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:
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.
Sovereign also filed a fourth extension of consummation of its sale of seven radio stations in the Marquette and Iron Mountain markets to two different buyers, saying it continues to work for the release of liens on the assets being sold but that the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the process.
Minnesota
Gray TV amended its applications to purchase stations from Quincy Media in light of a Supreme Court ruling that eliminated the need for Gray to seek failing station waivers to buy second stations in the Duluth, Fort Wayne, and South Bend markets. The high court ruling eliminated a provision that disallowed sales that leave a market with fewer than eight ownership voices unless a failing station waiver was granted. A rule prohibiting co-ownership of two top-four stations remains in place, but none of the second stations being sought ranks in the top four in their markets. The stations being sold include CW affiliate KDLH/3.1 (Duluth), which is operated alongside NBC/CBS affiliate KBJR/6.1-6.2 (Superior-Duluth); the combination of KDLH and KBJR was previously granted during a brief period before a lower court ruling temporarily reinstated the eight-voices rule.
Alan and Linda Quarnstrom’s Q Media Properties is buying KBEK/95.5 (Mora) from Mary Lodin and Jay Mankie’s KBEK 95.5 Inc. for $295,000. Q Media, which also owns a pair of stations in nearby Pine City, has been operating KBEK under a local marketing agreement since last fall, when the plan to sell the station was first announced.
WMIN/1010 (Sauk Rapids-St. Cloud) was granted special temporary authority to operate at one-quarter of normal power while it rebuilds its phasing system. The station’s filing says it will separately apply to correct the tower spacing and bearings and make pattern changes. It’s currently licensed for 1.7kW day and 240 Watts night using different day and night directional patterns.
Nebraska
My Bridge Radio’s K282BR/104.3 (Grand Island) was granted a construction permit to move to 104.7 as K284DC. An earlier report here mentioned that the change involves a move to a taller tower but failed to note the frequency change. K282BR is expected to carry a new Spanish Christian format that will originate on KMMJ/750 (Grand Island).
North Dakota
New FM translator K258DT/99.5 (Harvey) applied for a license to cover its construction permit. It relays KHND/1470.
Ontario
The CRTC approved an extension until May 13, 2022 to construct CBLB-FM/90.9 (Schreiber) after the CBC said the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the project. The new CBC Radio One transmitter will replace CBLB/1340.
South Dakota
Real Presence Radio’s K233BR/94.5 (Brookings) moved to 94.9 with the new callsign K235DE, upgrading from 10 to 250 Watts. The translator carries the Catholic network via KGWD/94.5 (Sioux Falls).
Rapid Broadcasting analog low-power TV station KWBH-LP/27 (Rapid City) went off the air on March 22, citing antenna issues. The station has a construction permit to flash-cut to digital.
Wisconsin
The FCC denied a petition for reconsideration from Stewards of Sound regarding a second interference complaint against W279DD/103.7 (Hudson). Stewards of Sound is the licensee of WWIB/103.7 (Hallie-Eau Claire). The FCC says Stewards of Sound did not make enough of an attempt to resolve the issue privately as required by a 2019 change to rules for interference complaints against translators.
Heart of Wisconsin Media closed on its purchase of WFHR/1320 (Wisconsin Rapids), W248DE/97.5 (Wisconsin Rapids), and WLJY/105.5 (Nekoosa-Wisconsin Rapids) on April 16.
Michael Crute’s New WTTN LLC filed an extension of consummation of its purchase of WTTN/1580 (Columbus) and W224EG/92.7 (Madison) from Good Karma Broadcasting.
Future low-power TV station W31EV-D (Wausau), which Gray TV is in the process of buying from DTV America, applied to move to the candelabra tower on Rib Mountain used by several Wausau TV and FM stations. It will use 15kW, the maximum for LPTV.
The candelabra tower on Rib Mountain is owned by a group of broadcasters known as Rib Mountain Communications JV.
The tower is within Rib Mountain State Park and even has its own interpretive sign.
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