September 2010

WISCONSIN:
Milwaukee Public Television is getting $778,504 from the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program to improve the signal of WMVS/10. The station has said viewers have reported difficulty receiving its VHF High digital signal, which broadcasts on channel 8. The grant will help upgrade WMVS' transmitter, antenna, and transmission line, and add a 15kW translator on channel 36. WMVS has a construction permit to upgrade from 25kW to 32kW, but has applied for 69kW instead. To help reach viewers, WMVS recently added a simulcast of its primary channel on sister station WMVT/36.2, which broadcasts on channel 35. (9/29/2010)

OTHER PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES PROGRAM GRANTS:

MINNESOTA:
After several days of stunting as "All Request 104-1," KBOT (Pelican Rapids-Detroit Lakes) debuted an Adult Contemporary format as "Wave 104-1" on Monday. The lineup includes local hosts from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., John Tesh in the afternoon, and Delilah in the evening. Leighton Enterprises dropped KBOT's Country format, which it had carried since signing on in 1995, after buying Country-formatted KRCQ/102.3 (Detroit Lakes). The new format is streaming at catchthewave1041.com. (9/28/2010)

NEBRASKA:
KRGY/97.3 (Aurora-Grand Island) has dropped its Hot Adult Contemporary format and is stunting with Christmas music. The station says on its Facebook page that a change is coming at 5 p.m. Thursday. It's owned by Legacy Communications. (9/28/2010)

NEBRASKA:
VSS Catholic Communications has agreed to pay the University of Nebraska $10,000 to move KLPR/91.3 (Kearney) to 91.1 so VSS' KJWM/91.5 (Grand Island) can upgrade. KJWM currently uses 1.5kW/30m from Grand Island and would upgrade to 11.4kW/180m (class C2) from the KTVG/17 tower near Wood River, delivering a strong signal to Grand Island and Hastings and a rimshot signal to Kearney. Besides moving to 91.1, KLPR's application calls for a slight antenna height reduction from 37m to 31m while remaining 1kW, though the agreement leaves room for KLPR to upgrade to as high as 6kW. Besides the $10,000, the channel change agreement calls for VSS to reiumburse the university up to $750 for modifications to its transmitter, supply a twenty-foot section of tower, and pay for an engineering study to determine whether KLPR can upgrade from its present transmitter location. (9/27/2010)

MANITOBA:
CTVglobemedia's CFRW/1290 (Winnipeg) is scheduled to make its previously-reported switch from Oldies to Sports at 10:57 a.m. Monday (9/27). The "Sports Radio 1290" lineup will include ESPN Radio and the Jim Rome Show. (9/27/2010)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC has granted the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, one of the parent entities of Wisconsin Public Radio, a construction permit for a new station on 90.5 in Adams. It'll transmit from the same tower near Coloma as WHAA/89.1 (Adams), which carries WPR's Ideas Network, but will have a slightly smaller coverage area than WHAA. While WHAA is a class C2 station using 28.5kW/177m, the new 90.5 will be class C3 with 7kW/156m.

Meanwhile, WPR recently upgraded Ideas Network station WHBM/90.3 (Park Falls) from 17.5kW to 35kW, going from class C2 to C1. Also, the FCC has granted a CP to upgrade WPR's WUEC/89.7 (Eau Claire) from 5.2kW/192m (class C3) to 25kW/195m (class C2), using a directional antenna limiting the signal to the south to prevent interference to KQAL/89.5 (Winona, MN). WUEC carries WPR's NPR News & Classical Music network. (9/27/2010)

WISCONSIN:
FOX affiliate WMSN-TV (Madison) has added The Cool TV on channel 47.2. The music channel is also expected to be added on Sinclair Broadcasting stations in Minneapolis and Cedar Rapids in the near future, if not already. (9/27/2010)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC has granted NBC and CW affiliate KTTC/10 (Rochester) a power increase from 33.7kW to 43.1kW. (9/27/2010)

NEBRASKA:
Calvary Satellite Network translator K219DW (Norfolk) has moved from 91.7 to 91.3, changing callsign to K217FM and dropping power from 92W to 87W. Educational Media Foundation has a construction permit to sign on new station KLSB/91.7 (Norfolk). (9/27/2010)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Educational Media Foundation's KSFS/90.1 (Sioux Falls) recently completed an upgrade from 1kW to 2.5kW, with the antenna remaining at 28m. It carries the "K-Love" network. (9/27/2010)

MICHIGAN:
WNMU translator W297AE/107.3 (Stephenson) has moved to 96.7 as W244CM, with 27W. The move was needed because of the sign-on of WUPF/107.3 (Powers-Escanaba). (9/27/2010)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Leighton Enterprises has changed its plans for translator K300BG/107.9 (Grand Forks). While the application still states it'll relay KCNN/1590, Leighton now proposes 250 Watts from the KWTL/1370 tower southwest of town. It's an amendment of a previous application which had sought 99 Watts from the KCNN tower south of East Grand Forks. (9/27/2010)

WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications flipped WOZZ/94.7 (Mosinee-Wausau) to "Rock 94.7" at 5 p.m. Thursday (9/24), dropping Classic Hits for Rock of the 1970's, 80's, and 90's. The change puts 94.7, formerly WOFM, in more direct competition with NRG Media's WGLX/103.3 (Wisconsin Rapids-Wausau) and Quicksilver Broadcasting's "Z104" (WMZK/104.1 Merrill-Wausau). Midwest also recently launched the format on stations in Appleton/Green Bay and Duluth, and has now flipped formats at a total of six stations in the three markets in the past month. Midwest moved the WOZZ callsign to 94.7 from 93.5 (New London) after changing that station to WRQE. 94.7 is rebroadcast on translator W275AC/102.9 (Wausau). (9/24/2010)

WISCONSIN:
CW affiliate WIWB/14 (Suring-Green Bay) changed its callsign to WCWF on Monday (9/20). The change comes as LIN TV's FOX 11 (WLUK) takes over most operations of the station through a shared services agreement and a joint sales agreement. LIN is seeking an FCC waiver to buy the station from Acme Communications outright, calling WCWF a failing station. The waiver would be needed because current ownership caps prevent any duopolies from being formed in the Green Bay market. (9/22/2010)

NEXT FM AUCTION PROPOSED:
The FCC is planning an auction of new FM stations to begin March 29, 2011. Auction 91 is tentatively set to include 14 stations in the Upper Midwest, including several which were awarded in previous auctions but went unbuilt and several which received no bids during a previous auction. The Dickinson, ND, and Iron Mountain, MI, markets could each potentially get two new stations. Here are the allotments up for auction and the minimum bids:

MINNESOTA:
Leighton Enterprises' KBOT/104.1 (Pelican Rapids-Detroit Lakes) has dropped its longtime "Wild Country 104.1" format and is now apparently stunting as "All Request 104-1." The change follows Leighton's purchase of KRCQ/102.3 (Detroit Lakes), which also carries a Country format. The company also owns KDLM/1340 (Detroit Lakes). (9/22/2010)

MINNESOTA:
KMGM/105.5 (Montevideo) is now carrying Dial Global's Classic Rock format, dropping a mix of Rock and Adult Contemporary that had run since the station dropped a satellite AC format a few years ago. The station is owned by Thomas Ingstad. (9/22/2010)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Rapid City has two new station identities. KZLK/106.3 has switched from Variety Hits "Max FM" to "She 106.3," a format targeting women. Meanwhile, KKLS/920 and translator K248BT/97.5 have dropped the True Oldies Channel and are now locally-programmed as "The Hills." (9/22/2010)

WISCONSIN:
All Access reports WAUN/92.7 (Kewaunee) has transitioned from Smooth Jazz to Smooth Adult Contemporary, a format mixing AC with Smooth Jazz. Both the old and new format come from Broadcast Architecture and feature the same talent lineup. WAUN is rebroadcast on translators W245BS/96.9 (Green Bay) and W255AQ/98.9 (Sturgeon Bay), which are both owned by Del Reynolds. WAUN is owned by Magnum Broadcasting. (9/22/2010)

LPTV DIGITAL CONVERSION:
The FCC is proposing a 2012 deadline for low-power TV, translator, and Class A TV stations to convert to digital. Many have already converted, but another 194 in the Upper Midwest may still be operating in analog, according to FCC records, half of them in Minnesota. Dozens more are silent but still licensed for analog broadcasting. Most of the analog signals relay big-four network programming in rural areas, while those in larger cities mostly carry Christian, spanish-language, or home shopping programming. The FCC says nationwide, 44 percent of the 7,536 LPTV stations have not taken any steps to convert to digital. It's also proposing a Dec. 31, 2011 deadline for moving LPTV stations from channels 52-69, which are being discontinued as part of the digital transition. (9/20/2010)

TBN DONATION DETAILED:
An FCC filing has revealed a list of the low-power TV stations Trinity Broadcasting Network is donating to the Minority Media Telecommunications Council. TBN first announced the deal to donate up to 155 low-power TV stations to MMTC last month, though MMTC cautioned that it may not be able to accept all 155 stations if it cannot find partners to operate them. Here are the stations on the list in the Upper Midwest: (For the LPTV uninitiated, the number in the callsign indicates the channel number.)
Iowa: K61HD Davenport, K42HI Muscatine, K42AM Ottumwa, K44FK Waterloo
Michigan: W17CS Marquette, W20BZ Escanaba
Minnesota: K40JT Albert Lea, K42FH Bemidji, K19BG St. Cloud
North Dakota: K46DY Bismarck, K21GQ Minot, K40DE Williston
Nebraska: K21HS Norfolk, K26CV Ogallala
South Dakota: K38CQ Huron, K33CO Rapid City, K56GF Sioux Falls, K31DP Yankton
Wisconsin: K32GF Rhinelander, W36DH Waupaca
None of the stations has been converted to digital, and many are off the air. Some of the stations have been off the air for more than a year, which normally results in license cancellation, so TBN is seeking a waiver of FCC rules to get the transfer approved. (9/20/2010)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio is planning an upgrade this Wednesday at KMSE/88.7 (Rochester), which carries "The Current." The station will upgrade from 250 Watts vertical and 6 Watts horizontal to 850 Watts vertical and horizontal, improving the station's signal to Rochester (it transmits from a tower east of town). MPR says KMSE will be off the air from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday for the change. (9/20/2010)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KVHT/106.3 (Vermillion) is operating at reduced power due to a lightning strike which irreparably damaged its ten-bay antenna, according to a special temporary authority request. The station, owned by Culhane Communications, normally uses 50kW/119m but is now using 8kW/109m from a one-bay antenna. The station states it will take five to six weeks to obtain and install a replacement antenna. (9/20/2010)

MANITOBA:
The Winnipeg Sun, citing anonymous sources, reports CFRW/1290 will drop Oldies for Sports, possibly by the end of the month. With the change, Winnipeg will gain an all-Sports format but lose its only Oldies format. The station, now owned by CTVglobemedia, briefly carried a Sports format before switching to Oldies in 2002. It's one of just three commercial AM stations left in Winnipeg since several others moved to FM. (9/18/2010)

WISCONSIN:
New community radio station WDRT/91.9 (Viroqua) formally signed on at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 17. "Driftless Community Radio" uses 480 Watts at 133m from a tower between Viroqua and Westby. It streams programming at wdrt.org. Public radio star Garrison Keillor is scheduled to attend a rhubarb pie and ice cream social to help launch the station on Sept. 29. (9/18/2010)

IOWA:
TamaToledoNews.com reports KZAT/95.5 (Belle Plaine-Tama) switched to a spanish-language format Thursday afternoon (Sept. 16), just hours after news of the station's sale was reported here and in other industry media. Details of the sale are in an earlier story below. (9/17/2010)

MINNESOTA:
Just weeks after turning on KFAN translator K279AZ/103.7 from the IDS Center in Minneapolis, Clear Channel is now seeking special temporary authority from the FCC to move the translator to 103.5 with a reduced power of 50 Watts. The station states it has been informally notified of a listener complaint of interference to a full-power station; FCC rules require translators to resolve every interference complaint or leave the air. K279AZ had broadcast with 170 Watts since moving to IDS late last month. It previously transmitted from Inver Grove Heights and carried the Christian "K-Love" network. At IDS, K279AZ remains licensed to Cottage Grove and is officially a translator of a KTLK-FM/100.3 (Minneapolis) HD subchannel which carries the Sports format of KFAN/1130. (9/17/2010)

NEBRASKA:
ABC affiliate KLKN/8 (Lincoln) has returned to Time Warner Cable. A retransmission dispute took the station off the system for two weeks. (9/17/2010)

IOWA:
KZAT/95.5 (Belle Plaine-Tama) is in the process of being sold to Grupo Roble, LLC for $200,000. Farmers & Merchants Bank foreclosed on KZAT owner Camrory Broadcasting last year and was the high bidder during a sheriff's sale. Grupo Roble is owned by Rigoberto Lopez of Ankeny and Manuel Villagrana-Robles of St. Louis Park, MN. The new owners have a local programming and marketing agreement to take over the station before the FCC approves the sale. KZAT had gone silent last year, but is back on the air with its Classic Hits/Oldies format and CBS News on the hour. The station has a fringe signal to Marshalltown and a weaker fringe signal to Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. (9/16/2010)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KMJO/104.7 (Hope-Fargo) has flipped to "Popster FM," a format of pop, rock, and alternative hits from the early `80s to today touted as the next generation of Adult Hits. The format was conceived by Folger Media and can be heard at 1047popsterfm.com. "Popster" displaces a "Mojo" Classic Hits/Oldies format and is the fifth format carried on 104.7 since its sign-on in 2002. KMJO is owned by Jim Ingstad's Radio Fargo-Moorhead. (9/15/2010)

IOWA:
KMRY/1450 (Cedar Rapids) is slated to get an FM simulcast with the move-in of a translator from Stone City. Extreme Grace Media's K227BL/93.3 (Anamosa) has applied to move its transmitter to Marion with 250W at 18m, and its application states the translator would relay KMRY. From Marion, the translator wouldn't have a strong signal to most of Cedar Rapids, but it could seek another facility change to improve the signal (FCC rules prevent the translator from being moved directly from Stone City to Cedar Rapids because old and new coverage areas must overlap). K227BL currently rebroadcasts Extreme Grace Media's 89.1 "The Spirit" (KXGM-FM Hiawatha). KMRY, owned by Sellers Broadcasting, carries a Standards/Soft Oldies format. (9/14/2010)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications' KDAL-FM/95.7 (Duluth) has dropped its "Bridge" Adult Alternative format and is now carrying Rock of the 1970s, `80s, and `90s as "Rock 96." It's the same format Midwest adopted on an Appleton/Green Bay station (WRQE/93.5 New London) on Sept. 3. The change came two weeks to the day after Midwest dropped a Classic Rock format on KHQG/102.5 (Superior-Duluth) and flipped it to Contemporary Hits as KDWZ. This change, along with Red Rock Radio's flip of WWAX/92.1 (Hermantown-Duluth) from Adult Contemporary to Hot AC on Sept. 2, may leave a large part of the female 25-54 demographic unserved in the market. KDAL-FM had carried an AC format since the 1980's as "96Lite" and then "Magic 95.7" before becoming "The Bridge" in late 2005. The syndicated "Bob and Tom" morning show continues on the new "Rock 96," having moved from 102.5 after its format change. (9/13/2010)

MINNESOTA:
Bill Kling has announced plans to leave his position as CEO of American Public Media Group in June 2011. Kling was the leading force in converting St. John's University's KSJR/90.1 (Collegeville) to a public radio format in 1967, which later added a simulcast on KSJN/91.1 (St. Paul) and became Minnesota Public Radio. MPR has grown to 40 stations carrying three networks across the state and bordering areas. It's now a subsidiary of APMG, which also owns stations in California and Florida and produces nationally-syndicated programming. Kling has been one of the most influential figures in Upper Midwest radio over the past several decades, but has also faced criticism for his salary as the head of a non-profit -- $654,338 last year, according to the Star Tribune. Kling intends to develop fundraising initiatives to strengthen public media after leaving APMG. (9/11/2010)

NORTH DAKOTA:
ABC affiliate WDAZ/8 (Devils Lake-Grand Forks) will stop doing its own weekend newscasts on Sept. 18 and will instead simulcast Saturday and Sunday newscasts from sister station WDAY-TV/6 (Fargo). The Forum Communications station's announcement said no reporters and photographers will be cut, but hinted at an elimination of behind-the-scenes jobs. News from the Grand Forks area will continue to have a presence in the joint newscast. The stations already simulcast a weekday morning newscast, which will expand to two hours (5-7 a.m.) beginning Oct. 18. WDAZ will continue to offer its own newscasts Monday-Friday at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. It's the only TV news operation in Grand Forks. (9/10/2010)

NORTH DAKOTA:
WDAY/970 (Fargo) will drop three hours of local programming on Sept. 20 to make way for the Glenn Beck show. Beck will air from 8-11 a.m., cutting an hour off a local morning news program and pushing local host Christopher Gabriel back to 11-2. Gabriel's move displaces the Noon Day News and a sports show at 1 p.m., though Domenic Izzo will host a local half-hour sports show at 6:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 27. (9/10/2010)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Well-known conservative talk host Scott Hennen has been shown the door at "The Flag" (WZFG/1100 Dilworth-Fargo). Hennen is maintaining radio silence on his website and Facebook page, but did link to a blog posting by WZFG host Rob Port saying that Hennen had a parting of ways with his fellow investors. Hennen continues to own a portion of SMAHH Communications/Great Plains Integrated Marketing, which owns WZFG and three other radio stations. Hennen's 8-11 a.m. show had been simulcast on KLXX/1270 (Mandan-Bismarck), KLTC/1460 (Dickinson), and KTGO/1090 (Tioga). (9/10/2010)

WISCONSIN:
Al Shannon has disappeared from the morning show at Z93 (WIZM-FM/93.3 La Crosse), which is now being solo-hosted by Brittany Styles. The two had co-hosted the show since May. The station has a job posting for a new morning host. (9/10/2010)

NEBRASKA:
KOLN/10 (Lincoln) and its satellite, KGIN/11 (Grand Island), will add a half-hour 4 p.m. newscast next Monday, Sept. 13, hosted by husband and wife anchor team Jon and Taryn Vanderford. It'll be the market's first 4 p.m. newscast. The Vanderfords are leaving KOLN/KGIN's morning show, which will be renamed "First News Nebraska" and anchored by Chad Silber and Erika Tallan. (9/9/2010)

IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA/WISCONSIN:
The FCC has released a list of tentative selectees for new noncommercial stations in Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, along with its reasoning for each case. Losing applicants now have thirty days to file petitions to deny. Here's a summary of the tentative selectees in the Upper Midwest:

MICHIGAN/MINNESOTA/NEBRASKA/SOUTH DAKOTA/WISCONSIN:
Plans for Armada Media to sell 39 percent interest to Cannon Pond Holdings, LLC (King Street Capital LP) are off. The company filed an application with the FCC to transfer control of the licenses on July 8 but then filed a motion to withdraw the application on Aug. 20; the FCC dismissed the application on Sept. 1. Armada owns 28 radio stations divided among subsidiaries in Aberdeen, SD, McCook, NE, Menominee, MI, and Watertown, SD. (9/6/2010)

MINNESOTA:
It appears translator K283BF/104.5 (St. Charles) may be making a journey to Rochester. The translator, owned by World Radio Link, is currently licensed to transmit with 220 Watts from south of St. Charles and has applied to move to a tower north of Dover, where it would transmit with 28 Watts on 105.1. KTIS-FM/98.5 (Minneapolis) continues to be listed as the primary station for the translator. Two or three more moves would likely be required for the station to complete a daisy-chain move to Rochester; translators' old and new coverage areas must overlap to get FCC approval. (9/6/2010)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
Leighton Broadcasting has shown one of its cards when it comes to its two new FM translators in Grand Forks. A facility change application for K300BG/107.9 says it will relay KCNN/1590 (East Grand Forks), which carries FOX Sports Radio. The translator is currently licensed to use 140 Watts from a tower north of East Grand Forks; Leighton proposes using 99 Watts from the KCNN site south of East Grand Forks. Leighton is also in the process of moving K237CV/95.3 (Grafton) closer to Grand Forks. (9/6/2010)

WISCONSIN:
John M. Torres of Milwaukee is buying translator W236AG/95.1 (Fond du Lac) from Bethesda Christian Broadcasting for $18,000. The application indicates Torres intends to continue rebroadcasting Bethesda's WPFF/90.5 (Sturgeon Bay) on W236AG. (9/6/2010)

WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications made two format changes on five northeastern Wisconsin frequencies Friday.

WOZZ/93.5 (New London-Appleton) shifted from a `60s-`80s Rock format to a `70s-`90s Rock format as "93 Rock," with the new callsign WRQE. The station is rebroadcast on translator W226BD/93.1 (Green Bay). The syndicated Bob and Tom morning show continues.

Meanwhile, WROE/94.3 (Neenah-Menasha-Appleton) dropped Adult Contemporary for Classic Hits as WYDR "The Drive," rebroadcast on WZDR/99.7 (Sturgeon Bay-Green Bay, formerly WRQE) and translator W270AJ/101.9 (Green Bay). The WROE callsign had been in use for 37 years. The changes leave the area without a mainstream Adult Contemporary format. (9/3/2010)

NEBRASKA:
Time Warner Cable dropped ABC affiliate KLKN/8 (Lincoln) from its Lincoln-area systems Thursday amid a retransmission consent dispute. The situation is unique because Time Warner can still carry ABC from KETV/7 (Omaha) because it is on the "significantly viewed" list for Lancaster County. Cable operators rarely have such an opportunity during retransmission consent disputes. The market is also unique because it actually has two ABC affiliates: KLKN and KHGI/13 (Kearney), though KHGI is not carried on Lincoln cable. (9/3/2010)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
There's a second format change this week in the Twin Ports: Red Rock Radio's WWAX/92.1 (Hermantown-Duluth) flipped to Hot Adult Contemporary as "Nu 92" on Thursday. It replaces the "92-1 Lite FM" Adult Contemporary format that launched in early 2008. The change comes three days after Midwest Communications flipped KHQG/102.5 (Superior-Duluth) to Contemporary Hits as KDWZ. The changes means all three Duluth radio groups now have stations in the Hot AC/CHR genre; Townsquare Media's eight-year-old "Mix 108" (KBMX/107.7 Proctor-Duluth) has a format falling between its two competitors musically. All three stations have some heritage in the genre, though KDWZ's 100kW signal is the most powerful in a city where intermodulation and topography cause reception problems. 92.1's flip leaves the market without a mainstream AC format. (9/2/2010)

MINNESOTA:
PBS stations WDSE/8 (Duluth) and WRPT/31 (Hibbing) have rebranded their main channels as "PBS North." WDSE had been known as "PBS Eight" until the launch of WRPT in 2008, when the branding was switched to "PBS 8 and 31." (9/1/2010)

WISCONSIN:
Hearst ABC affiliate WISN-TV/12 (Milwaukee) is moving the start of its morning news up to 4:30 a.m. effective Sept. 6. WISN joins Local TV's FOX 6 (WITI) at 4:30 a.m. (9/1/2010)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Midwest Communications has moved the syndicated Bob and Tom morning show to "Bridge 95.7" (KDAL-FM/95.7 Duluth) after the format change at sister station KHQG/102.5 (Superior-Duluth). The show had been heard on 102.5 for more than a decade through several different Rock formats. (9/1/2010)