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
CSN International’s K225BP/92.9 (Des Moines) returned to the air on Nov. 29.
The FCC approved a construction permit for Iowa PBS flagship KDIN/11.1 (Des Moines) to move to RF channel 34 with 1,000kW.
Manitoba
The CRTC has approved an extension of the deadline for the Interlake Mennonite Fellowship Church to construct new station CFCD-FM/107.9 (Okno). As previously reported, the new 340-Watt station will broadcast a minimum of two hours per week – one in English and one in German. The new deadline is May 10, 2024.
Michigan
Morgan Murphy Media closed on its purchase of WBUP/10.1 (Ishpeming-Marquette), WBKP/5.1 (Calumet), WBKB-TV/11.1 (Alpena), and radio groups in Houghton and Iron River on Dec. 1. The stations were purchased from companies owned by the Marks family. (See the original report for the complete list of radio stations.)
Minnesota
SagamoreHill of Minneapolis’ Telemundo affiliate KMWE-LD/17.1 has completed the move of its transmitter the First National Bank building in St. Paul using a 15kW directional facility. The station remains licensed to St. Cloud despite its transmitter location. It had previously been licensed to broadcast from a residential area of Corcoran.
Zoe Communications’ WELY/1450 and WELY-FM/94.5 (Ely) reported that they returned to the air on Nov. 17 but left the air again the next day. A request for special temporary authority to remain silent states that WELY-FM’s antenna was damaged by a crew working on a co-located cell antenna and will need to be replaced, while WELY is silent because its programming would be a full simulcast of WELY-FM.
The FCC has approved Lakeland Media LLC’s purchase of KWLM/1340 (Willmar), KQIC/102.5 (Willmar), and KLFN/106.5 (Sunburg-Willmar) from Steven Linder’s Lakeland Broadcasting Co. The buyer is owned by J. David Linder and Lynn Ketelsen.
Minnesota State University, Mankato’s KMSU/89.7 (Mankato) informed the FCC that it has activated an HD Radio signal.
Nebraska
Community Broadcasting/Bott Radio Network has submitted a license to cover application indicating that new station KGWO/89.5 (Ogallala) has been constructed. The new station uses 8kW/43m (class C3).
Nebraska Public Media’s KXNE-FM/89.3 (Norfolk) reports that it has returned to full power after tower work was completed.
Armada Media’s KBRL/1300 (McCook) requested an extension of special temporary authority to operate at about 25% of its usual power as it continues work to recover from a spring flood at its transmitter site. The latest filing says a new transmitter has been delivered, but then problems were discovered with the antenna system. KBRL normally transmits with 5kW day and 136 Watts night, directional.
North Dakota
Educational Media Foundation’s KFAA/89.5 (Horace-Fargo) submitted a license to cover application indicating it has completed a move to a new site. The station switched from is previous 7.3kW/28m (class C3) to 3kW/50m (class A); the new coverage area is essentially the same size as the old one due to the increased antenna height.
Wisconsin
The Salvation Poem Foundation has requested a change in the callsign of future station WEQE/91.5 (Melrose) to WEQM.
Disclosure: Jon Ellis is an employee of Gray Media Group. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.