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.
National
The FCC approved Connoisseur Media‘s purchase of Alpha Media, which owns dozens of stations in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. See the earlier report for a complete list.
Iowa
Ventana Television’s K32NM-D (Des Moines) left the air Aug. 2, telling the FCC that a lightning strike damaged equipment used to receive programing. The Aug. 12 filing stated that the station may return to the air by Aug. 14 or 15.
Edge Spectrum’s K33QA-D (Davenport) returned to the air Aug. 11
Michigan
West Central Michigan Media Ministries’ WIHC/97.9 (Newberry) has been granted special temporary authority to transmit at about half of its licensed 50kW ERP. The station’s filing says the reduced-power operation is due to a transmitter tube failure.
Minnesota
The FCC approved a license to cover, including program test authority, for new station KRYX/91.9 (Fairmont), which uses 830W/56m (class A). The station carries Spanish-language Catholic programming from EWTN Radio Católica Mundial. KRYX is owned by Fairmont Area Catholic Radio, which also owns English-language Catholic station KYEJ/90.1 (Fairmont).
The FCC granted Edge Spectrum’s K29NY-D (Alexandria) a construction permit to upgrade from 250W to 15kW, and also granted Edge’s K31LN-D (Rochester) an upgrade from 100W to 15kW.
Nebraska
Nebraska Public Media’s K24GO-D (Blair) reports that it went off the air Aug. 9 due to storm damage to the facility and tower.
The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s KLPR/91.1 (Kearney) reports that it is operating at about half of its licensed 3.8kW ERP due to transmitter failure.
North Dakota
The FCC approved Major Market Broadcasting’s purchase of K23OL-D (Bismarck) from Lowcountry 34 Media, and the deal closed on Aug. 15.
Wisconsin
Roseland Broadcasting’s WMWI-LD/17 (Verona) went off the air Aug. 5 due to unspecified technical reasons.
Civic Media’s WHSM-FM/101.1 (Hayward) was granted special temporary authority to operate at reduced power of 855 Watts ERP, rather than its licensed 1.5kW, due to a transmitter problem. The station tells the FCC it is using a backup transmitter after receiving notice of possible interference to aeronautical frequency bands when its previous transmitter was in operation. The filing indicates Civic plans to purchase a new transmitter.
Following its earlier reduced-power notification, the FCC has granted special temporary authority to The University of Northwestern-St. Paul’s WDNW/91.9 (Ashland) to operate at 1kW ERP, rather than its licensed 4.5kW. The reduction is due to an air conditioning failure at the transmitter site. The station’s filing says repair is scheduled for August 19.