/2003)

IOWA:
KJJC/107.1 (Osceola-Des Moines) and KLRX/96.1 (Madrid-Ames) dropped their Sports simulcast at the end of July, and are now airing programming from Northwestern College's network. Northwestern is operating the stations under a local marketing agreement until its purchase of the stations is finalized. (8/7/2003)

MICHIGAN:
The UP's former low-power UPN affiliate, WUPT-CA/25 (Crystal Falls), has left the air, and it does not appear the station will return anytime soon, if ever. The station has turned off its phones and website. Programming was relayed on WUPT-LP/43 (Republic Township) and was carried on a number of cable systems in the ara. (8/7/2003)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Duluth AM update: WEBC/560 is now carrying the FAN Network fulltime from 6a-7p, and FOX Sports Radio at other times. Also, WDSM/710 is carrying Coast to Coast AM overnight, not Bruce Williams as previously reported, and WGEE/970 continues to air Loveline at 10p. (8/7/2003)

WISCONSIN:
"Wolf 108" (WLFK-LP/107.9 Eau Claire) signed on Friday, July 25. The station is airing a loop of Alternative music until studio equipment is ready. Wolf 108 plans to air technology-themed talk shows and live in-studio performances by local bands. (8/7/2003)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
More changes are coming to Duluth's AM dial Monday, following WEBC/560's flip from Talk to the FAN Network. WDSM/710 will drop Sports for Talk, with Imus 5-9a, local host Lew Latto 9-11a, Rush Limbaugh 11-2, Sean Hannity 2-5p, local host Brad Bennet 5-6p, Michael Savage 6-9p, Phil Hendrie 9p-Mid, and Bruce Williams overnight. (This is WDSM's third attempt at a Talk format, though this time, it has the shows WEBC used to air.) WDSM local sports host Bruce Ciskie will move back to KDAL, where his show will air at 5p. Also at KDAL, Ruth Koscielak will be dropped, and Joe Soucheray will air from 2-5p. ESPN Radio will move to WGEE/970, and will make up most of the lineup, with the exception of Jim Rome from 11-2 and Tommy Mischke from 8-10p. FOX Sports Radio will presumably move to WEBC to fill times when the FAN Network isn't on the air. (8/1/2003)