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.
The FCC has issued a forfeiture order to multiple licensees over a Hot Wheels commercial that aired during eight episodes of the program “Team Hot Wheels” in late 2018, making them “program-length commercials” under FCC children’s television rules. The FCC became aware of the issue when it was self-reported by several stations. Upper Midwest stations that aired the program include Sinclair’s KDSM (Des Moines), KPTH (Sioux City), WUCW (Minneapolis), KHGI (Kearney), KFXL (Lincoln), WLUK (Green Bay), WCWF (Suring-Green Bay), WMSN (Madison), and WVTV (Milwaukee); Second Generation of Iowa’s KFXA (Cedar Rapids); Waitt Broadcasting’s KMEG (Sioux City); and Mitts Telecasting’s KXVO (Omaha).
Iowa
The FCC has granted a construction permit to Gray’s KCRG-TV/9.1 (Cedar Rapids) to increase its antenna height to 588 meters above average terrain, remaining 1,000kW. As previously noted here, the height represents the top-mounted antenna that KCRG will share with KGAN and KRIN once the project is complete.
Nebraska
K205FP/88.9 (Falls City) was granted a construction permit to move its transmitter to a site near Schubert, change frequency to 89.5, and upgrade from 62 Watts to 250 Watts. Its new callsign will be K208GM. The Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission is in the process of selling the translator to VSS Catholic Communications, which plans to relay its KVSS/102.7 (Papillion).
North Dakota
Bakken Beacon Media’s K224FJ/92.7 (Tioga) went off the air Aug. 14 due to technical issues. Its request for special temporary authority to remain silent states that K224FJ’s transmitter is damaged and its antenna may also be damaged.
On Aug. 31, Andrew Sturlaugson’s P&A Media LLC closed on its purchase of 11 radio stations held by companies owned by the Estate of Stephen A. Marks, including Dickinson-market stations KXDI/93.9 (Belfield) and KQLZ/95.7 (New England) and Williston-market stations KGCX/93.1 (Sidney, MT), KXWI/98.5, and KDSR/101.1.
Wisconsin
Less than a month after signing on, Salvation Poem Foundation’s WEQC/103.9 (Crandon) has upgraded from 3.3kW to 13.5kW, with its antenna remaining at 135 meters. The FCC approved the upgrade on Sept. 13 and the station submitted a license to cover application the same day.
Disclosure: Jon Ellis was an employee of Gray Media Group at the time this item was posted. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.