October 2003

IOWA:
Iowa Public Broadcasting is close to getting a construction permit for a second station in Des Moines. IPB was one of four applicants for a full-power station on channel 43. The FCC uses a point system for competing noncommercial applications, based on whether the applicant is local, whether the applicant has other stations in the area, whether the applicant is a statewide network, and how large each applicants' proposed coverage area would be. IPB was named the "tentative selectee" for channel 43. (10/25/2003)

MICHIGAN:
WADW/105.5 (Pickford-Sault Ste. Marie) has applied for an increase in power and antenna height to 100kW at 138m. The Starboard Media station is already licensed as class C1, but operates with only 55kW at 33m. (10/25/2003)

IOWA:
Fairfield Youth Advocacy has received a construction permit for a low-power (100W) station on 100.1 in Fairfield. (10/22/2003)

NEBRASKA/WYOMING:
SagamoreHill Broadcasting is buying CBS affiliate KGWN/5 (Cheyenne, WY) and satellite KSTF/10 (Scottsbluff, NE) from Chelsey Broadcasting for $6.5 million. Some of the principals of SagamoreHill also own a TV station in Alabama. Chelsey will retain its set of three CBS affiliates serving the Casper, Wyoming, market. (10/22/2003)

WISCONSIN:
Cumulus Media has been fined $7,000 for "failure to maintain an effective locked fence or other enclosure" around the base of a tower for WNAM/1280 (Neenah-Menasha). In August 2001, an inspector found that a fence surrounding one of WNAM's five towers had fallen down. The problem was fixed the following month. Cumulus argued that the fine should be cancelled because though its engineer makes a weekly visit to the site, the tower base in question cannot be seen at that time of year due to tall corn. The FCC said it is essential that engineers visit each tower at a site during regular inspections. The FCC also said that WNAM's certificate of compliance from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Associations' Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program does not excuse the station from fines. (10/22/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WDIO/10 (Duluth) has received a construction permit for a translator on channel 31 in Ashland. The 7.6kW station has been assigned the calls K31HF. WDIO also has a CP for a translator in Hayward on channel 14. FOX affiliate KQDS is the only Duluth station that currently has translators in the Wisconsin portion of the market. (10/22/2003)

WISCONSIN:
After its sports format moved to 107.5, Cumulus Media's WNGB/1400 (Green Bay) has debuted a News/Talk format as "Super Talk 1400." Bill O'Reilly and G. Gordon Liddy are among the hosts. (10/21/2003)

WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
The FCC has granted WDGY/630 a modificiation to its earlier construction permit, which will improve the Spanish-language station's nighttime signal across the Twin Cities. The new plan calls for operation from the WCTS/1030 antenna systen in Maplewood, using 1kW directional day and 2.5kW directional at night. An older plan to use 5kW directional at night from a new site in Rosemount has been abandoned. WDGY is currently 2.3kW day and 300W night (directional) from a site east of Hudson. WMIN/740 (Hudson) also uses the 1030 site, but will have to move to make way for WDGY. 740 will move to the current 630 site, which was actually the original 740 site. The application to move 740 has not yet been approved. Greg Borgen owns both 630 and 740, leasing 630 to "Radio Rey" and 740 to Starboard Media. (10/17/2003)

NEBRASKA:
KPNO/90.9 (Norfolk) has increased from 50kW to 100kW. (10/17/2003)

NEBRASKA:
Equity Broadcasting has received a construction permit for a new full-power TV station on channel 16 in Scottsbluff. The new station will use 2559kW at 238m, from a tower about 7 miles west of town. Scottsbluff is in the Cheyenne market, and Equity also owns ABC affiliate KKTU/33 (Cheyenne), which switched from NBC earlier this year. However, it's not clear if the new channel 16 will relay KKTU since KDUH/4 (Scottsbluff) is a longtime ABC affiliate already. (10/17/2003)

MICHIGAN:
WDMJ/1320 (Marquette) has given up its 1kW directional nighttime signal in favor of 135W nondirectional. The station remains 5kW nondirectional during the day. (10/16/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
The Fargo Forum reports that FOX affiliate KVRR/15 will begin a noon newscast on October 27. The station also has newscasts at 6 and 9 p.m. (10/15/2003)

ONTARIO:
Bell ExpressVu has added northwestern Ontaro channels to its satellite service, effective today: CKPR-TV Thunder Bay (CBC), CHFD Thunder Bay (CTV/Global), and CJTV Kenora (CTV/Global). Unlike in the U.S., local stations carried by Canadian satellite companies are seen across the country. Winnipeg stations were already carried. (10/15/2003)

WISCONSIN:
According to All Access, WKQH/104.9 (Marathon-Wausau) has moved from Classic Rock to Hard Rock. (10/15/2003)

ONTARIO:
The CRTC has denied an application from CJUK/99.9 (Thunder Bay) to increase power from 37W to 15kW. CJUK signed on in September 2001, with a commercial Adult Contemporary/Oldies format as "Magic 99.9." The station has attracted a sizeable portion of the audience, but said an upgrade was necessary because some listeners had a hard time receiving the station. However, other broadcasters worried about a precedent being set if the CRTC allowed a station licensed as low-power to upgrade to "protected" status without giving other companies a chance to apply for the higher-power station. In opposing CJUK's application, C.J.S.D. Incorporated said its group of three full-power stations have moved from "marginally profitable to a significant deficit position" since CJUK and low-power CFQK/104.5 (Kaministiquia) signed on. (10/12/2003)

ONTARIO:
CJRL/1220 (Kenora) has applied to move to the FM band. CJRL-FM would broadcast a Hot Adult Contemporary format on 89.5, with a power of 40kW at 105m (class B). AM1220 would simulcast with CJRL-FM for three months, and then leave the air. The application will be considered at a public hearing November 17 at CRTC headquarters in Quebec. (10/12/2003)

MINNESOTA:
WCMN-LP/13 (St. Cloud) was re-launched this week, with local news and information now making up the majority of the schedule in a Headline News-style format. "CMN13" is now positioning itself as "St. Cloud Information TV." The station has also updated its logo and audio bumpers, and has switched to a smaller news ticker without a sidebar, leaving more room for video. (10/9/2003)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC has sided with DirecTV in a dispute with the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board over carriage of Wisconsin Public Television in the Green Bay market. DirecTV announced plans to carry Green Bay stations earlier this year, but the Board missed a 30-day deadline to opt for "must-carry" status for WPT station WPNE/38. The Board contended that DirecTV's letter informing the station of the beginning of local-into-local service was sent to the wrong address, though it was delivered to the proper person about a week later. The FCC ruled that the Board had been given ample notice by DirecTV. WPNE is not currently carried by DirecTV. Another window to invoke "must-carry" status will come in a few years, but the two sides could reach an agreement for carriage before then. (10/9/2003)

IOWA:
The ownership of KCHE AM-FM (Cherokee) and KDSN AM-FM (Denison) is splitting up, with one partner taking KCHE and the other two partners taking KDSN. Michael Dudding will pay Jeffrey Fuller $574,047.50 to buy out his interest in the stations' parent company, and then Fuller's J&J Broadcasting will pay $600,000 to buy KCHE. In the end, KDSN will be owned by Dudding (85%) and Phyllis Rohlin (15%), and KCHE will be owned by Jana & Jeffrey Fuller. (10/8/2003)

MINNESOTA:
KAUS Radio reports that PBS station KSMQ/15 (Austin) is now back at full power, three months after water damaged its old transmitter beyond repair. KSMQ's owner, Austin Public Schools, is still looking for a buyer for the station. (10/8/2003)

WISCONSIN:
The Green Bay News-Chronicle reports that Cumulus moved WDUZ's Sports format and call letters to the FM band at 11 a.m. Monday (10/6). WXWX/107.5 (Brillion-Green Bay) is now WDUZ "The Fan," ending a Hard Rock simulcast with WWWX/96.9 (Oshkosh), where that format continues. The move to FM gives the format a broader reach, especially at night. Meanwhile, WDUZ/1400 has changed calls to WNGB, though 1400 and 107.5 will continue to simulcast for a few weeks until a new format for 1400 is announced. The WDUZ callsign had been located at 1400 for decades. (10/7/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KVMI/103.9 (Arthur) is requesting another upgrade, but the newest plan would still leave Fargo-Moorhead outside of its primary coverage area. KVMI currently targets Fargo with an Oldies format as "Kool 103.9." The station recently moved from 96.7 to 103.9 and upgraded from 5kW to 25kW. Now, KVMI proposes an upgrade to class C1 (100kW/299m), using a tower 88km northwest of Fargo. (The primary coverage area for a class C1 station is 72km.) The upgrade would require a change in the table of allotments, moving a vacant allotment for a class C station in Hazelton (near Bismarck) from 103.9 to 103.3. (10/5/2003)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Mount Rushmore Broadcasting is in a continuing dispute with the FCC over the operation of KAWK/105.1 (Custer). In April 2001, an FCC inspector found the station was using an unlicensed studio-to-transmitter link (STL). The station received a special temporary authority (STA) for operation of the STL, which expired on September 15, 2002, and was not renewed. Also, an application for a full-term STL was returned, and no new application was filed. Now, the FCC has given KAWK until November 2 to report how it is complying with regulations without a licensed STL. (KAWK was off the air at last report.) The latest order was issued jointly with an order denying KAWK's request that a $10,000 fine over the unlicensed STL be reduced or dismissed. (10/5/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Mark Anthony, the chief meteorologist at KSAX/42 (Alexandria), is now also program director and morning host at "Kool 94.3" (KULO). Anthony has previous radio experience at stations in several markets, including Minneapolis, and also provides weather updates for regional radio stations. (10/5/2003)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The WB is now available over the air in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Rapid Broadcasting has launched The WB on former PAX affiliate KAUN/36 (Sioux Falls), as well as KWBH-LP/27 (Rapid City). KAUN has changed call letters to KWSD, and PAX programming in Sioux Falls has been moved to KXWB-LP/42. KWSD has already replaced the cable-only "WB 100 Plus" channel on most state cable systems. The change is somewhat of a surprise since the WB hasn't previously affiliated with stations in markets below 100. Nielsen Media ranks Sioux Falls as market #113, and Rapid City as market #174. (10/2/2003)

IOWA:
In a market known for its lack of current pop only a few years ago, there is now a second station offering hits: Clear Channel's KVJZ/106.3 (Ankeny-Des Moines) flipped to Hip-Hop & Rap as "The Beat" Wednesday morning (10/1) at Midnight. The new format replaces Smooth Jazz, which had run on the station for 25 months. Clear Channel also owns Contemporary Hits station Kiss 107 (KKDM). (10/2/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
Fargo's last AM music station has flipped to Talk. Triad's KQWB/1660 dropped WestwoodOne's Soft Oldies format for WestwoodOne's CNN Headline News format, as well as some syndicated talk shows. (10/2/2003)

IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
Portland, Oregon, radio reporter Bob Chase has died of cancer at age 64. Chase was raised in Sheldon, Iowa, and worked at a station in Sioux City and WNAX/570 (Yankton) before moving to Portland in 1975. More information is available at kpam.com. (10/2/2003)

IOWA/NORTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has announced another settlement window for competing low-power FM applications, including 25 in Iowa and six in North Dakota. The largest conflict is for 94.1 in the Des Moines area, which is being sought by eight groups. Competing applicants could agree to share time, or operate on another frequency, if one is available. (10/1/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Not many people get the governor's attention when they retire from broadcasting, but that was the case for Paul Stacke on Tuesday (9/30). The newsman retired from WJON/1240 (St. Cloud) after 35 years with the station. Governor Tim Pawlenty proclaimed Tuesday "Paul Stacke Day." (10/1/2003)

NEBRASKA:
Grace University is selling KROA/95.7 (Grand Island) to Mission Nebraska, a nonprofit entity, for $1.5 million. KROA continues to carry a Christian format. The new owners are already operating the station under a local marketing agreement. Grace University retains ownership of KGBI/100.7 (Omaha). (10/1/2003)