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.
The FCC extended the FM translator filing window to end on Nov. 23 at 5 p.m. Central time after a temporary shutdown of the Licensing Management System prevented some applicants from filing. The window opened Nov. 4 and had originally been scheduled to end Nov. 17. The applications are not yet publicly released.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr made a visit to North Dakota, where his stops included a roundtable discussion on broadcast regulations. According to a report by The Forum, Carr repeated his stances on changing ownership rules and giving more power to TV stations in their relationships with networks.
Iowa
God’s Grace Radio’s KGDR-LP/106.7 (Dyersville) submitted a license to cover application indicating that it has completed a move of its transmitter to a site southwest of town, using 52 Watts.
HC2 Broadcasting has applied for the following low-power TV stations:
- Fort Dodge, channel 33, 15kW
- Hornick, channel 26, 11kW
- Iowa City, channel 19, 15kW
- Laurens, channel 35, 15kW
Manitoba
U Multicultural’s CFUM-DT/14 (Winnipeg) has been granted permission to add a digital subchannel carrying Indigenous programming. The CRTC says it received 27 interventions in response to the application, all in support of the new channel.
The CRTC has granted a change to the authorized facilities for CBC Radio One station CBWV-FM/97.9 (Brandon) to switch from 90kW/300m to 59.986kW/295m, though the application notes that there will be no change in real coverage because CBWV-FM “has been operating at reduced power for quite some time.” The change is part of a project to replace the transmitters for both CBWV-FM and CBC Music station CBWS-FM/92.7 (Brandon), the latter of which was reported here several weeks ago. The CBWS-FM application remains open for public comment through Nov. 16 but the CBWV-FM application has already been approved.
Michigan
HC2 Broadcasting has applied for the following low-power TV stations:
- Powers, channel 34, 12kW
- Republic, channel 29, 7kW
Minnesota
Northland Community & Technical College’s KSRQ/90.1 (Thief River Falls) has completed an upgrade from 24kW/102m (class C3) to 44kW/128m (class C2). The change improves KSRQ’s signal to Crookston and Grand Forks.
HC2 Broadcasting has applied for the following low-power TV stations:
- Bemidji, channel 30, 15kW
- Clara City, channel 32, 15kW
- Hastings, channel 18, 8kW
- Hibbing, channel 36, 11kW
- Pillager, channel 34, 15kW
- Reno, channel 21, 10kW
- Saint Wendel, channel 18, 15kW
- Warren, channel 34, 15kW
- Waseca, channel 28, 12kW
- Wheaton, channel 33, 15kW
Nebraska
HC2 Broadcasting applied for a new low-power TV station on channel 25 in Angora, using 15kW.
North Dakota
HC2 Broadcasting has applied for the following low-power TV stations:
- Galesburg, channel 33, 15kW
- Minot, channel 32, 15kW
- Pembina, channel 33, 15kW
South Dakota
HC2 Broadcasting has applied for the following low-power TV stations:
- Castlewood, channel 30, 15kW
- Irene, channel 31, 15kW
- Pierpoint, channel 22, 15kW
Wisconsin
HC2 Broadcasting has applied for the following low-power TV stations:
- Arkansaw, channel 16, 8kW
- Belgium, channel 19, 15kW
- Bloomington, channel 27, 6kW
- Glandon, channel 30, 15kW
- Mather, channel 21, 9kW
- Mount Morris, channel 35, 15kW
- Nashotah, channel 15, 6kW
- Newton, channel 33, 15kW
- Princeton, channel 17, 9kW
- Rice Lake, channel 34, 15kW
Lowcountry 34 Media applied for low-power TV stations on channels 22 and 31 in Madison, each using 15kW.
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.