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
Following its earlier reduced-power notification, K-Love’s KLFG/89.5 (Fort Dodge) has requested special temporary authority to operate at about 17kW ERP rather than its licensed 34kW. The reduced power is due to a damaged transmission line.
Sinclair Broadcast Group closed on its purchase of KFXA/28.1 (Cedar Rapids) from Second Generation of Iowa on June 1. Sinclair has already operated KFXA since 2002 and moved its former FOX affiliation to KGAN/2.2 (Cedar Rapids) in 2021.
Michigan
Gray Media’s W14EM-D (Marquette) applied to move to channel 23, remaining 15kW.
Minnesota
The FCC has approved the assignment of the license of KSMQ/15.1 (Austin) from KSMQ Public Media to Twin Cities Public Television. As previously reported, TPT is already operating KSMQ.
Heartland Signal LLC’s AM 950 LLC closed on its purchase of KTNF/950 (St. Louis Park-Minneapolis) from JR Broadcasting LLC on June 2.
The FCC approved an upgrade by Civic Media’s K280AT/103.9 (Ely) to 250 Watts non-directional on June 5, and the station submitted a license to cover application on the same day indicating that the new facility was operational. It had previously used 117 Watts non-directional. K280AT relays WELY/1450.
The FCC granted Bakken Beacon Media’s WZFG/1100 (Dilworth-Fargo) another extension of special temporary authority to transmit with reduced power at night. WZFG normally uses 440 Watts directional at night but has instead been using 110 Watts non-directional at night. The latest filing says a field engineer was slated to visit the site in late May. WZFG’s 50kW daytime and 5kW critical hours operations, which are non-directional, are unaffected.
Bridge News LLC submitted a license renewal application for WUMN-LD/21 (Minneapolis), K26PF-D (St. Cloud), and K06QJ-D (Sioux Falls, SD). The filing comes after the FCC ordered an early license renewal application after an investigation of “possible violations of the FCC’s prohibition on unauthorized transfers of control of the station licenses.” The application includes an attachment acknowledging that “Bridge News inadvertently incorrectly stated its overall ownership” in assignment applications and an ownership report in 2023 and 2024, “resulting in a technical violation of Section 310(d) of the Commission’s Rules.” The application states that the company filed new applications for transfer of control in March 2024 upon learning of the error.
Nebraska
Theatre Organ Preservation of Nebraska’s KEZL/89.7 (Culbertson) was granted a slight change from its current 15kW/102m to 14kW/105m, remaining class C3. As previously reported, this replaces a previous construction permit to upgrade to 100kW/105m (class C1).
North Dakota
The FCC granted P&A Media’s KXDI/93.9 (Belfield-Dickinson) another extension of special temporary authority to transmit at reduced power due to transmission line problems. KXDI normally transmits with 100kW but reported in May 2024 that it was operating at reduced power of 5kW. The station’s latest filing says the licensee is considering whether to repair the antenna system or to file an application to “adjust parameters for better financial viability.”
Wisconsin
Sunrise Broadcasting’s WAVL/100.5 (Rothschild-Wausau) reports that it is operating at 3.7kW ERP, rather than its licensed 25kW, after a power surge during a storm damaged its transmitter. WAVL has requested special temporary authority to continue at the reduced power level while repairs are made.
Gray Media’s W21DS-D (Sayner/Vilas County) returned to full power of 15kW on May 29. W21DS-D relays WSAW/7.1 (Wausau).
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.