May 2005

NEBRASKA/IOWA:
"Bob" has come to the Omaha market on KCTY-FM/106.9 (Plattsmouth). The NRG Media station made the switch from `80s Hits to Classic Hits/Hot AC on Thursday (5/26). (5/27/2005)

MINNESOTA:
A station sale could mean an end to one of the Twin Cities longest-running formats.

Minnesota Public Radio is selling KLBB/1400 (St. Paul) and simulcaster KLBP/1470 (Brooklyn Park) to Davidson Media Group, a multicultural broadcaster, for $5.2 million. The Star Tribune quotes Davidson's president as saying KLBB will likely be changed to a spanish-language format, while KLBP may continue to simulcast with KLBB, target Asian audiences, or keep its current "Club 14" format. 1400's nondirectional 1kW signal is strong in Minneapolis and St. Paul, while 1470's highly directional 5kW signal is strong in the northern suburbs.

The KLBB format launched in 1982 playing big band and standards, though in recent years, the format has moved to include more pop oldies from the `60s and `70s. The 1470 signal was added in 1994 after the two stations were purchased by Cargill, which had originally planned to simulcast the "Rev 105" alternative format on the stations, but spared the format after a public outcry. Cargill later donated the stations to MPR after selling "Rev 105."

MPR says the ten full-time employees affected by the sale will be offered severance packages and given first opportunity for openings at MPR and its sister companies. The 1400 transmitter site on Frontenac Road in St. Paul, which has been home to a number of Twin Cities stations over the years, will be retained by MPR, which will lease the tower to the new licensee. (5/26/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Northland College station WRNC-LP/97.7 (Ashland) plans to begin broadcasting on Wednesday (5/25). The station will broadcast from 4-10 p.m. this summer, with a goal of beginning the broadcast day at 7 a.m. when more students are around this fall. Programming will initially be all-music, but broadcasts of lectures and sports are planned. (5/24/2005)

WISCONSIN:
38-Watt translator W245AK/96.9 (Sheboygan) has signed on, relaying the Christian Rock programming of WRGX/88.5 (Sturgeon Bay). (5/23/2005)

MANITOBA:
The CRTC has approved Rogers Media's application to purchase CIIT/35 (Winnipeg), which is not yet on the air, along with a British Columbia station. CIIT's original licensee, Trinity Television, will still be involved in developing programming for the station. (5/20/2005)

IOWA:
KEGR/89.5 (Fort Dodge) has applied for a license to cover, meaning the station has signed on, or soon will. The 17kW station is owned by Family Stations, owner of the Family Radio network. (5/20/2005)

IOWA:
Translator K238AN/95.5 (Ames) has signed on carrying KZZQ/99.5 (Winterset-Des Moines). It's the third Contemporary Christian format available in Ames, joining Northwestern's KNWM/96.1 (Madrid) and K-Love translator K290AJ/105.9 (Gilbert), which both picked up the format in recent years. (5/20/2005)

ONTARIO:
Contemporary Hits have returned to Thunder Bay. 50-Watt CFQK/104.5 (Kaministiqua) and 10-Watt repeater CKED/103.5 (Shuniah Township) are now "Hot FM," replacing the seven-month-old Classic Hits/Hot AC format dubbed "Larry." Dougall Media made the flip on Wednesday (5/18) after spring ratings showed "Larry" in last place. Dougall had run the "Hot" format on 105.3 before NewCap resumed operation of the station and changed its format to Classic Rock in January. The new format is the fourth for CFQK since it signed on in 2001. (5/19/2005)

SINCLAIR-DISH NETWORK DISPUTE:
Sinclair Broadcasting has begun running crawls on its stations warning that the stations could leave DISH Network on June 1, since the company and DISH Network have not reached a new carriage agreement. Sinclair's stations include the WB affiliate in Minneapolis, UPN and WB in Milwaukee, FOX in Madison, FOX in Des Moines, and CBS in Cedar Rapids. (5/17/2005)

WISCONSIN:
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that WOKY/920 will pick up Delilah's evening Adult Contemporary show on June 1. No mention whether the station will continue its Soft Oldies format the rest of the day. (5/17/2005)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Rapid City booster update: Bethesda Christian Broadcasting stations KLMP/97.9 and KSLT/107.3 have each received a construction permit for a 3.9kW booster in Rapid City. (Boosters operate on the same frequency as the primary station.) Meanwhile, KFMH (Belle Fourche) has applied for a 1kW booster in Rapid City. The station is currently on 102.1, not reaching Rapid City, but has a construction permit to move to 101.9 with 100kW from Terry Peak. (5/13/2005)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
Fargo is the latest market to get the latest fad format: Clear Channel has flipped "Outlaw Country 92.7" (KFAB-FM Kindred) to "92.7 My FM," mixing hits from the `60s to today. The new format launched Wednesday (5/11) at 4 p.m. Unless another format flip is pending, the change marks Clear Channel's abandonment of the country format in Fargo, having been through several incarnations on 92.7 and 101.9. (5/12/2005)

MINNESOTA:
Northern Community Radio (KAXE/91.7 Grand Rapids) is off the air this week as it moves to a long-awaited new facility along the Mississippi River, three times the size of its previous space at Itasca Community College. The 100kW station's new facility includes two broadcast studios, digital editing and production studios, office spaces, and a community meeting room. An outdoor sculpture garden, festival tent, and ampitheater are also planned. KAXE is expected to begin broadcasting rom the new facility on Friday (5/13). (5/10/2005)

IOWA:
American Family Association has received a construction permit for a new station to serve the Waterloo area. The new station on 88.9, licensed to Waverly, will use 15kW at 100m from a site 28 miles northeast of Waterloo. The station will deliver a good to fair signal to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area. The new station is made possible by Wartburg College's KWAR (Waverly) moving from 89.1 to 89.9. (5/7/2005)

MICHIGAN:
Radioactive, LLC, has received a construction permit for a new class C3 station on 96.7 in Republic, using 16.11kW at 125m. (5/7/2005)

WISCONSIN:
100-Watt WHYS-LP/96.3 (Eau Claire) has signed on. The station plans a diverse community format, but is carrying an automated mix of music for now. (5/7/2005)

WISCONSIN:
Entercom's WBZU/105.1 (Waunakee-Madison) has transitioned from "The Buzz" to "Charlie FM," formally adopting the fad Classic Hits/Hot AC format. The format was actually mostly in place already, having evolved from `80s Hits over the past few years. (5/6/2005)

IOWA:
Decorah's "K-Viking Gold" (KVIK/104.7) has moved from Oldies to Classic Hits, though the new format stretches from the `50s to the `80s, including many of the songs played previously. (5/6/2005)

WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
Chris Earl, one of only three on-air personalities to keep his job following the sale of Duluth CBS affiliate KDLH/3, is leaving for a job in Eau Claire. He'll take over as 6 and 10 p.m. co-anchor at NBC affiliate WEAU/13 when longtime co-anchor Pat Kreitlow retires at the end of the month. Earl had worked at WEAU in 1998 and 1999 before leaving for KDLH. (5/5/2005)

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA:
The FCC has approved applications that will add two new rimshot signals to the Fargo market. Sheyenne Valley Broadcasting's KQLX-FM/106.1 (Lisbon, ND) will upgrade to 100kW at 218m from a site midway between Lisbon and Fargo. R&J Broadcasting's KRJB/106.3 (Ada, MN) will stay at its current site, but move to 106.5 and upgrade to 100kW at 138m. Both stations should deliver a good signal to the Fargo-Moorhead area once the upgrades are complete. (5/5/2005)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio is dropping the second half of "Talk of the Nation" beginning May 23. In its place, MPR's News and Information network will add "Day to Day" from 2-3 p.m.; the first hour of "TOTN" will continue to air from 1-2 p.m. Of the change, MPR says it is "committed to serving our audience with the most compelling news and information available." The network is also shuffling its Sunday lineup beginning this weekend, adding CBC's "Quirks and Quarks." (5/5/2005)

MICHIGAN:
Todd Stuart Noordyk is selling WHTO/106.7 (Iron Mountain) to Bruce Grassman's Results Broadcasting for $650,000. Grassman also owns WOBE/100.7 (Crystal Falls) and WJNR/101.5 (Iron Mountain). (5/5/2005)

IOWA/NEBRASKA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
Pappas Telecasting is now operating CBS affiliate KMEG/14 under a shared services agreement with KMEG owner Waitt Broadcasting, reports the Sioux City Journal. Pappas also owns Sioux City FOX affiliate KPTH/44. KPTH's staff will move in to KMEG's Dakota Dunes facility, and KMEG may eventually produce a newscast to air on FOX44. Omaha-based Waitt owns no other TV stations and is merging its radio group with NRG Media. (5/3/2005)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
There's yet another new radio station coming to the Rapid City market: Michael Radio Group has received a construction permit to upgrade its KRKI/99.5 (Newcastle, WY) to reach the city. The CP is for 100kW at 302m (class C0) from a site southwest of Hill City; KRKI has also applied for a 1.1kW booster in Rapid City. The new station will displace a local translator on 99.5. There are two other stations coming soon to the market: KFMH/102.1 (Belle Fourche) has a CP to move to 101.9 with a stronger signal, and Connoisseur Media has a CP for a new station on 102.7 licensed to Box Elder. (5/3/2005)

IOWA:
KQMG/1220 and KQMG-FM/95.3 (Independence) have started rebroadcasting some newscasts from KCRG-TV/9 (Cedar Rapids). 1220 airs the 5-6:30 p.m. block of local and ABC news, which also airs on KCRG/1600, while 95.3 airs just the 5-5:30 p.m. newscast. (5/3/2005)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KELOLAND.com reports that Backyard Broadcasting fired eight employees upon taking over five Sioux Falls radio stations formerly owned by Midcontinent Media. Those let go include the general manager and seven on-air personalities. (5/2/2005)