September 2005

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
KZLT/104.3 (East Grand Forks) has moved from mainstream Adult Contemporary to Hot AC, positioned as "More Music." The Leighton Broadcasting station has tweaked its format several times in the last five years. (9/30/2005)

NEBRASKA:
Emmis Broadcasting has reached a deal to sell stations in four markets nationwide, including KSNK/8 (NBC, McCook), to SJL Broadcast Group for $259 million. KSNK is a satellite of KSNW/3 (Wichita, KS). Emmis is getting out of the TV business and had previously announced the sale of stations in nine other markets, including KMTV/3 (CBS, Omaha), which is being sold to Journal Broadcasting. (9/30/2005)

WISCONSIN:
WPDR/1350 (Portage) has dropped Talk for Oldies, according to the Portage Daily Register. The station is owned by Zoe Communications. (9/30/2005)

MINNESOTA:
DX mid-AMerica reports that Three Eagles' KQYK/95.7 (Lake Crystal-Mankato) has signed on with a Country format as "The Eagle." (9/29/2005)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
Two Fargo market Rock stations have tweaked: Triad's "Q98" (KQWB-FM/98.7) has expanded its format to include "everything that rocks," while Clear Channel's "The Box" (KKBX/101.9) has moved to an `80s-based format. Also, Bob & Tom's syndicated morning show will move from Clear Channel's "The Dam" (KDAM/104.7) to KKBX on Monday, October 3. (9/29/2005)

SOUTH DAKOTA/IOWA:
120-Watt translator K229BK/93.7 (North Sioux City, SD) has signed on, bringing Northwestern College's KNWC-FM/96.5 (Sioux Falls) to the Sioux City, IA, area. (9/29/2005)

MINNESOTA:
Steve Neighors, co-owner of KLFD/1410 (Litchfield) and 34-year radio veteran, died of cancer last weekend. Neighbors and Bob Greenhow bought KLFD in 1991 and had hosted the morning show since then. They successfully ran what has become rarity: a standalone hometown AM station. In July, they agreed to sell the station to Steve and Patty Gretsch of Albany. Neighors is survived by his wife, three children, and four grandchildren. (9/24/2005)

NEBRASKA:
Yes, Virginia, it was too early for Santa Claus: KEFM/96.1 (Omaha) has become "The Brew, Everything Rock...The `80s and More" after running Christmas music for a day and a half. It's a format built at sister Clear Channel station WQBW/97.3 (Milwaukee), and has also been launched on a Clear Channel station in Columbus, Ohio. "The Brew" marks the end of KEFM's long-running Adult Contemporary format. (9/24/2005)

FM AUCTION DELAYED:
The FCC has delayed the auction of new FM construction permits originally scheduled to begin November 1 due to Hurricane Katrina. FCC Auction No. 62 is now scheduled to begin January 12, 2006. Check the Vacant FM Allotments page for a list of frequencies up for bidding. (9/23/2005)

NEBRASKA:
The first day of fall was also the first day of the Christmas season in Omaha. Radio & Records reports that Clear Channel's KEFM/96.1 made the switch to all-Christmas music at 5 a.m. September 22. (9/23/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Delores Allen, the longtime owner of WDOR AM-FM (Sturgeon Bay), passed away this Tuesday at the age of 92. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday. She had been on the air for more than five decades, up until this past April. (9/23/2005)

MINNESOTA:
New station KQYK/95.7 (Lake Crystal) has received a license to cover its construction permit, indicating it will soon begin broadcasting. The Three Eagles Broadcasting station was not on the air as of Sunday, September 18. KQYK should deliver a good signal to Mankato, a market served by two Three Eagles existing stations, KEEZ/99.1 (Mankato) and KRBI-FM/105.5 (St. Peter). (9/19/2005)

WISCONSIN:
The callsign WYZM has been assigned to Mid-West Management's construction permit for a new station on 106.7 licensed to Mount Horeb, which must begin broadcasting by October 11. The new station should deliver a fair signal to parts of Madison. The callsign WYZM was previously used by Entercom's WCHY/105.1 (Waunakee-Madison) when it ran a Country format. (9/19/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications is adding a fourth station in the Sheboygan market with the purchase of WXER/104.5 (Plymouth) from Randal B. Hopper for $2.25 million. Midwest already owns WHBL/1330 (Sheboygan), WBFM/93.7 (Sheboygan), and WHBZ/106.5 (Sheboygan Falls). Hopper retains ownership of WCLB/950 (Sheboygan), but a covenant not to compete will limit his activities with other stations in the market for five years. The deal also includes the construction permit for translator W241AG/96.1 (Sheboygan). (9/17/2005)

IOWA:
The construction permit for KHAM/99.5 (Britt), a new station, expires on October 7, and the station has applied for minimal facilities to get on the air before the CP expires. The original CP calls for 6kW at 77m (class A) from a site near Wesley; the application calls for 200W at 16m from a site in Britt. The station is owned by Lyle Robert Evans. (9/16/2005)

MINNESOTA:
Twin Cities Public Television is launching "The Minnesota Channel" fulltime beginning at 6 p.m. Friday (9/16). The service will be one of a half-dozen channels seen on KTCI-DT/16, and will also be carried on digital cable. It will run a six-hour schedule of programming about Minnesota and surrounding states, repeating three times after the initial airing from 6 p.m. to Midnight. (9/16/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Lawrence University's WLFM/91.1 (Appleton) left the air at the end of the day Wednesday, according to the Appleton Post-Crescent. The university sold the 500W station to Starboard Media, operator of the religious Relevant Radio network. WLFM is converting to an internet broadcast, though the paper reports the audience will be limited to 120 streams. (9/16/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Mexican Independence Day (Friday 9/16) will mark the launch of Wisconsin's first FM spanish-langauge station, Nextmedia's WEXT/104.7 (Sturtevant-Milwaukee). The station will carry Bustos Media Networks "La GranD" Regional Mexican format. WEXT ended its former Country format on Wednesday and is temporarily rebroadcasting sister station WIIL/95.1 (Kenosha). The new format will launch as part of the National Hispanic Chamber of Commerce convention being held in Milwaukee, the 22nd largest Hispanic market in the U.S. (9/15/2005)

NEBRASKA:
DX-midAMerica reports that Triad's KKUL/105.3 (Lincoln) has switched from Oldies to Classic Hits as "Link FM," with the new callsign KLNC. (9/15/2005)

WISCONSIN:
KUWS Radio reports that WAST-LP/25 (Ashland) plans to return to the air October 3, this time as a UPN affiliate. The station originally signed on in 1997 with 1.25kW and eventually left the air after being sold a few times. It will now broadcast with 52kW from a tower in Washburn. The new owners, the Martinsen family, have made a significant investment in equipment and staff, and have hired Julie Moravchik to serve as general manager. The Ino native covered news in the area as a Duluth-based TV reporter for nearly ten years. "True North TV 25" plans a 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday newscast with assistance from Duluth market NBC affiliate KBJR/6. (9/15/2005)

IOWA:
KDLS-FM/105.5 (Perry) has become the first FM station in Iowa to adopt a spanish-language format, picking up the "La Ley" format which had previously run on KBGG/1700 (Des Moines). The Des Moines Register reports that Emilio Duran took the format to KDLS-FM after Citadel terminated his lease of KBGG, which now carries a spanish-language format called "La Indomable." KDLS-FM currently delivers a fair signal to Des Moines and has applied for an upgrade that would provide a stronger signal to the city, but that change would also require KELR/105.3 (Chariton) to move its transmitter east. KDLS is owned by Chester P. Coleman. (9/10/2005)

MANITOBA:
CBC Radio has proposed adding FM stations in Winnipeg to relay its existing AM stations, CBW/990 (CBC Radio One) and CKSB/1050 (La Premi�re Cha�ne). CBW would be relayed on 89.3, and CKSB would be relayed on 90.5, both using 2.8kW at 142m (class A). "The CBC cites urban growth, the construction of high-rise concrete and steel buildings, increased electrical noise from overhead wires, large and small appliances and portable radio transmitters impeding the ability of its current AM transmitters delivery of reliable and high quality signals." The AM stations would stay on the air to serve outlying areas. (9/10/2005)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KZLK/106.3 (Rapid City) has dropped "Star" for "Max FM," expanding its previous Adult Contemporary format to "`80s, `90s, Whatever." The station is operated by Duhamel Broadcasting. (9/9/2005)

WISCONSIN (UPDATED):
WDMO/95.9 (Durand) has dropped Classic Rock for Country as "Thunder 95-9." The new format kicked off with Garth Brooks' "Thunder Rolls" played 95.9 times, and is about 2/3 currents and recurrents and 1/3 `70s and `80s. The station continues to be rebroadcast on WQOQ/1430 (Durand). It's the third format change for the stations since they were sold to Zoe Communications four years ago. Bo Landrey's WDMO morning show is now being simulcast on Zoe stations WPLT/106.3 (Spooner) and WDDC/100.1 (Portage), and Zoe is looking to expand the show into other markets. (9/7/2005, updated 9/9)

MINNESOTA:
KVKK/1070 (Verndale) has signed on using Jones Radio Networks' "True Country" format with AP news on the hour. The new station uses 10kW nondirectional day, delivering a strong signal to Wadena and Staples, and 5kW directional at night. KVKK is owned by Edward DeLaHunt and his son, David DeLaHunt. The family owns six other stations in north-central Minnesota, including KSKK/94.7 (Staples). (9/5/2005)