Seven months after dropping morning news, Gray CBS/NBC affiliate KEYC/KMNF-LD (Mankato) announced that it will launch “Kato Mornings” starting June 16. The hourlong 6 a.m. newscast will be anchored by Jackson Jirik and meteorologist Caitlyn Lorr. KEYC had simulcast the newscast of Gray NBC affiliate KTTC/10.1 (Rochester) since December. No announcement was made about noon and weekend newscasts, which have also been simulcast from KTTC.
Grace Piatko announced that she is joining KEYC as sports anchor/reporter.
Anchor Redrick Terry has rejoined Nexstar CBS affiliate WHBF/4.1 (Rock Island-Quad Cities). Terry has first started at the station in 2017 and later worked at a competing station before briefly leaving the media business.
Katrina Lim has joined Gray NBC affiliate WEAU/13.1 (Eau Claire) as assignment editor. Lim previously worked at Allen Media’s Eau Claire station until cutbacks last year.
The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association reports that Andrew LaCombe has been named news director at Sinclair FOX affiliate WLUK/11.1 (Green Bay). LaCombe is currently news director at Gray NBC/FOX affiliate WLUC/6.1-6.2 (Marquette) and previously worked at WLUK.
Conner Hendricks has departed his role as Iowa Capitol reporter for Gray Media’s stations around the state.
Nexstar NBC affiliate WHO-DT/13.1 (Des Moines) announced that meteorologist Brad Edwards, previously of WOI-TV, is joining the station as a contributor. The exact nature of the role was not immediately announced.
Anchor/reporter Samantha Petters has departed Nexstar CBS affiliate WFRV/5.1 (Green Bay) for a new job in Missouri.
Belated notes that following the elimination of some WestwoodOne formats earlier this year, several stations in the region made format segues:
- KQAD/800 (Luverne, MN) has switched from 60s-70s Classic Hits to 70s-90s Classic Hits.
- KBRK/1430 (Brookings, SD) has switched from 60s-70s Classic Hits to Soft Oldies.
- W251CD/98.1 (Superior, WI-Duluth, MN) appears to have switched from Contemporary Hits to Hot Adult Contemporary, retaining its “Hot 98” moniker.
WTIP reports that K280AT/103.9 (Ely) has returned to the air and is now relaying Civic Media’s WELY/1450. (Despite the article’s terminology, 103.9 is not a temporary frequency, it is a translator that Civic is in the process of buying to relay the AM signal.) Civic continues work to return WELY-FM/94.5 to the air.
Minnesota Public Radio‘s station alerts page says its Rochester stations (KMSE/88.7, KLSE/90.7, and KZSE/91.7) may be off the air during the day through June 27 due to tower work. The outages could also affect MPR translators in Austin, La Crescent, and Winona.
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Disclosure: Jon Ellis was an employee of Gray Media Group at the time this item was posted. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.