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
The FCC approved Community Broadcasting/Bott Radio Network’s purchase of KDPS/88.1 (Des Moines) from Des Moines Independent Community School District. The day before the FCC approved the sale, KDPS requested an extension of special temporary authority to remain silent, saying that the buyer “intends to broadcast again as soon as reasonable.”
Grace Baptist Church’s KSHW/88.3 (Glidden) informed the FCC that it began broadcasting at a higher power on Nov. 7 under program test authority. The station first signed on earlier this year with 100 Watts and has upgraded to 3kW, providing a rimshot signal to Carroll.
Michigan
Queen Bee’s Knees/Morgan Murphy Media’s WIKB-FM/99.1 (Iron River) reports that it returned to full power on Oct. 4.
Evangelistic Knights of Our Lady requested the callsign WHHQ-LP for its future low-power FM station on 97.7 in Escanaba.
Minnesota
De La Hunt Media’s KAKK/1570 (Walker) and K229DJ/93.7 (Walker) resumed operations on Nov. 21. The stations had gone off the air in February, citing financial reasons.
The FCC granted Bakken Beacon Media’s WZFG/1100 (Dilworth-Fargo) an extension of special temporary authority to transmit with reduced power at night. WZFG normally uses 440 Watts at night with a directional pattern and first reported in fall 2024 that it was experiencing problems with the nighttime pattern. The STA allows continued use of 110 Watts non-directional at night while the station works to find replacement parts. WZFG’s 50kW daytime and 5kW critical hours operations, which are non-directional, are unaffected.
Nebraska
The FCC approved Rincon Broadcasting’s purchase of KLKN/8 (Lincoln) and stations in the Paducah and Providence markets from Standard Media Group.
K-Love Inc. station K285GP/104.9 (Millard-Omaha), which carries Air1, reports that it has been operating at an unspecified reduced power since Nov. 19.
North Dakota
The FCC granted K-Love’s KNDL/100.7 (Berthold-Minot) special temporary authority to transmit at 6.76kW ERP, rather than its licensed 52kW ERP, while transmitter replacement continues. The filing explains that some parts needed for an electrical upgrade at the site are not readily available.
Edge Spectrum’s K35MM-D (Minot) was granted a construction permit to upgrade from 900W to 15kW.
South Dakota
Midwest Communications’ KELO-FM/101.9 (Sioux Falls) has completed a power increase from 34kW to 37kW, which was possible due to the determination that the station’s antenna height above average terrain is actually 173m, four meters lower than previously calculated. (Despite a recent branding swap, the KELO-FM callsign officially remains on 101.9 as of this writing.)