Allen Media Group announced that it has engaged Moelis & Company LLC to find a buyer for its 22 TV stations, which include NBC affiliate KWWL/7.1 (Waterloo), CBS affiliate KIMT/3.1 (Mason City-Rochester), and ABC affiliates WQOW/18.1 (Eau Claire), WXOW/19.1 (La Crosse), WKOW/27.1 (Madison), and WAOW/9.1 (Wausau). Hank Price has perspective in TVNewsCheck.
Gray Media Group announced that it has renewed CBS affiliations for 52 of its 53 stations, which include KBJR/6.2 (Superior-Duluth), KXJB-LD/30.1 (Horace-Fargo), KOLN/10.1 (Lincoln), KEYC/12.1 (Mankato), and WSAW/7.1 (Wausau). The only Gray CBS affiliate not renewed was the company’s flagship station in Atlanta, which will become an independent after CBS moves to an Atlanta station that the network already owns.
Forum ABC affiliate WDAY-TV/6.1 (Fargo) promoted Jesse Ritka to chief meteorologist.
Reporter Morea Turner has joined Allen Media NBC affiliate KWWL/7.1 (Waterloo).
The Minnesota Lynx announced that four games will be simulcast this season on Tegna NBC affiliate KARE 11 (Minneapolis). They are the latest in a series of pro teams to announce a simulcast of a handful of games on free broadcast TV.
Elsewhere, Hubbard ABC affiliate WDIO/10.1 (Duluth) announced that it’s carrying a series of Duluth Huskies games. Two Saturday games and one Sunday game will air on WDIO’s 10.1 ABC channel and ten Friday games will air on its 10.2 MeTV channel.
Telemundo Wisconsin (WYTU-LD/63.1 Milwaukee and WMEI/31.6 Shawano-Green Bay) announced that it will once again air Spanish-language broadcasts of the three Green Bay Packers preseason games this year. The games will be called by announcer Jamie Cano and color commentator Eric Montenegro, who also call select Milwaukee Brewers games on Telemundo Wisconsin.
St. Paul-based American Public Media announced that Valerie Kahler has been chosen to be the new host of “Performance Today.” Kahler is currently a host and producer for APM’s 24-hour “Classical 24” service.
WHO-TV has more on Des Moines Public Schools’ decision to sell KDPS/88.1 (Des Moines), reported here last month.
South Dakota Public Broadcasting shared photos of the tower site for its new FM station in Mitchell, reported here in January.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced a resolution calling on streaming providers to carry C-SPAN. The government affairs channel is a private non-profit, not a government entity, and streams of its three linear channels require a login with a cable or satellite provider. According to the comparison site Suppose.TV, only DirecTV and DISH Network offer C-SPAN streaming, with the cheapest package being $40 per month.
Commissioner Nathan Simington announced his departure from the FCC, which leaves the commission with just two of its five seats filled. The commission needs a quorum of at least three members to enact any rule and policy changes.
In case you missed it here:
- Bustos Media Buys Competitor in Milwaukee
- DX Log: 124 FM’s from 6 States and Provinces in 1 Night of Camping
- FCC Monitor: New FM Signing On in Rochester, Minn.
News tips? Press releases? If you don’t see yours here, I probably didn’t receive it! Please send them to jonellis@northpine.com!
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.