March 2003

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA:
KZLT/104.3 (East Grand Forks) is stunting with office sound effects and an announcement that a new at-work station is coming soon. There is currently no Adult Contemporary station in the market. KZLT was recently sold to Leighton Enterprises, and had been running an `80s-based Hot AC format for the past year and a half. (3/30/2003)

WISCONSIN:
Zoe Communications has ended the Adult Contemporary format on WJRV/95.9 (Durand-Menomonie) and begun a Classic Rock simulcast with WGMO/95.3 (Shell Lake-Rice Lake) under the "95GMO" name. 95.9's programming is still being rebroadcast on WQOQ/1430 (Durand). (3/27/2003)

MINNESOTA:
KQPR/96.1 (Albert Lea) has applied for an increase from class A to class C3. The station would increase from 6kW/100m to 19kW/117m from its same site, improving its signal in Austin and surrounding rural areas. The new facility would use a directional antenna to prevent interference to KQCL/95.9 (Faribault). (3/25/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Blaming a slow economy and soft ad sales, Clear Channel has cut three positions from KFGO/790 (Fargo). Afternoon host Steve Poitras, reporter Jim Monk, and sports director Mick Farkas have been laid off. Arbitron surveys show KFGO is the number one station in the market and has one of the largest audience shares in the rated markets. (3/25/2003)

WISCONSIN:
The end is apparently near for the commercial `70s Oldies format on WGLB-FM/100.1 (Port Washington-Milwaukee). Starboard Media is expected to take over the station in the coming weeks to run a non-commercial Catholic format. The last edition of "Loppy's Lounge" aired last Friday afternoon on WGLB-FM. (3/25/2003)

SOUTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA/NEBRASKA:
The Echostar Knowlege Base reports that DISH Network is testing Sioux Falls market locals. The Sioux Falls market includes the eastern half South Dakota, as well as five counties in southwestern Minnesota and one county in northern Nebraska. It appears that KSFY-ABC, KELO-CBS, KTTW-FOX, KDLT-NBC, and KCSD-PBS will be available to customers with a DISH 500 system, while KAUN-PAX, KPRY-ABC, KABY-ABC, and KSMN-PBS will be available to customers who also have a dish capable of receiving the "side satellite." (3/24/2003)

IOWA/MINNESOTA/NEBRASKA/WISCONSIN:
DirecTV has announced 39 more markets which will receive "local-into-local" service by the end of 2003. Markets on the latest list in the Upper Midwest are Duluth-Superior, Madison, and Omaha. The new markets will be carried on a new satellite set to launch later this year, and customers may have to upgrade their equipment to receive their local channels. If you're confused about all of the different local-into-local announcements that have been made by DirecTV and competitor DISH Network this year, check the scorecard. (3/20/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota broadcasting legend Darrell "Ugly Del" Mulroy has died. He passed away in his sleep after hosting his show last Saturday night on WWTC/1280. For more information on services, check www.uglydel.com. (3/20/2003)

NATIONWIDE/MINNESOTA:
Though war with Iraq had been expected for some time, its beginning at about 8:30 Wednesday night still caught many stations off guard. On TV, CNN, CBS, FOX, and NBC began coverage when the war began at about 8:30 central time, but ABC didn't begin its special report until about ten minutes later. Some ABC affiliates went to black at 10:01, when the network pitched to local news after telling affiliates there would be no cutaway. TV coverage was sporadic after 10:00, with many stations returning to regular programming. Coverage was less widespread on the radio. In the Duluth market, the only long-form coverage found throughout the evening was on KQDS/1490 (which carries CNN Headline News) and WPR's WHSA/89.9. WEBC/560 and KDAL/610 also aired long-form coverage for a time. MPR's WSCN/100.5 was carrying live coverage, but went to dead air for at least few hours in the late evening. Most Clear Channel and Midwest Communications in the market carried President Bush's 9:15 speech. (3/20/2003)

MICHIGAN:
After rescinding its earlier approval, the FCC has again approved Starboard Broadcasting's purchase of WDBC/680 and WYKX/104.7 (Escanaba) from KMB Broadcasting. The earlier approval had been rescinded as the FCC re-considered objections from former WDBC news director Polly Flinders, as well as from Richard Dershu. Starboard plans to retain WDBC for its Catholic network, but spin off Country-formatted WYKX to Lyle Evans. (3/19/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WSTM/91.3 (Kiel-Plymouth) has signed on, and Christian programming from sister WJUB/1420 (Plymouth) has been moved to the new FM station. 1420 is now airing a Nostalgia format as "The Breeze." (3/19/2003)

MINNESOTA:
There are some changes on the TV dial in Willmar, where Hubbard Broadcasting's translator of ABC affiliate KSAX has moved from channel 14 to 30 as K30FZ. UHF-TV's K36FL (Willmar), which relayed WB affiliate KMWB at last report, has moved from 36 to 14 as K14LF. (3/18/2003)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC has formally dismissed 47 applications for low-power FM stations in Minnesota, including all applications for LPFM's in the Twin Cities metro area. The applications were filed before Congress passed a bill banning LPFM stations on frequencies third-adjacent (.6 MHz away) from existing local stations. The FCC invited the applicants to apply for other frequencies, but no other viable frequencies are available. (3/18/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WGEE/1360 (Green Bay) has returned to an old set of call letters, WTAQ. The call letters recently became available after an Illinois station dropped them. WTAQ's format remains News/Talk. (3/18/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
After failing to find another affiliate in Fargo, the Rush Limbaugh show will return to Clear Channel's KVOX/1280 on Monday (3/17). The station had dropped the show at the beginning of the year. Rush is sydnicated by Clear Channel subsidiary Premiere Radio Networks. (3/15/2003)

WISCONSIN:
The FCC has allotted 96.3 to Owen for a future class C3 (25kW/100m) station. A station using the allocation would have to locate its tower 12.9km northeast of Owen. The station would provide a good signal to Clark, Taylor, eastern Chippewa, and western Marathon counties, and a fair signal to Marshfield. The request for the allocation was made by Starboard Broadcasting, but anybody will be able to apply for the frequency when the FCC opens a window of filing. (3/14/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA:
Local programming is set to resume this afternoon on KFJM/90.7 and KUND/1370 (Grand Forks). The University of North Dakota stopped the "Northern Lights Public Radio" format on the stations last year due to budget problems, and the stations have been carrying North Dakota Public Radio since then. (NDPR is also heard on KUND-FM/89.3 in Grand Forks.) UND and NDPR were able to reach an agreement for NDPR to program KFJM, with a similar lineup as before, but without the "Northern Lights" name. KFJM's initial schedule will include Morning Edition from 6-8a, World Cafe from 10a-Noon and 6-8p, and local Adult Alternative and Jazz shows. (3/13/2003)

MINNESOTA:
A few changes in Twin Cities low-power TV: