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.
Michigan
Sovereign Communications’ WYSS/99.5 (Sault Ste. Marie) and WMKD/105.5 (Pickford-Sault Ste. Marie) requested new extensions of special temporary authority to transmit at reduced power following a 2018 tower collapse. Using the same language as the last extension requests, the filings say the licensee is investigating “arrangements for alternative permanent facilities.” Both are licensed for 100kW; previous filings indicate WYSS is using 1.3kW and WMKD is using 700 Watts.
Minnesota
Digital Networks-Midwest’s KKTW-LD/19.1 (Minneapolis) has withdrawn an application to move to channel 24, stating that the reason was because another entity filed for the channel. As previously reported here, both KKTW and Edge Spectrum’s KTCJ-LD/13 (virtual 48.1) applied to move to channel 24 when the FCC lifted a freeze on channel changes last year.
Nebraska
CSN International’s K255CJ/98.9 (Briggs) requested another extension of special authority to operate at 25% of its licensed power, stating, “The Licensee is looking still looking for a new site and hopes to have a site identified soon.” The translator transmits from Omaha.
North Dakota
RadioDifferently closed on its purchase of KHRT-FM/106.9 (Minot) from Faith Broadcasting on Feb. 24. It also requested a callsign change to KHTZ effective March 26. The station is currently off the air.
Bakken Beacon Media closed on its purchase of WDAY/970 and K226CL/93.1 (Fargo) from Forum Communications on March 1. The buyer had already been operating the stations since 2020.
The FCC has approved Sidestream Media’s purchase of KZRN/102.3 (Hettinger) from HiRange Media Corp.
The FCC readded an allotment for a future station on 105.9 in Sarles. There have previously been two unbuilt construction permits for 100kW stations on the frequency serving an area of northeastern North Dakota along the Canadian border.
South Dakota
After being bumped off the air by the sign-on of a new full-power station, CSN International’s K201HB/88.1 (Aberdeen) has applied to move to 91.3, relocating to a tower site east of the city and dropping power slightly to 205 Watts. CSN’s K209FR/89.7 (Aberdeen), which remains on the air, has also applied to move to the site east of the city with 250 Watts.
Wisconsin
Manitowoc Baptist Church was granted a construction permit for a new low-power FM station on 105.3 in Manitowoc, using 100 Watts.
Gray Media has applied to modify the construction permit for a new full-power TV station on channel 26 in Eagle River, reducing the facilities from 80kW/162m to 1.4kW/45m. The filing explains that the new station’s antenna will be side-mounted on the tower already used by Gray’s WYOW/34.1 (RF 28, Eagle River).
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.