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.
Sioux Falls was the site of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr‘s first major policy speech. The speech largely covered non-broadcasting topics; Carr did mention removing regulations on “rabbit-ear broadcast receivers” when the commission unveils “a streamlined process for removing regulations at scale without having to go through years of unnecessary legal procedures” later this month. You can watch the video and download the transcript at this link.
Iowa
Digital Networks-Midwest’s K31PO-D (Des Moines), which is currently licensed to transmit with 2.5kW from a tower between Collins and Mingo, has applied to move is transmitter to Alleman with 15kW.
Minnesota
Civic Media closed on its purchase of K280AT/103.9 (Ely) from Range Paging on June 27. K280AT relays Civic’s WELY/1450.
Nebraska
Digital Networks-Midwest’s K36QD-D (Omaha) applied to move from its licensed site near Fremont to a tower in Gretna, using 15kW.
Central City Baptist Church’s KOOW-LP/95.1 (Central City) returned to the air on June 30 after replacing is transmitter, feedline, and antenna.
CSN International’s K211GG/90.1 (Kearney), K208CK/89.5 (Scottsbluff), and K220FK/91.9 (Scottsbluff) returned to the air July 1.
North Dakota
Major Market Broadcasting is buying K23OL-D (Bismarck) from Lowcountry 34 Media for $55,000. The buyer owns KRDK-TV/4.1 (Valley City-Fargo) and several low-power TV stations in Fargo.
Wisconsin
Digital Networks-Midwest’s W35DY-D (Stoughton) has applied to move to a tower midway between Stoughton and Madison, using 13kW. W35DY-D is currently licensed to transmit from a site southwest of Janesville with 2.5kW.
Digital Networks-Midwest’s W21EF-D (Fond du Lac) has applied to move to a tower near West Bend, using 3.5kW directional.
Morgan Murphy Media’s WISC-TV/3.1 (Madison) is modifying plans for its UHF digital replacement translators, which will be on channel 25 in Madison and channel 22 in Janesville. The translators were first granted in 2022 and face Sept. 1 construction deadlines. The FCC has already approved a modification to the Madison translator, originally planned to be located at the WISC-TV studio, to move it a few miles northwest to the candelabra tower at University Research Park, remaining 15kW. Meanwhile, the Janesville translator has a pending application to switch from a site just north of town to one just west of town instead, reducing the planned power slightly to 13.8kW.
Civic Media closed on its purchase of WAUH/102.3 (Wautoma), WRPN/1600 (Ripon), and W226CQ/93.1 (Ripon) from Hometown Broadcasting on July 2.
The FCC granted Souls Harbor Baptist Church the callsign WILR-LP for its future low-power FM station on 90.1 in Milwaukee.