MINNESOTA:
WGVZ/105.7 (Eden Prairie) has applied to move its transmitter from Minnetonka to the IDS Center in Minneapolis, which would improve the station's signal to Minnneapolis, St. Paul, and the north-central and northeast metro, while weakening the signal to the southwest metro. WGVZ would use 950W at 254m from IDS, with a directional antenna limiting the signal towards KWNG/105.9 (Red Wing) and WXCX/105.7 (Siren, WI). WGVZ, owned by Citadel Broadcasting, simulcasts an Adult Gold format as "Love 105" with WGVX/105.1 (Lakeville) and WGVY/105.3 (Cambridge). (10/27/2007)
MINNESOTA:
Three Eagles' KAUS-FM/99.9 (Austin) has ditched its longtime "FM100 Country" slogan in favor of "US Country 99.9." (10/27/2007)
WISCONSIN:
South Dakota-based Bethesda Christian Broadcasting is buying WRGX/88.5 and WPFF/90.5 (Sturgeon Bay), plus nine translators, from Family Educational Broadcasting of Door County for $1.7 million. The deal includes a provision that Bethesda will pay Family Educational Broadcasting a portion of proceeds in excess of $2 million if it sells either station within five years. Bethesda operates three non-commercial Christian stations in the Rapid City market. (10/27/2007)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
Broadcasting legend Wynn Speece, known as "The Neighbor Lady" on WNAX/570 (Yankton), has died at the age of 90. As WNAX says, Speece offered "recipes, household tips and personal anecdotes" on the Upper Midwest blowtorch station from 1941 to 2005. Information on memorial services is at wnax.com. (10/25/2007)
WISCONSIN:
Wisconsin Public Radio reports its parent organization applied for eight new stations in a recent filing window for new stations in the non-commercial band (88-92 MHz). The applications are for stations in Adams, Ashland, Niagra, Park Falls, Port Washington, Rice Lake, Rhinelander, and Webster. Details of the applications are not yet available in the FCC database, but WPR did report that the Ashland station would be on 90.9 and would carry WPR's Ideas Network. The Park Falls, Rice Lake, and Webster stations would carry WPR's NPR News and Classical Music Network. (10/25/2007)
MINNESOTA:
K249ED/97.7 signed on Tuesday afternoon, bringing the Christian Rock "Air 1" network to the northwestern Twin Cities metro. The 170-Watt translator is licensed to Albertville but actually transmits from Maple Grove. 97.7 is the fourth in a chain of translators beginning in St. Cloud that will feed translators in Minneapolis and St. Paul. 102.5 Minneapolis and 92.1 St. Paul have been temporarily relaying "Bob FM" but will switch to "Air 1" in the coming days. Check the Twin Cities Class D FM's page for more information. (10/24/2007)
NEBRASKA:
Country and Rock are the formats for Legacy Communications' new 100kW stations in the North Platte market, which both signed on Monday (10/22). KZTL/93.5 (Paxton) is "Wild Country," taking on Armada Media's heritage "KX104." KRNP/100.7 (Sutherland) is "Rock 100," which will have a Classic Rock competitor when Armada's KRKU/98.5 moves into the market later this year. (10/24/2007)
IOWA/MISSOURI/ILLINOIS:
For those who missed it (including me), ABC came to the Quincy-Hannibal market this fall on a digital subchannel of CBS affiliate KHQA/7. The ABC subchannel simulcasts much of KHQA's news and syndicated programming during non-network hours. The market includes Keokuk, IA, and has only one other commercial station, WGEM-TV/10, which carries NBC on its primary channel and FOX and CW+ on subchannels. (10/23/2007)
MINNESOTA:
Paperwork has been signed to create Minnesota's first statewide network, Twin Cities Public Television's "Minnesota Channel." Bill Hanley, TPT's Executive Vice President of Minnesota Productions, made the announcement at the NTA-Upper Midwest Chapter's 2007 Emmy Awards on Saturday night (10/20). The Minnesota Channel features local and regional public television productions. It was launched full-time in 2005 on KTCI-DT2 (St. Paul). (10/21/2007)
IOWA/MINNESOTA:
The price for Gap Broadcasting's purchase of 57 stations in 13 markets from Clear Channel is $74.776 million, according to an asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC. The deal includes four stations in the Burlington, IA, market and four stations in the Duluth, MN, market (see earlier item below). Gap will take over the stations through local marketing agreements before the sale is complete. (10/19/2007)
NEBRASKA:
The North Platte market could balloon from four to eight stations by the end of the year, and an existing station is changing format:
NEBRASKA:
Michael Flood's Red Beacon Communications is buying KNEN/94.7 (Norfolk) and KTCH/1590 and KCTY/104.9 (Wayne) from NRG Media, according to All Access and Radio & Records. The purchase price was not immediately disclosed. Flood owns 40.66% of Flood Communications, the licensee of KUSO/92.7 (Albion-Norfolk). (10/19/2007)
WISCONSIN:
WisconsinBroadcasting.com reports that WISS/1100 (Berlin) dropped Classic Country for `50s-`60s Oldies at 9 a.m. Sunday (10/14). "Big Red AM 1100" is a daytime-only station, but its programming is heard 24 hours per day on FM translator W247AZ/97.3 through a special temporary authority as the FCC considers whether to permanently allow AM stations to have FM translators. WISS also has a construction permit to upgrade from 1kW to 14kW, which would give it a good signal to the Fox Cities and improve fringe reception in Green Bay and Madison. (10/16/2007)
ANALOG TV BROADCASTS TO CONTINUE PAST 2009:
A Consumer Advisory issued by the FCC this week may bring a surprise to many: analog TV broadcasts will not be completely dead after February 17, 2009. The advisory says that while full-power stations will cease analog broadcasts on that date, low-power, class A, and translator stations may continue broadcasting in analog. There is no statutory deadline for the stations to convert to digital, but the FCC will require them to convert eventually. (10/13/2007)
IOWA/MINNESOTA:
All Access reports that Clear Channel has found a new suitor, Gap Broadcasting, for 57 stations in 13 markets, including Burlington/Fort Madison, IA and Duluth, MN. The stations were among those included in the failed Blue Point Media deal earlier this year. No purchase price was immediately disclosed. The stations sold to Gap include KBUR/1490 and KGRS/107.3 (Burlington), KBKB/1360 and KBKB-FM/101.7 (Fort Madison), WEBC/560, KLDJ/101.7, and KKCB/105.1 (Duluth), and KBMX/107.7 (Proctor, MN). Gap Broadcasting bought Clear Channel stations in another eleven markets earlier this year. (10/11/2007)
MINNESOTA:
Alan Quarnstrom is buying "Lake Hits 95" (KLCH/94.9 Lake City) and is also running "Bluff Country 1250" (KCUE Red Wing) and "K-Wing 106" (KWNG/105.9 Red Wing) through a local marketing agreement. NRG Media is selling KLCH to Quarnstrom for $150,000, and had previously run Sorenson Broadcasting's KCUE/KWNG through a LMA. The Red Wing/Lake City group had been NRG's only presence in Minnesota. Quarnstrom owns three radio stations in Cloquet and Moose Lake and at one time owned as many as 14 stations in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. (10/9/2007)
MINNESOTA:
Chris Nettleton has joined FOX 21 (KQDS-TV Duluth) as Sports Director/Anchor, taking over for Randy Howe, who moved to Las Vegas to be closer to family. Nettleton had worked in the same position at WDIO/10 (Duluth) in 2004 and 2005 and most recently worked at a station in Chattanooga, TN. (10/9/2007)
MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
Bob Schmidt is the permanent midday host at "KQ98" (KQYB/98.3 Spring Grove, MN-La Crosse), after former middayer Brad Allen
moved to afternoons when Kenny Jay left the station earlier this year. (10/9/2007)
NEBRASKA:
KYDZ/1180 (Bellevue-Omaha) has switched from "La Bonita" to Clear Channel's "La Preciosa" Regional Mexican Oldies network, with a local morning show. KYDZ is owned by NRG Media. (10/9/2007)
SOUTH DAKOTA:
All Access reports "K-Sky" (KSQY/95.1 Deadwood-Rapid City) has moved from Adult Alternative to "Everything That Rocks." (10/7/2007)
NEBRASKA:
KRKR/95.1 (Lincoln) is promoting the pending launch of "95 Talk FM." The station has been stunting since dropping its Classic Hits format last week. KRKR has a construction permit to move into the Omaha market (on 94.9 licensed to Valley), though one element of the new format - Lincoln Stars hockey - could be a sign that the station plans on being in Lincoln for at least a little while longer. (10/3/2007)
IOWA:
(Updated) KSMA-FM/98.7 (Osage-Mason City) became "98.7 Kiss Country" at 6 a.m. Tuesday (10/2) after dropping its "Kiss" Contemporary Hits format last week and stunting for several days. Former KIAI/93.9 morning host J. Brooks is hosting mornings at "Kiss Country." The change follow's the sale of KSMA, along with KLKK/103.7 (Clear Lake), to Coloff Media after Three Eagles Broadcasting bought Clear Channel's Mason City group. Three Eagles sold KSMA and KLKK, both former Clear Channel stations, to comply with market ownership caps. (10/2/2007)
WISCONSIN:
(Updated) La Crosse's "Magic 105" (WLXR/104.9) has replaced its local morning show with the syndicated Bob & Sheri show. The former morning co-hosts, Debbie Brague and Chris Collins, are now hosting middays and afternoons, respectively. Meanwhile, former "Magic" afternoon host Tom Huber has moved to middays at sister station "Eagle 102.7" (KQEG), and former WKBH/100.1 afternoon host Keith Anderson is now doing mornings at KQEG, displacing the ABC Oldies Radio format which airs in other dayparts. (10/2/2007, updated 10/3)
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