The following are updates to stories previously reported here and smaller recent FCC filings and actions that do not merit a full story of their own at this time:
Iowa
The Educational Media Foundation returned the license of K250CA/97.9 (Marshalltown). No reason for the decision is listed in FCC filings. K250CA had relayed the “K-Love” network from KKLG/88.3 (Newton).
Michigan
Sovereign Communications says it is continuing to work through the insurance claims process after a 2018 tower collapse affected WYSS/99.5 (Sault Ste. Marie) and WMKD/105.5 (Pickford-Sault Ste. Marie). The stations are both licensed for 100kW and requested extension of special temporary authority to use 1.3kW and 700 Watts, respectively.
Minnesota
HC2 Broadcasting’s KJNK-LD/25 (Minneapolis) was granted special temporary authority to transmit with 1kW while it works to install a new directional antenna. KJNK had previously transmitted with 15kW non-directional, but the spectrum auction repack reassigned WQOW (Eau Claire, WI) to RF channel 25, forcing KJNK to make changes to prevent interference to WQOW. The new directional antenna will limit KJNK’s signal to the east and will remove some eastern suburbs from its coverage area.
The callsign of WWAX/92.1 (Hermantown-Duluth) was officially changed to WWPE-FM on Oct. 20, but the station continues its “Sasquatch” Classic Rock format (the station sometimes secondarily refers to itself as a “Stink Ape”). The change follows the station’s sale to Townsquare Media. 92.1 had been WWAX, an homage to heritage market callsign WAKX, since its 1996 sign-on.
Nebraska
Gray TV requested special temporary authority for its KCWH-LD/18 (Lincoln) to serve as the temporary channel sharing host for KOLN/10 (Lincoln), which has been off the air since a January tower collapse. Some of KOLN’s programming has already been temporarily carried on subchannels of KCWH-LD as well as competing station KLKN/8. The special temporary authority would mean that KOLN would no longer be considered silent, as the station faces a statutory January deadline to return to the air. As previously reported, KOLN is working to rebuild its tower.
The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s KWTN/100.9 (Allen) amended its earlier-reported application to move to 97.1 and increase power. The FCC responded to the initial application with a letter noting that such a move would be considered a major change requiring notice and comment procedures, unless a waiver is granted. KWTN has now requested such a waiver. It says the consent decree that caused the station to be transferred from its previous owner to the tribe allowed for a waiver “if the proposed operation will provide service at a location that will satisfy the Tribal Priority requirements.” It says the proposed upgrade would allow KWTN to provide far greater service to the Winnebago community.
The FCC approved the transfer of KMMJ/750 (Grand Island) and K282BR/104.3 (Grand Island) from The Praise Network to My Bridge.
North Dakota
Gray TV returned the licenses of KNDX-LD/28 (Dickinson) and KXND-LD/20 (Williston). The low-power TV stations first signed on as translators of then-FOX affiliates KNDX (Bismarck) and KXND (Minot). When Gray took over the FOX affiliation and moved it to subchannels of its NBC stations in Bismarck, Minot, Dickinson, and Williston six years ago, it retained the translators and parked the callsigns there. However, their over-the-air coverage duplicated KQCD/7.2 (Dickinson) and KUMV/8.2 (Williston).
Wisconsin
Morgan Murphy Media CBS affiliate WKBT/8 (La Crosse) was granted a construction permit to increase from 25.7kW to 38.7kW.
Word of God Fellowship/Daystar applied for a license to cover for WDMW-LD/24 (Janesville), meaning the station is now on the air or soon will be. The new 250-Watt facility is the successor to a previous operation on channel 45 which was forced to leave the air by the elimination of channels 38 and up.
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