September 2002

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Green Bay, Wisconsin-based Starboard Broadcasting is entering the Twin Cities market through two suburban AM signals. The company has reached agreements to run KSMM/1530 (Shakopee, MN) and WMIN/740 (Hudson, WI). In July, KSMM switched from a spanish-language music format to spanish Catholic using EWTN's Radio Catolica Mundial under a local marketing agreement with Starboard. North Star Broadcasting has been trying to sell KSMM for a few years. Sales to Las Americas Corporation and Twin Hearts Media were never completed, and now, Starboard has agreed to purchase KSMM for $850,000. Meanwhile, WMIN/740 is still carrying Sporting News Radio. It's not clear whether Starboard will purchase the station or just operate it through a LMA. WMIN is owned by Greg Borgen, who leases his other station, WDGY/630 (Hudson), to Radio Rey. Starboard also operates three Catholic stations in Wisconsin, has construction permits or licenses for three more, is buying another (see below), and has another LMA to operate a suburban Chicago station. (9/30/02)

WISCONSIN:
Starboard Broadcasting is buying WGLB-FM/100.1 (Port Washington) from Joel J. Kinlow for $900,000. The station delivers a fair signal to most of the Milwaukee metro area and currently runs a `70s Oldies format. Starboard operates several noncommercial Catholic stations in Wisconsin, mostly using programming from EWTN Radio, and also owns three other stations that are not currently on the air. The purchase agreement requires that Starboard change the station's call letters since Kinlow will retain ownership of WGLB/1560 (Elm Grove), as well as WJJA/49 (Racine). There may be some confusion as to whether WGLB/1560 is included in the sale since the application to transfer the licenses lists both stations, but the purchase agreement lists only WGLB-FM. (9/28/02)

IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
"Hot 100" (KDWD/100.1 Emmetsburg) will be able to improve its signal to Spencer in a regional shell game. The FCC approved a plan to delete an unused allocation for a class A (6kW) station on 100.3 in Sibley in order for KDWD to upgrade from class A to C3 (25kW). Another unused allocation for a class A station on 104.3 in Sibley remains. In the same order, the FCC also allocated 100.7 to Sanborn as a class A station, which could possibly provide a good signal to Spencer. (The FCC will take applications for the new allocation at an undetermined future date.) In approving the plan to upgrade KDWD and add a new station at Sanborn, the FCC rejected a proposal from Saga Broadcasting to convert an unused allocation for 100.1 in Brandon, SD, from class A to C3. Saga-owned stations are KDWD's main competitor in Spencer. (9/28/02)

NEBRASKA:
The FCC is considering a request to allocate 107.9 to Arthur as a class C1 (100kW/299m) station. Arthur is home to 145 souls and is the seat of Arthur County, pop. 444. The FCC will accept comments on the proposal through November 18. A station using the proposed allocation could provide a good signal to the Ogallala area, though there are already three unused allocations for 100kW stations that would serve the Ogallala-North Platte region. (9/28/02)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The North Dakota Department of Transportation has received a construction permit for a 100-Watt station on 102.9 in Bismarck. The DOT has also received CP's for several other low-power FM stations. (9/27/02)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
La Crosse's "Classic Hits 94.7" (KCLH Caledonia) has added Breakfast with the Beatles to the lineup, airing Sunday mornings at 8. (9/26/02)

NEBRASKA:
Two tower workers were killed when the KDUH/4 (Scottsbluff) tower near Hemingford collapsed Tuesday morning (9/24). Check out these reports from XPressNews.com, the Omaha World-Herald, and KOTA-TV for more information. Though KDUH/4 itself is off the air, the station's programming can still be seen on channel 2 translators in Scottsbluff and Chadron. (9/25/02)

IOWA:
The FCC has approved a plan to delete an unused allocation for an analog TV channel and add an allocation for a new digital TV channel in Des Moines. The applicants for analog channel 69 requested that digital channel 56 be used instead. If a construction permit had been issued for channel 69, it would not have had a digital counterpart, and the channel would have had to move anyway because the FCC plans to eliminate upper UHF channels once the transition to digital TV is complete. The FCC has encouraged one of the original applicants to apply for DT56. Presumably, whoever won the settlement agreement will apply for the channel. (9/25/02)

IOWA:
In an apparent attempt to get on the air before their construction permit expires, KWWF/22 (Waterloo) has applied for facilities of just 14kW at 19m, transmitting from Waterloo. KWWF must sign on by November 29 or will never get on the air. The current CP for the station calls for 5000kW at 610m from a site between Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. The station is expected to carry UPN programming. (9/24/02)

MINNESOTA:
WCMN-LP/13 (St. Cloud) has apparently fully recovered from the lightning strike several weeks ago that affected studio, transmission, and office equipment. However, changes are in store soon for CMN13 since a large part of its programming comes from AllNews Channel, which will cease programming at the end of the month (see earlier story). (9/24/02)

MINNESOTA:
Kevin Busse has returned to KRDS/95.5 (New Prague-Northfield) to host "All Request Oldies" from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. weekdays in the spirit of WWTC's 1980's "Golden Rock" format. The show includes regional hits from Minnesota rock bands of the `50s, `60s, and `70s, plus talk about local teen hangouts of the past. (9/23/02)

MINNESOTA:
You may not have known that there's a nationally-distributed news channel based in the Twin Cities. There is, but it won't be around much longer. Hubbard Broadcasting is shutting down most of its CONUS news service and with it, AllNews Channel, which relies mostly on content from CONUS. ANC will cease programming at the end of the month. The network isn't on many cable systems, but it is carried by DirecTV (ch. 364) and in the overnight hours on some Hubbard-owned stations. CONUS employs 165 people, about 100 of them in St. Paul. (9/21/02)

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
Clear Channel's battle to improve the signal of KRVI/95.1 (Detroit Lakes) in Fargo isn't over yet. The essential question is whether KRVI should be allowed to improve its signal to Fargo or whether another station should be able to sign on serving the market. The FCC had already approved a plan to change KRVI's community of license to Barnesville and allow KRVI to relocate its transmitter 44km closer to Fargo. In its proposal, KRVI (then owned by T&J Broadcasting) stated that it would have to move its transmitter anyway because there would be no room on its existing tower due to TV's transition to digital. Competitor Triad Broadcasting and Enderlin Broadcasting, which had proposed allocating a new station to Enderlin, ND, rather than allowing KRVI to move, filed petitions for reconsideration. They contend that KRVI could change its community of license to Barnesville but still transmit from its existing site, allowing a new station to be added at 94.5 in Enderlin. That station could potentially provide a good signal to Fargo. The FCC has asked Clear Channel to provide documentation showing the unavailability of space on the existing KRVI tower. The FCC generally views new communities getting an allocation as better than existing stations improving their signal to nearby metro areas, though the FCC does not actually require stations to target their programming to their alloted community. (9/21/02)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC is considering a proposal from Starboard Broadcasting to allocate 106.9 to Tigerton as a class A (6kW) station. The allocation would have a site restriction 14.1km northeast of town in order to meet minimum distance separation requirements from stations nearby on the dial. A station using the allocation would provide a good signal to parts of Menominee, Shawano, and Waupaca counties. The FCC will accept comments on the proposal through November 12. Starboard Broadcasting owns several Catholic stations in Wisconsin. (9/21/02)

WISCONSIN:
WLMX/104.9 (Balsam Lake) and WXCX/105.7 (Siren) are rumored to have been sold to Quarnstrom Media. No documentation is yet available from the FCC website. Quarnstrom owns eleven other stations in the region, including AM/FM combos in Hayward and Pine City, MN. The Pine City stations had managed 104.9/105.7 in 1999 and 2000 under previous ownership. (9/20/02)

IOWA:
The Educational Media Foundation, operator of the K-Love and Air-1 Christian music networks, has received a construction permit for a new station on 88.9 in Wapello. The station will operate with 37kW at 97m vertical, with just 1W horizontal to prevent interference to KWQC/6 (Davenport). It should provide a good signal to Burlington, Muscatine, and Mount Pleasant. (9/19/02)

IOWA:
Family Stations has received a construction permit for a new station on 88.7 in Williamsburg, to operate with 6kW at 86m. The station will provide a good signal to parts of Keokuk, Iowa, and Washington counties. Family Stations operates the Family Radio network, which originates at KEAR San Francisco, CA. (9/19/02)

MICHIGAN:
The target sign-on date for WMQF/19 (Marquette) is October 1, according to owner Equity Broadcasting's website. The original construction permit for the station was 5000kw, but the station is awaiting approval of an application for 500kW instead. WMQF will carry programming from the FOX and PAX networks. (9/18/02)

MINNESOTA:
Don Fitzpatrick's Shoptalk newsletter reports that reporter Bridgette Bornstein has moved from KSTP-TV/5 to WCCO-TV/4. (9/18/02)

MINNESOTA:
The U of M Board of Regents and St. Louis Park School District have received FCC approval for a plan to share 106.5 in St. Louis Park. The school district's existing KDXL/106.5 operates with 8 Watts, and a construction permit has been issued to the U of M for another station on 106.5 to share time with KDXL, using the same facilities. The station is "grandfathered" from before the FCC stopped issuing new licenses for 10-Watt educational FM stations. Ironically, the U's KUOM/770 and St. Olaf's WCAL/770 were the last two stations in the state to share time until WCAL agreed to leave the air in the early 1990's. (9/17/02)

MINNESOTA:
After only a few weeks, Comsearch has received a construction permit for an experimental low-power FM station on 91.7 in East Bethel, which has been assigned the callsign KC2XSH. Comsearch is conducting tests to see whether low-power FM stations could cause interference to existing stations located on third-adjacent channels (.6 MHz away), in this case, KNOW/91.1 (Minneapolis-St. Paul). Little other information about KC2XSH is known since the FCC has not made the application for the station available on its website. Comsearch has also applied for a station on 106.3 in Owatonna. (9/17/02)

NEBRASKA:
The Educational Media Foundation has received a construction permit for a new station on 88.3 in Scottsbluff, to operate with 390W at 79m. The Foundation's "K-Love" format is currently heard on translator K204CV/88.7 in Scottsbluff. (9/17/02)

MINNESOTA:
Many Northland cable systems lost KMSP/9 when the station switched to FOX on September 8, but they haven't lost UPN. As earlier reported, NBC affiliate KBJR has launched cable-only "UPN9," which was initially carried on Charter's system in Duluth-Superior. The channel has also been added to Mediacom's systems in Hermantown, Proctor, Cloquet, Carlton, Scanlan, Thomson, Esko, Moose Lake, and Sturgeon Lake. Mediacom also serves a number of communities on the Iron Range, including Chisholm, Eveleth, Grand Rapids, and Virginia. Those systems dropped KMSP in favor of Minneapolis' UPN29 (WFTC) on 9/8. KBJR plans to carry "UPN9" on its digital signal when it signs on later this year, and Mediacom plans to drop WFTC in favor of UPN9 on its Iron Range systems when the signal becomes available. (9/16/02)

MINNESOTA:
WCMN-LP/13 (St. Cloud) has returned to the air without local programming. All News Channel, which normally airs with local inserts and information, is airing full-time. A scrolling message says a lighting strike affected studio, transmission, and office equipment. Charter Communications has not yet restored CMN13 to its position on channel 65, instead airing digital previews. (9/13/02)

NEBRASKA:
KLKN-DT/31 (ABC, Lincoln) began broadcasting on August 31, according to this story on their website. (9/13/02)

MINNESOTA:
KSCR/93.5 (Benson) has completed its upgrade from 6kW to 25kW. The change gives the station a good signal in Appleton and Morris, and a fair signal in Montevideo and Willmar. (9/12/02)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Hubbard Broadcasting has received construction permits for new TV translators in Alexandria and Hayward. The Alexandria station, K21GN, will operate with 1.56kW and rebroadcast KSAX/42. KSAX is licensed to Alexandria but transmits from southeast of town. The Hayward station, W14CW, will operate with 13kW and rebroadcast WDIO/10 (Duluth). (9/12/02)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KFME-DT/23 (PBS, Fargo) has signed on as the first digital TV station in the market. (9/12/02)

NEBRASKA:
Calvary Satellite Network translator K211DT/90.1 (Hadar) has signed on. (9/12/02)

MINNESOTA:
The Fargo Forum reports that KZCR/103.3 (Fergus Falls) was knocked off the air by a lightning strike on September 1 and had planned to resume broadcasting today. (9/11/02)

WISCONSIN:
The Green Bay News-Chronicle reports that WGEE/1360 morning announcer Rich Allen was let go after his Monday shift. Afternoon host Dan Deibert will take over mornings when he returns from vacation next week. The syndicated Sean Hannity show, which has been airing during Deibert's vacation, will continue in the afternoon. (9/11/02)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The translator for KDLT (NBC) in Brookings has moved from channel 54 to channel 40, but remains at 13.9kW. (9/11/02)

MINNESOTA:
It turns out the FCC's second chance for low-power FM stations includes almost all of those applied for in Minnesota, not just one as incorrectly reported here earlier. (That one group, Bluff Country Broadcasting of Houston, MN, was added to the list of eligible stations -- but it wasn't clear that there was a much larger earlier list as well.) The applications were set aside due to third-adjacent rules that were adopted after the applications were accepted. (See an earlier story below for more on the third-adjacent controversy.) Between October 28 and November 1, the applicants will be able to submit a modification asking for a different frequency. However, a different frequency is not available for most of the applicants since the new rules are much more stringent. Check the LPFM Watch for a list of the applications, or visit Christian Community Broadcasters for more information on LPFM. (9/11/02)

MINNESOTA:
Northland Broadcasting general manager Randy Cable will leave Duluth at the end of the month to oversee Hurley's Entertainment's two FM stations in Grand Cayman. The Northland group includes WEBC/560, Kool 101.7, B105, and Mix 108. Bankrupt parent company Brill Media is selling the stations to Regent Communications. Cable said, "This move is no reflection at all upon this new ownership, in fact I think this ownership by Regent will be great for these stations and this market." Cable started with Brill at a Richmond, VA, station in 1987, and later managed stations in Fort Collins, CO, Fargo, ND, and Evansville, IN. (9/10/02)

MINNESOTA:
WCMN-LP/13 (St. Cloud) has been off the air since September 1, reportedly due to damage caused by a lightning strike. (9/10/02)

MINNESOTA:
Christian Hit Radio WNCB (Duluth) has completed its move from 89.3 to 89.5. The change allowed the station to slightly increase power and clear up co-channel interference problems from WCAL/89.3 (Northfield) in the southern part of its coverage area. This is the second frequency change for the station, which was originally on 89.1. (9/9/02)

MINNESOTA:
Minneapolis and Duluth radio alumnus Mike Schutta, a.k.a. Charlie Popcorn, is now General Manager of Pittman Broadcasting's New Orleans and Lake Charles, Louisiana stations. Schutta is working out of the Lake Charles facility for a few weeks until new studios and offices on the North Shore of New Orleans are completed and can still be reached at [email protected]. His last position was PD/Sales Manager at KDAL/610 (Duluth). (9/9/02)

ONTARIO:
The CRTC has approved transferring control of North Superior Broadcasting, licensee of CFNO/93.1 (Marathon), to H.F. Dougall Company Limited for $600,000. Dougall is also involved in a company that owns three radio stations, two TV stations, and a newspaper in Thunder Bay. North Superior's other station, CJWA/107.1 (Wawa), went to Labbe Media. (9/8/02)

MINNESOTA/NATIONWIDE:
Comsearch has applied for experimental low-power FM stations in six communities, including East Bethel and Owatonna, to see what kind of interference low-power FM (LPFM) transmitters may provide to fully-licensed stations. The proposed study stems from controversy between broadcasters and LPFM advocates about whether LPFM stations would cause interference to existing stations .6 MHz away on the dial (third-adjacent). The 100W Owatonna station would be on 106.3, 79km from third-adjacent KROC-FM/106.9 (Rochester). The 100W East Bethel station would be on 91.7, 30km from third-adjacent KNOW/91.1 (Minneapolis-St. Paul). Ironically, the FCC's existing rules have already allowed a 10-Watt translator station on 90.7 in Minneapolis and a 216-Watt translator station on 91.5 in Bloomington, both closer in terms of distance and dial separation than the proposed experimental station. (9/6/02)

IOWA/MINNESOTA/NEBRASKA/WISCONSIN:
The FCC has approved the transfer of Benedek Broadcasting's stations to Gray Television and Chelsea Broadcasting. 11 stations are going to Chelsea, including KDLH/3 (Duluth, MN), KSTF/10 (Scottsbluff, NE), and KHQA/7 (Hannibal, MO). 15 stations are going to Gray, including WOWT/6 (Omaha, NE), WMTV/15 (Madison, WI), and WSAW/7 (Wausau, WI). Gray already owns stations in Grand Island, NE; Lincoln, NE; and Eau Claire, WI. (9/5/02)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
After months of TV promos, radio ads, and billboards, The Switch occurs this Sunday, when UPN9 (KMSP) becomes FOX9 and FOX29 (WFTC) becomes UPN29. The last FOX network show to air on WFTC will be MAD TV at 10 p.m. Saturday. The next morning, FOX News Sunday and the NFL will be found on the new FOX9. The last edition of FOX29 News at Nine will air Friday, the last edition of 9 News at 10 will air Saturday, and UPN29 News at 10 will debut Sunday.

Just in case you're still confused about Making the Swith, KMSP and WFTC will both airing half-hour programs explaining the affiliation swap. The show first aired about a week ago on KMSP and will air Thursday at 11:30p on 29, Friday at 5p on 9, Friday at 6:30p on 29, Saturday at 5:30p on 29, Saturday at 9:30p on 9, Sunday at 10a and 10:30a on 9, and Sunday at 11a and 11:30a on 29.

The change means that KMSP will lose most of its out-of-market cable coverage, since local FOX affiliates will excercise their rights to the network programming. UPN9 had been carried on cable systems as far away as Hibbing, MN, Roseau, MN, Grand Forks, ND, Milbank, SD, and Storm Lake, IA. In Duluth-Superior, KMSP will be replaced by cable-only UPN9, which will be run by NBC affiliate KBJR. (9/5/02)

NEBRASKA:
The FCC has granted an upgrade from 1kW to 50kW daytime for KIMB/1260 (Kimball). The station is currently nondirectional but will add a second tower for daytime operation. Nighttime operation will continue at 112W nondirectional. (9/4/02)