WISCONSIN:
Hubbard Broadcasting's WIXK/1590 (New Richmond) has changed back to Country. When WIXK-FM/107.1 changed to a Female Talk format several weeks ago, AM1590 had temporary continued to rebroadcast the FM. The format run on WIXK is ABC's Real Country. The New Richmond News reports in its June 27 edition that Hubbard is not selling ads on the station because it does not believe the station can operate profitably, partly because it's a daytime-only station. (The station did, at one time, have authorization for nighttime operation with just 70 Watts.) Hubbard is looking for a buyer for 1590 and has even offered to donate it to the city or a local school. Meanwhile, WFMP/107.1 is still identifying New Richmond as its community of license, though it will eventually change to Coon Rapids, MN. (6/29/02, updated 6/30)
MINNESOTA:
The FCC has approved BDI Broadcasting's plan to swap the communities of license for KMSR/94.3 (Sauk Centre) and KIKV/100.7 (Alexandria), allowing KMSR to upgrade. KMSR, currently a 6kW class A station, will operate as a class C3 station with 13.5kW at 136m from a site northwest of Alexandria. While KIKV will change its community of license from Alexandria to Sauk Centre, the station's coverage area won't change much because only minor technical changes are planned. (6/29/02)
IOWA:
George S. Flinn, Junior, has received a construction permit for a new 6kW station on 107.1 in Vinton after reaching a settlement agreement with eight other applicants for the allocation. The station should provide a good signal to the Cedar Rapids area, though it will not be quite as strong as other stations in the market. (See page 9 of their technical exhibit for a coverage map.) The CP expires June 24, 2005. (6/28/02)
IOWA/NORTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has granted construction permits for low-power FM stations to a number of local Christian groups organized by Lyle Evans of Kaukana, WI. Evans' involvement in the applications has been controversial in the Christian LPFM community. The stations, mostly 100 Watts, would carry locally-produced Catholic programming and fill the rest of their 24/7 broadcast schedule with EWTN Radio. The Iowa construction permits that have been issued are: 98.3, Burlington Educational Association; 94.7, Charles City Educational Association; 92.5, Clinton Educational Association; 99.1 Denison, Faith Association; 96.7, Marshalltown Association for Catholic Education and Evangelism; 94.7, Mason City Educational Association; 105.3, Muscatine Educational Association; 96.7, Waukon Educational Association; 94.7 Waverly, St. Philomena Educational Radio Association; and 103.3, Webster City Educational Association. The North Dakota construction permits are: 98.5, Devils Lake Educational Prayer Association; and 100.3 Dickinson, Trinity Educational Association. (6/28/02)
IOWA/NORTH DAKOTA:
A few other low-power FM construction permits have been issued. The Cedar Valley Music Authority received a CP for an LPFM station on 96.9 in Cedar Falls, IA. The group's mission statement says they are "decidated to educating our listenership as to the quality and diversity of the arts community in and around Cedar Falls." Elswhere, The North Dakota Department of Transportation received CP's for LPFM stations on 93.9 in Devils Lake, 94.9 in Dickinson, and 98.9 in Grand Forks. (6/28/02)
MINNESOTA:
For an unannounced reason, the FCC has rescinded the construction permit it issued earlier this month to KTTC Television for a translator on channel 8 in Mankato. KTTC had just asked for a 15th extension of time. (6/28/02)
WISCONSIN/NATIONWIDE:
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) has introduced his "Competition in Radio and Concert Industries Act." (6/27/02)
WISCONSIN:
UPN could be coming to the Chippewa Valley. White Eagle Partnership, which owns La Crosse UPN affiliate KQEG-CA/23 (La Crescent), is buying the construction permit for 1kW W45CF/45 (Chippewa Falls). The CP calls for a 1kW signal that wouldn't get far out of Chippewa Falls, but a power increase could be sought. La Crosse and Eau Claire are in the same TV market. (6/26/02)
IOWA:
The Receivership of Lifestyle Communications is selling KJJC/106.9 (Osceola-Des Moines), KLRX/96.1 (Madrid-Ames), and KIIC/97.9 (Lamoni) to Continental Radio Broadcasting of Iowa for $2.2 million. KJJC and KLRX simulcast a Sports format called "The Jock," while KIIC plays Classic Country as "I98." Continental has no other broadcast interests, though its sole owner, David Peschau of La Crosse, WI, is also the manager of another company using the Continental name that owns one station in Las Vegas. (6/25/02)
IOWA:
After a week as WSJZ, Wilks Broadcasting's AM1700 (Des Moines) has changed call back to KBGG. The WSJZ callsign had been "parked" in Des Moines after a station using the call in the New Orleans market changed format. 1700's format was unaffected. There's no immediate word whether "WSJZ" has been moved to another station, but a search of FCC records finds no results for the callsign. (6/22/02)
MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
WFMP/107.1 is apparently now transmitting from its new facility in Shoreview. The signal is stronger everywhere and is now in stereo, unlike the monoraul signal that had been used on 107.1 since the Talk for Women format debuted a few weeks ago. The legal ID still says New Richmond (Coon Rapids is the community of license associated with the Shoreview permit), so the station must be in "test" mode. As of Friday (6/21), WIXK/1590 (New Richmond) was still rebroadcasting WFMP but is expected to eventually return to the "Real Country" format. (6/22/02)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Consolidation in Devil's Lake: Double Z Broadcasting, which owns KZZY/103.5, is buying KDLR/1240 and KDVL/102.5 from Dakota Rose Broadcasting for $820,000. Double Z is owned by Lawrence Larson of Devil's Lake, Curtis Teigen of Devil's Lake, and Curtis and Bonnie Teigen of Rugby. (6/22/02)
MINNESOTA/NORTH
DAKOTA:
Prairie Public Broadcasting has received a construction permit for a new digital station on channel 16 in Crookston. There is no analog channel associated with this new facility. Prairie Public Broadcasting has long served residents of northwestern Minnesota through its Fargo and Grand Forks stations, but this is the first Prairie Public station licensed in Minnesota. The transmitter for the 105kW station will be north of Crookston, near Euclid, and should provide a strong signal to Crookston, Grand Forks, and Theif River Falls. (6/21/02)
MICHIGAN/MINNESOTA/NEBRASKA:
The FCC has issued construction permits for new low-power TV stations:
WISCONSIN:
Midwest Radio Network is buying WNBI/980 and WCQM/98.3 (Park Falls) from Nicolet Broadcasting for $850,000. Midwest also operates four Ashland-area stations through a time brokerage agreement. The sale includes an agreement that Nicolet will not operate any other statoins in the market through May 2008. (6/19/02)
MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
DirecTV has added stations owned by Paxson Communications to its local station packages following a court ruling last week. (Paxson operates the PAX network.) In the Minneapolis market, KPXM (St. Cloud) is seen on channel 41 on newer receivers and channel 905 on older receivers. In the Milwaukee market, WPXE (Kenosha) is seen on channel 55 on newer receivers and channel 953 on older receivers. (6/19/02)
MINNESOTA:
The FCC has granted Three Angels Broadcasting Network a construction permit for a 45kW station on channel 38 in Correll, K38HG. (6/19/02)
MINNESOTA:
WTIP/90.7 (Grand Marais) has signed on a translator on the Gunflint Trail, W219CU/91.7. (6/19/02)
IOWA:
Wilks Broadcasting's KBGG/1700 (Des Moines) has changed to WSJZ, but that doesn't necessarily mean a format change is imminent. Wilks had formerly used the WSJZ call in New Orleans but moved the call letters to Des Moines after a format change. So far, the regular format of CNN Headline News has continued on 1700. (6/13/02)
WISCONSIN:
The FCC has approved an upgrade and ownership change for WHPN/UPN57 (Janesville-Madison). Acme Television has purchased the station from Puri Family LP for $5 million. The station has received a construction permit to move its transmitter to a tower on Madison's west side used by most of Madison's TV stations, where it will operate with 5000kW. Acme plans to flip the station's affiliation to The WB this fall. (6/12/02)
WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
Hubbard Broadcasting's WIXK-FM/107.1 (New Richmond, WI) unveiled its new format targeting the Twin Cities Monday, June 10, but the transmitter move that will give 107.1 a good signal across the metro isn't expected to take place for another week or so. When the move is made, 107.1 will be broadcasting with 25kW from an antenna 150m above average terrain in Shoreview. 107.1 will change its community of license to Coon Rapids, MN. FM107's new format is Talk targeted to women. The lineup includes Arnie Arneson from 6-8 a.m., a temporary simulcast of Ian Punnett's KSTP/1500 show, and Dr. Laura. The station does have locally-produced news, but does not air news on the hour like traditional talk formats, instead running commercials at that time. 5kW daytimer WIXK/1590 (New Richmond) is still rebroadcasting 107.1. Hubbard had earlier said the station would continue the Country format that had been simulcast on AM and FM, so it may be a temporary format for 1590. (6/11/02)
IOWA:
The FCC has granted the Iowa Department of Transportation construction permits for 15 new low-power stations across the state: Adair 102.9 19W, Avoca 102.9 17W, De Soto 104.9 41W, Loveland 95.1 25W, Marquette 96.7 10W, Mount Pleasant 98.5 74W, Neola 102.5 14W, Osceola 92.9 71W, Prairie City 99.5 51W, Sibley 97.5 31W, Sloan 94.5 73W, Stuart 94.1 11W, Tama 92.9 100W, Thayer 104.7 47W, and Villisca 103.1 37W. An application for 105.7 in Bettendorf was dismissed. (6/6/02)
IOWA:
The Divine Mercy Educational Radio Association has been granted a construction permit for a low-power (100W) station on 99.9 in Fort Madison. (6/6/02)
NORTH DAKOTA:
Clear Channel has made some call letter changes in Fargo to go along with recent format changes: KULW/92.7 (Kindred) has changed to KFAB-FM to go along with the "B93" slogan, and KFGO-FM/101.9 (Fargo) has changed to KKBX to go along with "The Box" slogan. KFAB(AM), of course, is a well-known Omaha station also owned by Clear Channel. (6/6/02)
NORTH DAKOTA:
The Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been granted a construction permit for a low-power (100W) station on 103.3 in Dickinson. (6/6/02)
MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
WDGY/630 (Hudson-St. Paul) has modified its application for a facility change. WDGY had originally applied for 7.9kW day and night, shooting northward, from a site in Rosemount. WTMJ/620 (Milwaukee) objected to that plan fearing it could have caused interference to WTMJ's signal in northeastern Wisconsin. Now, WDGY is asking to keep its current facility during the daytime, 2.3kW from Hudson shooting west, but operate from a Rosemount site at night, with 5kW shooting north. If approved and constructed, WDGY would be one of only a few stations in the country using separate antenna sites for day and night. (6/3/02)
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