ONTARIO:
Acadia Broadcasting has brought Classic Hits back to Thunder Bay, switching CJUK-FM/99.9 from "Magic" Hot Adult Contemporary to `70s, `80s, and `90s hits as "The Bay." The new format kicked off Labour Day weekend at Noon on Friday, Aug. 31, with a launch promo recounting the big concerts Thunder Bay has seen since amalgamation in 1970. Acadia had previously run Classic Hits on CKTG-FM/105.3 "The Giant" until switching it to "Country 105" in 2014. CJUK's previous "Magic" format had fit musically between two Dougall Media stations, AC-formatted CKPR-FM/91.5 and the Contemporary Hits "Energy" format on CKED-FM/103.5 and CFQK-FM/104.5. Numeris A12+ ratings for the most recent period available, Fall 2017, showed CJUK ranking fourth out of the five commercial stations in the market of 111,000 people. It had been known as "Magic" since its 2001 sign-on. (8/31/2018)
IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
Saga Broadcasting has launched a Classic Country format called "The Outlaw" on signals in Sioux City in Yankton. The new format, first reported by RadioInsight, originates on the HD2 signal of WNAX-FM/104.1 (Yankton) and is relayed on K260BO/99.9 (Yankton) and K283AG/104.5 (Sioux City). The Sioux City signal had relayed WNAX-FM's primary channel for two decades, while K260BO signed on seven years ago relaying WNAX/570's News/Farm/Talk format. WNAX, which has a blowtorch signal covering parts of five states, is now being heard on new translator K245DA/96.9 (Yankton). (8/31/2018, updated 9/7 with K245DA sign-on)
ILLINOIS/IOWA/MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
A retransmission consent dispute between Quincy Media and DISH Network has taken dozens of stations off DISH nationwide, including 15 in the Upper Midwest. The outage began at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29 after two extensions. It affects ABC affiliates in Madison, La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Wausau, the CBS affiliate in Duluth, the FOX affiliate in Quincy, NBC affiliates in Quincy, Waterloo, Sioux City, Rochester, and Duluth, CW affiliates in Waterloo, Sioux City, and Wausau, and the MyNetworkTV channel in Duluth.
The dispute hits Duluth especially hard since, besides the three channels listed above, CW affiliate KDLH has already been off DISH for three months and Independent station KCWV (not associated with Quincy) has been off the air completely for about a month. KDLH first went off DISH because of a dispute between DISH and then-owner SagamoreHill Broadcasting. Quincy closed on a deal to buy KDLH from SagamoreHill on Aug. 1 and KDLH has not returned to DISH, even though SagamoreHill stations have returned. The dispute and outage mean the Duluth locals package now has just four of its previous nine channels. (8/31/2018)
MINNESOTA:
A name well-known in southern Minnesota broadcasting is coming to northern Minnesota. For $10, John David Linder is buying a 40 percent interest in Twin Ports Radio, licensee of "92.1 The Fan" (WWAX Hermantown-Duluth), "The Jock" (KJOQ/1490 Duluth), and KJOQ translator W265DO/100.9 (Duluth). Linder has an interest in 18 southern Minnesota radio stations. Additionally, Dwayne Megaw is buying 20 percent interest in Twin Ports Radio for $4. Megaw is the operations manager for Linder's Mankato group and has no other broadcast holdings. After the closing, existing co-owner Dan Hatfield will retain 40 percent of Twin Ports Radio while Alana Hatfield will exit from ownership. Hatfield, who is also an officer and director for the non-commercial "The Refuge" Christian Hits network, bought WWAX/KJOQ from Red Rock Radio last year. (8/31/2018)
WISCONSIN: (UPDATED)
WFDL/1170 (Waupun-Fond du Lac) and W277AC/103.3 (Waupun) are broadcasting with reduced power after their shared tower collapsed during a storm Tues., Aug. 28. A request for special temporary authority filed with the FCC says WFDL is using 100 Watts from a long wire antenna. A post on the station's Facebook page says new translator W229DE/93.7 (Fond du Lac) remains on the air carrying WFDL's Oldies format. The stations are owned by Radio Plus, Inc. (8/31/2018, updated with FCC filing 9/4)
ONTARIO:
The CBC has signed on new station CBLM-FM/107.5 (Marathon), bringing CBC Radio One service to FM on a long stretch of Lake Superior's North Shore. CBLM-FM transmits with 3.935kW/280m (class B) from an existing CBC tower in Neys Provincial Park west of Marathon, replacing CBLM/1090 (Marathon) and CBEH/1010 (Terrace Bay). The AM transmitters, which both use 40 Watts, are running announcements saying they will leave the air in September. 40-Watt CBLB/1340 (Schreiber), which is just outside of the main coverage areas of CBLM-FM and CBQY/98.9 (Nipigon), will remain on the air. Besides being on FM, the sign-on of CBLM-FM fills in a previous coverage gap between Marathon and Terrace Bay. The CBC has also applied to move CBLW/1010 (White River) to FM. All of the stations relay CBQT/88.3 (Thunder Bay). (8/28/2018)
MINNESOTA:
iHeartMedia has launched KFAN+ on K244FE/96.7 (Calhoun Beach-Minneapolis), displacing Pride Radio. KFAN+ is a sister format to longtime local sports talker K-Fan (KFXN-FM/100.3) and originates on a KFXN-FM HD subchannel, with KFAN+ carrying FOX Sports Radio. A similar pairing had previously been in place with KFXN/690 (Minneapolis) before iHeart donated the AM facility to a Hmong broadcaster in 2011. Pride Radio had launched on K244FE three years ago with a mix of Dance and Pop for the LGBT community. (8/27/2018)
IOWA/MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
The following new FM translators are on the air:
SOUTH DAKOTA:
The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has signed on new station KIPI/93.5 (Eagle Butte). KIPI transmits with 100kW/203m (class C1) and provides the first strong signal to parts of the Cheyenne River Reservation. The commercial station began formal broadcasting on Wednesday, Aug. 15, and is planning an open house for Aug. 31. Its schedule includes local information, Native American programming, and a variety of music including Country, Pop, and R&B. (8/23/2018)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Grit TV has come to western North Dakota on KNDB/26.3 (Bismarck) and KNDM/24.3 (Minot). The addition follows BEK Sports Network's purchase of the stations, which also carry H&I TV and BEK Prime programming on DT1 and BEK Sports 24/7 on DT2. (8/23/2018)
NEBRASKA/SOUTH DAKOTA/WISCONSIN:
Several stations have recently filed special temporary authority requests with the FCC after damage from storms and other issues:
IOWA/ILLINOIS:
A Christian station in southeastern Iowa is getting its third owner in its 17-year history. Sound in Spirit Broadcasting is buying KMDY/90.9 (Keokuk) and W209CH/89.7 (Quincy) from Cornerstone Community Radio for $150,000. Sound in Spirit Broadcasting also owns a station in Ottumwa, while Cornerstone owns six stations in Illinois. The deal includes KMDY's transmitter and tower near Nauvoo, Illinois, but does not include any studio equipment. The KMDY callsign is derived from its original owner, The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, which signed the station on in 2001 and sold it to Cornerstone in 2006. (8/22/2018)
MINNESOTA:
Months after KCCO-TV/7 (Alexandria) went off the air permanently, Hubbard Radio's KIKV-FM/100.7 (Sauk Centre-Alexandria) has applied to move from KCCO's tower to a nearby tower owned by Hubbard's KSAX-TV. The towers near Westport are two miles apart, and KIKV will keep its 100kW signal while slightly increasing its antenna height from 241 to 267 meters above average terrain. The future of the 60-year-old KCCO-TV tower, owned by CBS, is unknown. 100.7 originally signed on as KCMT-FM in 1971 as a sister station to what was then KCMT-TV. (8/22/2018)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
Saga Broadcasting's "Pure Oldies" format is now on the air in Mitchell, replacing ESPN Radio on K278BJ/103.5 and the HD3 signal of KMIT/105.9. ESPN had aired on the translator/HD3 combo since 2015. Besides Country-formatted KMIT, Saga also owns a full-power Classic Hits station and a translator/HD2 combo carrying an Adult Contemporary format in Mitchell.
Meanwhile, Nedved Media signed on new translator K267CN/101.3 (Mitchell) earlier this year, relaying the News/Talk/Sports format of KORN/1490. Nedved also owns full-power FM stations carrying Country and Hot AC formats. (8/22/2018)
WISCONSIN:
HC2 Station Group is buying WPVS-LP/29 (Milwaukee) from Polnet Communications for $400,000. The station is currently off the air and licensed for an analog signal north of Milwaukee, but has a construction permit to transmit digitially on channel 9 from Milwaukee. HC2 also owns WTSJ-LD/38 (Milwaukee). (8/22/2018)
MINNESOTA:
iHeartMedia has tweaked "Cities 97" (KTCZ Minneapolis) to a hybrid of Adult Alternative and Hot Adult Contemporary, returning the station to a playlist similar to what it had carried before a transition to Hot AC several years ago. The new format uses a modified slogan of "Cities 97.1" under the positioner "Uniquely Twin Cities." With the move, RadioInsight points out that morning co-host Greg Thunder and midday host Madison are out.
The tweaked format includes a sampling of 1990's and 2000's Adult Contemporary gold that has essentially been homeless in the market for five years, distinguishing "Cities" from a crowded market of stations in the broader Alternative genre. Other outlets include the Adult Alternative format on Minnesota Public Radio's "The Current," Alternative on Northern Lights' "Go 96.3" (KQGO), and Alternative on iHeart's own "Alt 93.3" (KQQL-HD3/W227BF).
KTCZ is positioning the change as "born in 1984, reborn in 2018," referring to the year the "Cities 97" launched, and is running promos from former longtime program director Lauren MacLeash about the station's return to its roots. "Cities" had been one of the first major Adult Alternative stations and later evolved to include some Classic Rock in the 1990's and then some pop.
As a Hot AC outlet, KTCZ had competed directly with Hubbard's #1-rated "KS95" (KSTP-FM/94.5), theoretically acting as a flanker to lower KS95's ratings closer to those of iHeart Contemporary Hits outlet KDWB/101.3. However, Nielsen Audio ratings show that KS95 has been a few tenths of a point ahead of KDWB in the 6+ ratings over the past several months despite CHR's summer surge, while KTCZ ranked last among the ten commercial 100kW FM's in the market in four of the last six months. (8/20/2018)
NEBRASKA:
Scripps Broadcasting is selling stations in four markets, including Omaha, to Alabama-based SummitMedia. The $47 million sale is the last in a series of four deals that will take Scripps out of the radio business; a plan to sell Scripps' two Milwaukee stations to Good Karma Brands was announced last month. In Omaha, the deal includes Rocker "Z92" (KEZO/92.3), Classic Rocker "CD 105.9" (KKCD), Contemporary Hits outlet "Channel 94-1" (KQCH), Adult Contemporary station "Star 104.5" (KSRZ), and "ESPN 590" (KXSP). The sale will separate the radio group from Scripps CBS affiliate KMTV/3.1 after 11 years of co-ownership by Journal and then Scripps. (8/15/2018)
WISCONSIN:
WISN-TV (Milwaukee) says it will switch its channel 12.2 from Movies! Network to Justice Network on Sept. 1. WISN-TV is a primary ABC affiliate owned by Hearst Television. Movies! is operated by Weigel Broadcasting, which owns several stations in Milwaukee, but there's no immediate word whether Movies! will get a new home on the dial. (8/15/2018)
WISCONSIN:
The broad Soft Oldies "MeTV FM" format has launched on the HD2 signal of Entercom's WMYX/99.1 (Milwaukee), replacing Radio Disney. A news release from Envision Networks, which distributes the format, says the radio format will receive promotion on the local MeTV affiliate, WBME-CD. MeTV is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting. (8/15/2018)
WISCONSIN:
Dodge Point Broadcasting has debuted "Z-Rock" on new translator W245DE/96.9 (Dodgeville), originating on WZRK/810. The AM signal was formerly WDMP, which had simulcast the "Outlaw Country" format of WDMP-FM/99.3. The new format was first noted by RadioInsight and apparently launched on Aug. 9, based on a post on WDMP-FM's Facebook page. "Z-Rock" has no Rock competition in Dodgeville, which is otherwise only served by WDMP-FM and fringe signals from Madison and Dubuque. The WZRK callsign had previously been used on an unrelated and now-defunct station in Lake Geneva. (8/15/2018)
MINNESOTA:
The owners of KDWA/1460 (Hastings) are buying KQPR/96.1 (Albert Lea). The deal calls for D&Z Broadcasting, owned by Daniel and Barbara Massman of Hastings, to pay Gregory Jensen's Hometown Broadcasting $750,000 for KQPR, which carries a Classic Rock format. The coverage areas of KDWA and KQPR do not overlap except for some fringe coverage northwest of Rochester. Hometown recently sold its other station, KQAQ/970 (Austin), to a non-commercial Catholic broadcaster. (8/14/2018)
NEBRASKA:
The airstaff of Contemporary Christian station KGBI-FM/100.7 (Omaha) is out after the University of Northwestern-St. Paul closed on its $3.15 million purchase of the station from Salem Media. A post on the station's Facebook page says Aug. 3 was the last day for Dave & Kristen in the Morning, Jack Swanda, and Shari Stone. FCC filings indicate the sale closed on Aug. 6. UNWSP has openings for a KGBI program director and an office manager posted on its website. UNWSP operates Contemporary Christian stations in numerous other cities and is converting KGBI to non-commercial status.
Meanwhile, the buyer of Salem's other Omaha stations began operating the stations under a local marketing agreement on Aug. 8. An asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC indicates that Hickory Radio is buying KCRO/660, KOTK/1420, K233CO/94.5, and K293CJ/106.5 from Salem for $1.375 million. Hickory is a sister company to Walnut Radio, which owns KOMJ/1490, K281CJ/104.1, and several stations north of Omaha.
Salem had purchased KGBI, KCRO, and KOTK for a combined $12.05 million in three separate transactions in 2005. (8/13/2018)
IOWA: (UPDATED)
Sinclair CBS affiliate KGAN/2.1 (Cedar Rapids) and Iowa Public Television station KRIN/32.1 (Waterloo) are back on the air after a lightning strike knocked them off the air sometime around August 7. IPTV reported that KRIN was using lower power than usual; it was not clear if KGAN was back at full power. Both stations transmit from a tower near Walker, midway between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, and a KGAN reporter says in a Facebook post that a thunderstorm damaged KGAN's feedline in at least two places. KGAN's primary CBS channel was temporarily being carried on channel 28.2 of KFXA (Cedar Rapids), displacing Charge. The tower, owned by Gray TV, is also home to Gray's KCRG-TV/9.1 (Cedar Rapids) and Iowa Public Radio's KUNI/90.9 (Cedar Falls), but there's no indication of KCRG or KUNI being affected. (8/9/2018, updated 8/12)
MINNESOTA:
KSTP/1500 (St. Paul) will get a new daytime schedule and more than a dozen other Minnesota stations will have to change their lineups next month when KSTP drops several hosts, including regionally-syndicated Joe Soucheray and Patrick Reusse.
Soucheray announced news of the cancellation of his "Garage Logic" show Friday, and the Star Tribune reports that "1500 ESPN" is also dropping shows hosted by Reusse, Phil Mackey, and Judd Zulgad after Sept. 7. KSTP Vice President and General Manager Dan Seeman told the paper that the move is the result of changes in the media landscape and that new programming for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. is still in the works.
Soucheray and Reusse have been fixtures at the 50kW station since 1983, first hosting a weekly sports show. Soucheray began his "Garage Logic" show, a mixture of Minnesota chit-chat and conservative-leaning politics, in 1993 when KSTP ran a News/Talk format. The show continued in an earlier timeslot when KSTP flipped to Sports in 2010. Currently, "Garage Logic" airs from 1 to 3. Then, Reusse joins Soucheray for an hour of "Sports Talk" at 3 and "The Ride with Reusse" runs from 4 to 6.
Mackey announced that he and Zulgad will remain at Hubbard Broadcasting in other capacities.
Soucheray and Reusse's programs are syndicated to more than a dozen stations in Minnesota. (8/11/2018)
TRIBUNE TERMINATES SINCLAIR MERGER:
Following the FCC's July 19 decision to have an administrative law judge review the proposed merger of Tribune Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tribune announced Thursday that it is ending its attempt to merge with Sinclair.
Tribune also filed a lawsuit against Sinclair, claiming Sinclair breached a provision of its contract requiring it to seek regulatory approval as quickly as possible. Tribune alleges Sinclair delayed the deal by engaging in "unnecessarily aggressive and protracted negotiations" in an effort to keep control of as many stations as possible, rather than divest them. The proposed deal went through several iterations in regulatory filings, including changes in whether Tribune's WGN-TV Chicago would be sold and whether Sinclair would continue to provide services to stations that had been sold.
Sinclair responded with a statement from its CEO saying they are "extremely disappointed" with the deal's collapse and saying that Sinclair "fully complied with our obligations under the merger agreement and tirelessly worked to close this transaction."
In the Upper Midwest, the only divestiture would have been Sinclair's KDSM Des Moines, with the new company keeping Tribune's WHO-DT Des Moines along with Tribune stations in the Quad Cities and Milwaukee and Sinclair stations in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Madison, Cedar Rapids, Minneapolis, and other smaller markets. Sinclair had already returned the license of the former WCGV/24.1 (Milwaukee), which sold its bandwidth in the spectrum auction but could have kept its license through a channel-sharing arrangement. (8/9/2018)
WISCONSIN:
Heartland Communications Group is buying two stations in north-central Wisconsin from Results Broadcasting for $440,000: Country-formatted "Coyote 93.7" (WCYE Three Lakes-Rhinelander) and "Sports Radio 96.5" (WHOH Rhinelander). Heartland, which owns six other stations in Eagle River and Ashland, took over the stations through a time brokerage agreement on Aug. 1. The deal does not include future stations in Crandon and Tomahawk that Results won in a 2013 auction. Results also retains nine other stations in Antigo, Clintonville, Shawano, and Iron Mountain. (8/8/2018)
IOWA:
Two Catholic radio stations remain off the air by the tornado that struck Marshalltown last month. KCRM-LP/96.7 and KDNH-LP/101.5 have filed notices of suspension of operations with the FCC, saying the July 19 tornado destroyed the tower they had used along with their antennas and studios. KCRM-LP normally carries EWTN Radio, while KDNH-LP carries sister Spanish-language network Radio Catolica Mundial.
The tornado also destroyed a tower used for the studio-transmitter link at KFJB/1230 and KXIA/101.1, but they were able to return to the air the next day after establishing new feeds. (8/7/2018)
WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin Public Radio's Ideas Network is adding several shows to its schedule beginning this weekend and dropping several others. The new shows include "It's Been A Minute" (Saturday noon and Sunday 6 a.m.), "Hidden Brain" (Saturday 2 p.m.), and "Livewire" (Saturday 4 p.m.) Shows leaving the schedule include "Travel with Rick Steves," "Podcast Playlist," and "On the Media." Here's a complete rundown. The Ideas Network, a News/Talk service, is heard on 17 full-power stations across Wisconsin. (8/7/2018)
IOWA:
Saga Communications has launched a Variety Hits format called "Chuck FM" on K255CY/98.9 (Spirit Lake), originating on the HD3 signal of sister station KMRR/104.9 (Spencer). The launch comes a month after Saga launched "Pure Oldies" on K252EX/98.3 (Spencer) and KMRR-HD2. Saga acquired K255CY in 2016 and had previously used it to relay "CD Country 107.7" (KICD-FM Spencer). K255CY doesn't reach Saga's home base in Spencer, but KMRR and KICD-FM both provide strong signals to Spirit Lake. The popular summer vacation spot is also served by several FM stations operated by Community First Broadcasting. (8/2/2018)
MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
DirecTV has added "My9" (KBJR-DT/6.3 Superior-Duluth) to its Duluth market lineup. The Quincy Media channel, already carried on DISH Network and cable providers, is carried in SD on DirecTV channel 9. "My9" is named for the MyNetworkTV prime time lineup but the bulk of the channel's programming comes from the Heroes & Icons network. It also features college and high school sports. (8/1/2018)
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