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
Community Broadcasting has requested a callsign change for KDPS/88.1 (Des Moines), which it is seeking approval to purchase from the Des Moines Independent Community School District, to KCVD, effective Oct. 17.
Ventana Television’s K32NM-D (Des Moines) reports in a Sept. 8 filing that it returned to the air Sept. 5, making a previous request for special temporary authority to remain silent no longer needed. The STA request said a lightning strike damaged equipment used to receive programming and repairs took longer than initially estimated.
Michigan
Marquette Radio Group’s WNGE/99.5 (Negaunee) has applied to increase from its present 3.6kW to 50kW, with its antenna remaining at 131 meters above average terrain from its current site. The upgrade would change WNGE’s class from A to C2.
Minnesota
Midwest Communications’ WNMT/650 (Nashwauk-Hibbing) was granted a callsign change to KDAH effective Oct. 1. The new callsign is similar to Midwest’s KDAL/610 (Duluth); the stations continue to air separate programming as of now.
WRVM Inc.’s WJRF/89.5 (Duluth) has applied to increase from 1.65kW to 2.25kW ERP, continuing to use its existing antenna at 181 meters above average terrain.
R&J Broadcasting’s K275BB/102.9 (Roseau) was granted a construction permit to move to a tower east of town, remaining 250 Watts but benefitting from higher antenna height. It will continue to relay KRWB/1410.
Edge Spectrum’s K35JN-D (Duluth) and K15IS-D (Willmar) both applied to upgrade from 100W to 15kW. The K15IS application has been granted while K35JN’s remains pending.
FideliTV’s K20KW-D (St. Cloud) was granted an upgrade from 200W to 15kW and a move from its present site in Albany to one closer to St. Cloud.
Nebraska
The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s KLPR/91.1 (Kearney) reports that it returned to full power on Sept. 7 after transmitter repairs.
Theatre Organ Preservation of Nebraska, licensee of KEZL/89.7 (Culbertson-McCook), filed an application for transfer of control that will see two of the three current board members depart and five others join. Current president Joshua A. Kautz and Isaac Capri Moshay will depart, with Julio C. Pecina remaining. Pamela Downer will join as board president along with Sylvia Meader, Miriam Hegwood, Mary K. Weintz, and Joy Earnest. None has any other broadcast interests.
Wisconsin
W250BN/97.9 (Milwaukee) has completed a slight downgrade from 250 to 180 Watts and a switch to a directional antenna, putting its coverage area within that of WDDW/104.7 (Sturtevant-Milwaukee). WDDW owner Bustos Media is in the process of buying W250BN, which will switch its input signal to WDDW-HD3. With the change completed, the FCC approved Bustos’ purchase of W250BN from El Sol Broadcasting.
Following news of their pending sale to K-Love Inc., WLDB/93.3 and WLUM-FM/102.1 (Milwaukee) have formally applied to convert their licenses to non-commercial.
The Salvation Poem Foundation’s WEQR/100.9 (Tomahawk) returned to the air Sept. 10. A previous filing said the station was off the air while it worked to replace a fire-damaged antenna.
Roseland Broadcasting’s WMWI-LD/17 (Verona) was granted an upgrade from 1kW to 15kW and a move from its present site southwest of Madison to one northeast of the capital city instead. It replaces a previous construction permit to upgrade to 15kW from WMWI-LD’s current site in the Town of Primrose.
Edge Spectrum’s W36EI-D (Wausau) was granted a move from its present site northeast of town to Rib Mountain, increasing power from 200 Watts to 4kW.