FCC Monitor: 10 Public Radio Stations at Lower Power; KZIA Back to 100kW

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.

Illinois

Northern Illinois University replied to VCY America’s petition to deny NIU’s application for a new station on 90.1 in Galena, IL, which is in competition with VCY’s application for 90.1 in Mineral Point, WI. The FCC identified NIU as the tentative selectee based on points awarded for being an established local applicant, but VCY argued that NIU should not be allowed to claim the points because its campus is more than 25 miles from Galena. NIU’s response says that it is not required to be within 25 miles because, as a state-owned entity, FCC rules regard it as a local entity anywhere within Illinois.

---

Iowa

KZIA/102.9 (Cedar Rapids) reported that it returned to full power of 100kW on Dec. 21. It had previously reported that it began operating at reduced power in October due to a transmitter problem.

---

Minnesota

Minnesota Public Radio reported that nine of its stations are operating at reduced power due to extensive icing at tower sites. The affected stations and their current percentage of normal power are:

• KNCM/91.3 (Appleton), 20% of licensed 82kW
• KCRB-FM/88.5 (Bemidji), 20% of licensed 83kW
• KNBJ/91.3 (Bemidji), 20% of licensed 65kW
• KBPN/88.3 (Brainerd), 45% of licensed 5kW
• KBPR/90.7 (Brainerd), 20% of licensed 34kW
• WSCN/100.5 (Cloquet-Duluth), 50% of licensed 97kW
• KNSR/88.9 (Collegeville-St. Cloud), 15% of licensed 100kW
• KSJR-FM/90.1 (Collegeville-St. Cloud), 20% of licensed 100kW
• KRSW/89.3 (Worthington), 10% of licensed 100kW

Filings say the stations will return to full power as weather conditions allow. MPR also updates the status of its stations on its website.

---

Nebraska

The Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission withdrew its application for a new station on 88.9 in Pender. It had been in competition with the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s application for 88.9 in Winnebago.

The FCC approved callsigns for two future MyBridge Radio stations: KRLK/90.1 (Norfolk) and KHUY/89.9 (Schuyler).

Flood Communications West closed on its purchase of KIMB/104.3 (Dix-Kimball) from Michael Radio Company on Dec. 16.

---

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Public Radio Ideas Network station KUWS/91.3 (Superior), which actually transmits from Duluth, submitted a notification that it has been operating at less than 90% of its licensed 83kW since Dec. 14 due to icing. The exact power being used was not specified. The filing said KUWS expects to return to full power when weather conditions improve in the coming weeks.