December 2005

MINNESOTA/IOWA:
DirecTV has launched its locals package for the Rochester-Austin-Mason City market. Included are KAAL-ABC, KIMT-CBS, KXLT-FOX, KTTC-NBC, KSMQ-PBS, IPTV-PBS, and WB-Miami. DirecTV had also announced plans to launch a Mankato market package by the end of the year, but its website now says it does not have plans to offer local channels in the area. (12/29/2005)

MINNESOTA:
KDAL-FM/95.7 (Duluth) has switched from "Magic" to "The Bridge," broadening its Adult Contemporary format. (12/29/2005)

MINNESOTA:
FM107 (WFMP Coon Rapids-Minneapolis) will drop Dr. Laura in favor of the Satellite Sisters in the 12-3 p.m. time slot, beginning January 2. (12/29/2005)

MICHIGAN:
DX-midAMerica reports that WIKB-FM/99.1 (Iron River) has dropped its longtime Oldies format and is now Light Adult Contemporary as "The Breeze." The format is simulcast on WIKB/1230. The change follows Heartland Communications' purchase of the station. (12/29/2005)

MANITOBA:
CHNR/100.7 (Winnipeg) has become "The Cafe" CKFE with a broad Adult Alternative format, ditching the "Breeze" Big Band/Soft Oldies format. The change follows Newcap's purchase of the station. "The Cafe" promises 2,107 artists, with on-air personalities to come. (12/26/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Another format change will not leave the syndicated "Bob&Sheri" morning show without a home in central Wisconsin. The show was originally heard on WYCO/107.9 (Wausau) before it flipped to Classic Hits as WLRK. The show then landed at WSPT-FM/97.9 (Steven's Point), which recently flipped to "Jack." Now, WLJY/106.5 (Marshfield) will carry Bob&Sheri starting January 3. (12/26/2005)

WISCONSIN:
The second incarnation of "MAD Radio" is no more: Clear Channel has flipped WMAD/96.3 (Sauk City-Madison) from Alternative to "Star Country 96.3." According to the station's old and new websites, the old format ended with Jimi Hendrix's version of the Star Spangled Banner, followed at Midnight (12/22-23) by Gretchen Wilson's "All Jacked Up" to start a 10,000 song marathon. The new format is 96.3's third change in four years and challenges Mid-West Management's "Q106." "MAD Radio" was on 92.1 for years before a format change, and later resurfaced on 96.3. (12/23/2005)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC has approved an application from WMBE/1530 (Chilton) to move to 840, upgrading from 250W to 4.5kW during the day, but remaining daytime-only. The move should give WMBE a strong daytime signal to Green Bay, Appleton, and Oshkosh. The station is owned by Lyle Evans and Doug Maszka and currently carries ESPN Radio. (12/21/2005)

NEBRASKA:
The FCC has approved KIMB/1260's application to move from Kimball to Ogallala, increasing its daytime power from 1kW to 50kW directional. However, the station will still have to drop to 110W nondirectional at night. (12/21/2005)

MANITOBA:
Newcap is already adding to its Manitoba presence with the purchase of CKJS/810 (Winnipeg) for $1.8 million. The CRTC recently approved Newcap's purchase of "The Breeze" (CHNR/100.7 Winnipeg), and Newcap says it will combine the operations of CKJS and CHNR under one roof. CKJS carries a Multicultural format and CHNR carries a Nostalgia format. (12/17/2005)

MINNESOTA/ONTARIO:
The FCC and the Canadian government have approved an allotment for a new station that could serve the Thunder Bay market. The future class C0 station on 96.9 would be licensed to Grand Portage, MN. If it operates at maximum power of 100kW at 450m, it could provide a good signal to Thunder Bay, a market of about 120,000 which currently has five commercial stations. The allotment will likely be put up for auction in a few years. (12/16/2005)

MINNESOTA:
Following its format change to Regional Mexican, KLBB/1400 (St. Paul) has changed its call letters to KMNV. The KLBB callsign has moved to former simulcast partner KLBP/1470 (Brooklyn Park), which continues to run Soft Oldies. (12/16/2005)

WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN:
The much-coveted WHIT callsign has been moved to Michigan. The former WHIT/93.1 (De Forest-Madison), known as "The Lake," is now WHLK. The WHIT callsign has moved to an 940 in South Haven, MI, and 103.7 in Hartford, MI. WHLK and the new WHIT AM-FM have related ownership. (12/16/2005)

IOWA:
Coon Valley Communications, owned by Patrick J. Delaney, is buying KDLS/1310 (Perry) from Latin Broadcasting Corporation for $300,000 and will begin running the station under a time brokerage agreement on January 1. Latin Broadcasting will retain ownership of KDLS-FM/105.5 and must move the KDLS-FM studios out of the KDLS building within six months of the sale closing. KDLS AM and FM had simulcast for years, but the two split up in September, with a News/Oldies format on AM and a Regional Mexican format on FM. Coon Valley Communications also owns KGRA/98.9 (Jefferson) and KKRF/107.9 (Stuart). (12/15/2005)

IOWA:
There's a change in ownership at Central Iowa Broadcasting, the licensee of KCOB/1280, KCOB-FM/95.9 (Newton) and KRTI/106.7 (Grinnell). John E. Carl is selling his majority stake in the company for $320,000 to his current partners, Frank Liebl and his son, Jon Liebl. Once the transaction is completed, Frank Liebl will own 94.36% of the company and Jon Liebl will own 5.74%. Carl will also be paid $645,460.32 as part of a ten-year non-compete agreement. (12/12/2005)

MINNESOTA/IOWA:
The Associated Press reports that Clear Channel plans to flip KNFX/970 (Austin) to its Mexican Oldies network, "La Preciosa," on January 5. KNFX currently carries a Sports format, including the FAN Radio Network, which is also heard on KWEB/1270 (Rochester). KNFX's highly directional 5kW day/500W night signal is also strong in Rochester and Albert Lea day and night, and in Mason City, Iowa, during the day. Census 2000 put the Hispanic or Latino population at 4.3% in Mower County (Austin), 6.3% in Freeborn County (Albert Lea), 2.4% in Olmsted County (Rochester), and 2.8% in Cerro Gordo County (Mason City). (12/10/2005)

NEBRASKA:
Platte River Radio continues its expansion with the purchase of KHAS/1230 and KICS/1550 (Hastings) from KHAS Broadcasting for $560,000. Platte also owns KXPN/1460 and KKPR/98.9 (Kearney), and is buying KLIQ/94.5 (Hastings). The FM stations cover the entire Tri-Cities area, while the AM stations' main coverage areas are more limited to their communities of license. (12/9/2005)

NEBRASKA:
Salem Communications has completed its purchase of KHLP/1420 (Omaha) from Journal Broadcasting and has changed the callsign to KOTK, with a new version of the News/Talk format. Salem also owns KCRO/660, which carries Christian teaching and preaching, and "The Bridge" KGBI/100.7, which carries a Contemporary Christian format. (12/8/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Radio and Records reports that WSPT-FM/97.9 (Stevens Point-Wausau) dropped its Hot AC format for "Jack FM" Classic Hits/Hot AC at Midnight Monday (12/5). (12/6/2005)

NORTH DAKOTA:
KVMI/103.9 (Arthur-Fargo) has ditched its "Star" Hot Adult Contemporary format for Country as "The Truck." The "Star" format had aired for two years on the rimshot 25kW signal. KVMI is owned by Jim Babbitt. (12/3/2005)

IOWA/ILLINOIS:
The longtime Contemporary Hits format of "All-Hit 98.9" (WHTS Rock Island-Quad Cities) will soon make way for a non-commercial Contemporary Christian format. Mercury Broadcasting has agreed to sell WHTS to the Educational Media Foundation, which operates the "K-Love" and "Air1" networks, for $3.5 million. EMF says it intends to convert the station to non-commercial status. WHTS and sister station WKBF/1270 are currently operated by Clear Channel through a joint sales agreement. The sale does not include WKBF. Clear Channel owns six other stations in the market. The conversion of WHTS to non-commercial will leave the Quad Cities with eight local commercial FM stations. Update: All Access reports that Clear Channel will stop running WHTS on February 15, 2006. (12/2/2005)

WISCONSIN:
So much for Smooth Jazz: WYZM/106.7 (Mount Horeb) has begun rebroadcasting the Classic Hits format of sister station "93.1 The Lake" (WHIT De Forest-Madison). WYZM, which serves areas west of Madison, had broadcast Smooth Jazz with few ID's or other announcements since signing on in September. (12/2/2005)

MINNESOTA:
Some of the former staff of KLBB/1400 (St. Paul) have taken their Soft Oldies/Nostalgia format to "Mighty 1220" (WMGT Stillwater). Former KLBB general manager Scott Murray began leasing WMGT from Endurance Broadcasting on Thursday (12/1). Longtime KLBB voice Reed Hagen is now heard on "Mighty 1220" from 7-10 a.m., with Jones Radio Networks' Music of Your Life network filling the rest of the weekday schedule. FOX News, the Minnesota News Network, Packer football, and some weekend shows continue with the new format. Davidson Media dropped the longtime KLBB format for Regional Mexican after purchasing the station earlier this year, but Davidson continues to run JRN's network in the north metro on former KLBB simulcast partner KLBP/1470 (Brooklyn Park). WMGT's 5kW daytime signal is strong in the eastern half of the metro, but its 254W nighttime signal is more limited. The format change from News/Talk displaces longtime Twin Cities personality Bob Yates, along with syndicated talkers Tony Snow, Bill O'Reilly, Clark Howard, Neil Boortz, and Jim Bohannan, and the All-Comedy Radio Network. (12/1/2005)