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.
National
The FCC has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking defining “local programming” as part of an initiative to offer priority to certain applications from stations that offer at least three hours of local programming per week.
To qualify as local, the programming would have to be produced either within the station’s principal community contour or within 25 miles of its community of license. It can include recordings from outside of the local area “as long as the program also includes some other element of local creation” (a minimum percentage of local content is not specified). It cannot include “repetitive or automated programs.”
The initiative could have the side effect of creating an official listing of which stations have local programming, though participation will be voluntary. The priority would only apply to renewal, assignment, or transfer of license applications, not for facility changes or special temporary authority requests.
Iowa
The FCC granted special temporary authority for Townsquare Media’s KJOC/93.5 (Bettendorf-Quad Cities) to use 250 Watts from an alternate site after an apparent antenna failure. The temporary KJOC facility is actually the equipment of Townsquare’s K281DB/104.1 (Davenport), which is temporarily off the air due to KJOC’s emergency operations.
Educational Media Foundation’s KAIP/88.9 (Wapello) reported that it has been operating at an unspecified reduced power since Jan. 9 due to a power supply module failure.
Michigan
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s WZAM/970 (Ishpeming-Marquette) has applied to reduce its daytime power from 5kW to 250 Watts, the minimum daytime power for AM stations. It would remain non-directional and continue to use 62 Watts at night. WZAM feeds translator W295CX/106.9 (Marquette).
West Central Michigan Media Ministries’ WIHC/97.9 (Newberry) reported on Jan. 16 that it returned to full power of 50kW on Oct. 18.
Minnesota
Lakeland Media LLC, owned by J. David Linder and Lynn Ketelsen, closed on its purchase of KWLM/1340 (Willmar), KQIC/102.5 (Willmar), and KLFN/106.5 (Sunburg-Willmar) from Steven Linder’s Lakeland Broadcasting Co. on Jan. 16. On the same day, Lynn Ketelsen and J. David Linder’s Seagrape Trust completed their buyout of Steven Linder’s shares in Bold Radio, licensee of KOLV/100.1 (Olivia), which is run by Lakeland Media through a local marketing agreement.
Zoe Communications’ WELY-FM/94.5 (Ely), which is currently off the air, has applied to upgrade from its current 6kW/100m (class A) to 35kW/100m (class C2). The power increase would add Tower and the Lake Vermilion area to WELY-FM’s main coverage area and also improve its signal in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which has little radio reception.
Minnesota Public Radio’s KSJR-FM/90.1 (Collegeville-St. Cloud) reported that it has been operating at 50% of its licensed 100kW since Jan. 7 due to transmitter issues.
Nebraska
The FCC granted an upgrade to future Community Broadcasting/Bott Radio Network station KNCV/90.9 (North Platte) from 25kW/84m (class C3) to 41kW/94m (class C2).
North Dakota
Faith Baptist Church’s KCBJ/90.7 (Jamestown) was granted special temporary authority to transmit at reduced power due to antenna damage. Normally using a transmitter power output of 490 Watts to achieve 550 Watts ERP, the station is temporarily using about 100 Watts TPO.
Wisconsin
The FCC approved G&G Media Services LLC’s purchase of WWIS-FM/99.7 (Black River Falls), WWIS/1260 (Black River Falls), and WWIS translator W287CT/105.3 from Dan Smith’s WWIS Radio Inc. The buyer has been operating the stations under a time brokerage agreement since Sept. 28.
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.