The following are updates to previously-reported items and other recent regulatory filings and actions concerning Upper Midwest broadcast stations. This report is created by the author and is not an official report of the FCC.
Iowa
TV-49/Weigel Broadcasting filed a license to cover application indicating that KDIT-CD/45.1 (RF 17, Marshalltown) has completed its move to the antenna farm near Alleman and is now broadcasting with 15kW, the maximum for Class A T stations. Its application also requested a community of license change to Des Moines. Network websites indicate KDIT carries Decades on channel 45.1 and Movies! Network on 45.2.
Minnesota
Real Presence Radio’s WBKK/820 (Wilton-Bemidji) is operating at reduced power of 650 Watts day and night due to a transmitter failure. The station’s request for special temporary authority says replacement parts are unavailable due to supply chain issues. It normally uses 10kW day and 750 Watts night.
Family Worship Center Church’s K219FA/91.7 (Alexandria) applied to move from its current site east of town to the KXRA/1490 tower and increase power from 50 to 87 Watts.
Following up on similar filings earlier this summer, Educational Media Foundation submitted notifications that its four “K-Love” Twin Cities FM translators are once again originating their programming on the HD2 channel of iHeartMedia’s KTCZ/97.1. K260BA/99.9 (Coon Rapids-Minneapolis) and receives the programming via internet feed while K249ED/97.7 (Albertville-Nowthen) receives KTCZ-HD2 off-air, K288GA/105.5 (Bayport) relays K260BA, and K221ES/92.1 (Albertville) relays K249ED. The translators, some of which had previously relayed KFXN-FM-HD3, had switched their primary stations to KMWA-HD3 and then to KQQL-HD4 during work at KTCZ’s Shoreview tower site this summer.
Nebraska
Hickory Radio closed on its purchase of K287CB/105.3 (Glenwood-Omaha) on Sept. 1.
The FCC granted Waitt Broadcasting’s K30BP-D (Norfolk) a construction permit to remain permanently on channel 23 as K23PU-D. The KMEG translator has already been operating on channel 23 under special temporary authority after being displaced during the spectrum repack.
KLKN/8.1 (Lincoln) requested another extension of special temporary authority for its digital replacement translator on channel 35 in Lincoln to operate at reduced power of 3.3kW rather than its licensed 5.6kW. The station’s latest filing says it continues to research solutions to a transmission line problem.
Wisconsin
The FCC has approved digital replacement translators for Morgan Murphy Media CBS affiliate WISC-TV/3.1 (Madison), which says the UHF signals are needed to alleviate reception problems with its VHF signal. As first reported here last year, the translators will operate on channel 25 in Madison and channel 22 in Janesville with 15kW. The grant came a few days after the station submitted additional documentation, including results of a scientific survey that found far more viewers report reception problems with WISC than with other major Madison TV stations. WISC accepted the move to VHF as part of the spectrum auction. It is the only Madison station on a VHF frequency.
The FCC granted an application by Magnum Media’s W296EH/107.1 (La Crosse) to move to 92.7, a move the station said was necessary to escape interference from KROC-FM/106.9 (Rochester, MN). The translator’s callsign will change to W224EL with the frequency change. It will continue to relay a channel from co-owned WKBH-FM.