The following are updates to stories previously reported here and other recent FCC filings and actions:
Minnesota
Fox Television Stations’ KMSP/9.9 (Minneapolis) reported that it has completed an upgrade from 30kW to 36.2kW. Broadcasting on RF channel 9, KMSP is the last Twin Cities station operating on VHF High. Its primary FOX affiliation on channel 9.9 is simulcast on channel 9.1 of sister station WFTC (RF 29), reaching viewers who may have trouble receiving KMSP’s VHF frequency. The KMSP transmitter also carries Buzzr on 9.4, TheGrio on 9.5, and Decades on 9.6.
Pensacola Christian College’s KPCS/89.7 (Princeton) reported that it is operating at reduced power while it awaits repairs to its transmitter. Normally using 40kW effective radiated power, KPCS is currently transmitting at 14.8kW ERP.
The FCC has identified Fairmont Area Catholic Radio as the tentative selectee for a new station on 90.1 in Fairmont. The application is in competition with VCY America’s application for 90.1 in Sherburn, We Have This Hope Christian Radio’s application for 90.1 in Welcome, St. Gabriel Communications’ application for 89.9 in Spencer, Iowa. The Fairmont application was identified as the tentative selectee because it was the only one of the four to claim eligibility for a fair distribution preference, which favors proposed facilities that provide service to people without current reception of non-comm stations.
Nebraska
Gray TV NBC affiliate WOWT/6.1 (Omaha) submitted a Next Gen license modification application showing that it will be part of the market’s “lighthouse” ATSC 3.0 signal on KXVO (RF 29), which is expected to sign on later this month. Earlier filings have shown that KXVO’s NextGen signal will also simulcast Scripps CBS affiliate KMTV/3.1, Hearst ABC affiliate KETV/7.1, and Sinclair FOX affiliate KPTM/42.1.
The FCC has approved iHeartMedia’s applications to move the transmitters of K235CD/94.9 (Omaha) and K272FE/102.3 (Council Bluffs-Omaha) about 1km to the east due to the impending demolition of its present site. K235CD will increase power from 110 Watts to 250 Watts, while K272FE will remain 99 Watts. The translators are fed by KISO-HD2 and KFFF-HD2.
The Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission reported that TV translator K23AA-D (Beatrice) is operating at about 70% of licensed power due to antenna failure. K23AA is licensed for 8.8kW and is currently using 6.1kW.
North Dakota
I3G Media is seeking a Mattoon Waiver to move K240CJ/95.9 (Oakes) northwest to LaMoure. K240CJ had relayed I3G’s KDDR/1220 but became unneeded in Oakes when KDDR instead signed on K262DH/100.3 (Oakes), which was granted during the AM Revitalization effort. From LaMoure, K240CJ would relay KDDR using 250 Watts. A Mattoon Waiver, named after the Illinois community where it was first used, allows FM translators to be moved farther than normally allowed if they are used to relay a specified AM station for at least four years.
South Dakota
The FCC formally cancelled the licenses of the four Lowry TV translators owned by the South Dakota Five County TV Translator District after issuing a public notice last month warning that the licenses were due to expire April 1. K44ME-D, K46MX-D, K48OQ-D, and K50NL-D (Lowry) did not seek license renewal. They were last known to provide the only commercial network TV service to the area. A reader points out that the Prairie Pioneer reported in 2019 that the TV Translator District was being abandoned, but no filings were submitted informing the FCC that the translators had shut down.
Wisconsin
Several months after the deal was publicly announced, an application has been filed to transfer WAUK/540 (Jackson-Milwaukee) and W266DR/101.1 (Waukesha) from Good Karma Brands Milwaukee LLC to Michael Crute’s WAUK Radio LLC for $650,000. Crute owns 80% of the company and Sage Weil owns 20%. The buyer has been operating WAUK/W266DR since January 1 under a time brokerage agreement.