August 2004

WISCONSIN:
WIGM/1490 (Medford) has expanded ESPN Radio to be its entire format, reports DX mid-AMerica. The station maintains a local news and information block from 3-3:30 p.m. (8/25/2004)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The Bismarck Tribune reports that KLBE-LP/100.7 signed on August 16, playing Contemporary Christian music. (8/24/2004)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Translator K289AI/105.7 (Rapid City) is now rebroadcasting KLMP/97.9, instead of KSLT/107.3. KSLT is still heard on K300AX/107.9 (Rapid City), which signed on earlier this summer. (8/24/2004)

WISCONSIN:
NewRadio Group's WATK/900 (Antigo) and WLKD/1570 (Minocqua) are promoting a pending change to a Sports format using ESPN Radio. WATK currently rebroadcasts WACD/106.1 (Antigo), and WLKD currently carries JRN's Music of Your Life format. (8/23/2004)

IOWA:
Equity Broadcasting is buying four low-power TV stations in Cedar Rapids from Tiger Eye Broadcasting. Equity owns KWWF/22 (Waterloo) and could use one or more of the Cedar Rapids stations to relay KWWF, which is slated to begin carrying UPN programming on September 1. The stations are KCDR-LP/55, KHHH-LP/57, KRUB-LP/65, and KCDE-LP/67; it does not appear any are currently on the air. (8/20/2004)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Aberdeen Radio Ranch will spin off three stations to get FCC approval of its purchase of Clear Channel's five Aberdeen market stations. Radio Ranch, owned by Robert and Todd Ingstad, will sell KQAA/94.9 (Aberdeen) to the Educational Media Foundation, operator of the "K-Love" and "Air-1" networks. KQKD/1380 (Redfield) and KKAA/1560 (Aberdeen) will be sold to Family Radio. If the FCC approves the sales, Radio Ranch will own the six remaining commercial stations in the area: KSDN/930, KGIM/1420, KSDN-FM/94.1, and KBFO/106.7 in Aberdeen, and KNBZ/97.7 and KGIM-FM/103.7 in Redfield. Sale prices have not been disclosed. (8/20/2004)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The Aberdeen American News reports that Aberdeen Radio Ranch is buying Clear Channel's five stations in that city. Aberdeen Radio Ranch is owned by brothers Robert and Todd Ingstad, and owns the other four commercial radio stations in the Aberdeen-Redfield area. The article suggests that some of the stations may be sold off, if the FCC approves the sale. The application for transfer of license is not yet available from the FCC. (8/18/2004)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Left-leaning talk radio will make another move on the Twin Cities AM dial later this year. Radio and Records and the St. Paul Pioneer Press report that JR Broadcasting, headed by Janet Robert, is buying KSNB/950 (St. Louis Park) from Viacom/Infinity for $3 million. Robert heads the group which runs the "Straight Talk Radio" format currently simulcast on WMIN/740 (Hudson) and KSMM/1530 (Shakopee), including Al Franken and Ed Schultz, and a local show hosted by Wendy Wilde. Robert told the Pioneer Press that 950 would simulcast with 1530, which is leased from Starboard Broadcasting, but that the lease of 740 from Greg Borgen would end. 950 currently runs a mix of Business news and Sporting News Radio, which launched in January. (8/15/2004)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
WDGY/630 (Hudson-Minneapolis) appears to be operating from its new facility, restoring a strong nighttime signal to the Twin Cities that 630 has lacked since its original tower site was sold in 1994. 630 had been using 2.3kW day and 300W night (directional day and night) from a site east of Hudson; the new facility is 1kW day and 2.5kW night (also directional) from the WCTS/1030 towers in Maplewood. Co-owned WMIN/740 (Hudson) had been operating from the 1030 site, but had to move to the towers east of Hudson (its original site) to make room for 630. 740 has upgraded power from 850W to 1.1kW but remains a daytime-only station. WDGY is owned by Greg Borgen and leased to Radio Rey, which programs a Regional Mexican format. However, a change could be in the works: 630 is occasionally running an announcement proclaiming 740 as La Nueva Ley. (8/15/2004)

IOWA:
KWWF/22 (Waterloo) is slated to begin carrying UPN programming on September 1, under its new owner, Equity Broadcasting. The station's lineup will also include Jerry Springer, Montel Williams, Judge Mathis, Andy Griffith, and other syndicated programming. (8/14/2004)

IOWA:
Is a new format in the works for KQMG/1220 (Independence)? The station continues to rebroadcast the Adult Contemporary format of KQMG-FM/95.3, but runs an ID at the top of the hour proclaiming AM1220 as an all-Sports station. (8/14/2004)

MICHIGAN:
The Houghton Daily Mining Gazette reports that Heartland Communications is buying WCCY/1400, WOLV/97.7, and WHKB/102.3 from Tu-Mar Broadcasting. No sale price was reported, and the purchase agreement is not yet available through the FCC website. Heartland owns four stations in Ashland, WI, and is buying two stations in Iron River. (8/14/2004)

MINNESOTA:
While your author was away from the internet, Minnesota Public Radio announced that it is purchasing WCAL/89.3 (Northfield-Twin Cities) for $10.5 million. A format change seems likely: both WCAL and MPR's KSJN/99.5 carry Classical formats. MPR president Bill Kling said the Classical format will be maintained until the best use for the frequency is determined. "For the long term, we will review other options, such as programming not currently available to the 2.6 million people within the range of this signal," he said in a press release. Here is Kling's complete statement. The sale also includes 250-Watt WCAL repeater KMSE/88.7 (Rochester). (8/14/2004)

MINNESOTA:
WNCB/89.5 (Duluth) has changed callsign to WJRF to reflect its "Refuge Radio" slogan. (8/14/2004)

MINNESOTA:
Refuge Media has received a construction permit for a translator in the far south Twin Cities metro to carry its WRJF. The 34W translator on 106.5 (K293BA) will actually transmit from a rural area a few miles west of I-35, southwest of Lakeville.

Other new translator/LPFM construction permits announced this week:

MINNESOTA:
The KTTW/FOX translator in Worthington has moved from channel 15 to channel 22, making way for KSMN-DT/15. (8/14/2004)

WISCONSIN:
WAST-LP/25 (Ashland) has received a construction permit to upgrade to 140kW at 179m, broadcasting from the WEGZ/105.9 tower west of Washburn. The station is currently off the air, and was recently sold to True North TV LLC, which is owned by the Martinsen family. (8/14/2004)

NEBRASKA:
KAWA-LP/102.7 (Callaway) has signed on, carrying Contemporary Christian music as "Way 102.7." (8/7/2004)

MINNESOTA:
The Educational Media Foundation's latest Twin Cities construction permit is for 120W translator on W225AP/92.9 in St. Paul. The application stated W225AP would carry the "K-Love" network. (8/7/2004)

NEW FM TRANSLATOR CONSTRUCTION PERMITS (8/2-8/6):

MINNESOTA:
Another construction permit has been issued for a new "K-Love" translator in the Twin Cities area. K279AZ will broadcast with 205W on 103.7 in Cottage Grove, relaying K-Love translator K214DF/90.7 (Golden Valley-Minneapolis). K-Love owner EMF has either applied for or received CP's for several other translators in the metro area. (8/6/2004)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KFMH/102.1 (Belle Fourche) has received a construction permit to move its transmitter to Terry Peak near Lead and change frequency to 101.9. The station should deliver a good signal to Rapid City, using 95kW at 461m. FCC approval for the change came more quickly than usual, probably because KFMH is currently silent and must return to the air by September 11 to keep its license. The station is owned by Laramie Mountain Broadcasting. (8/4/2004)

IOWA:
The FCC has cancelled a $13,000 fine against Cornell College for violations at its KRNL/89.7 (Mount Vernon). After an agent visited the station on March 18, 2003, the FCC determined that "Cornell failed to maintain control of the station's transmitter in apparent willful and repeated violation of Section 73.1350(b)(2) of the Commission's Rules and failed to make available the station's public file in apparent willful violation of Section 73.3527(c) of the Rules." After the visit, the college said it was correcting the violations. The college said the fine was an extreme financial hardship since $13,000 is more than KRNL's annual budget. The FCC has reduced the fine to an admonishment. (8/2/2004)

MICHIGAN:
WNBY-FM/93.7 (Newberry) has received a construction permit to move to 93.9, along with an upgrade and a new transmitter site. 93.9 will broadcast with 50kW at 150m (class C2) from a site east of town. With the new facilty, WNBY-FM will deliver a fair signal to Sault Ste. Marie. (8/2/2004)