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
A channel plan submitted to the FCC indicates Nexstar’s KGCW (RF21, Burlington) will serve as a host station for NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) in the Quad Cities market. The plan indicates that starting Nov. 19, KGCW’s NextGen signal will carry its own CW 26.1 channel along with CBS from Nexstar’s WHBF/4.1, FOX from Nexstar-managed KLJB/18.1, and NBC from Gray’s KWQC/6.1. To continue ATSC 1.0 service to existing receivers, KLJB’s transmitter will carry KGCW’s DT1 CW and DT4 CBS channels, WHBF will carry KGCW-DT2 (Rewind), and KWQC will carry KGCW-DT3 (Laff).
Fourthstream Media’s K238AN/95.5 (Ames) reports that it remains off the air, stating new broadcast equipment has been ordered. The translator, which relays KPUL-FM/101.7 (Winterset), had first reported suspending operations in April.
Minnesota
A time brokerage agreement uploaded to online public inspection files indicates R&J Broadcasting began operating Border Broadcasting’s KKWQ/92.5 (Warroad) and KRWB/1410 (Roseau) on Sept. 1. The document states the two companies have also discussed a possible sale.
Townsquare Media’s KOLM/1520 (Rochester) requested special temporary authority to use its nighttime facility 24 hours per day due to a problem with an antenna tuning unit. KOLM is licensed for 10kW non-directional daytime and 800 Watts directional nighttime, with a different 10kW directional pattern during critical hours (two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset).
Gray Media’s KDLH/3.1 (Duluth) submitted filings notifying the FCC that it was off the air from Oct. 3 to 15 for the installation of a new transmitter. The station has returned to the air.
Minnesota State University Mankato was granted the callsign KMSU-LP for its future low-power FM station on 107.9 in Mankato, which will carry student programming. The university also runs KMSU/89.7 (Mankato).
Nebraska
Christian Media’s KCMI/97.1 (Terrytown) notified the FCC that it is transmitting at 80% of its licensed 100kW as it works to resolve an issue caused by an unknown source. The filing says the station is in the process of installing a new transmitter and expects to finish by Nov. 4.
The FCC approved a modification to Flood Communications West’s construction permit for a future station on 95.9 in Bayard, which does not yet have a callsign. The planned transmitter site has moved about a kilometer, enabling an increase in antenna height from 4 meters below average terrain to 15 meters above average terrain. The permit’s ERP remains 250 Watts.
Independent Omaha Radio Project’s KIOR-LP/98.1 (Omaha) was granted a construction permit to change frequency to 91.9 and move its transmitter from downtown Omaha to a site in the northwestern part of the city, using 13 Watts. It replaces a just-expired permit to move to 91.9 using a different site in northwest Omaha.
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.