November 2003

MINNESOTA:
The radio will sound a little bit different in north-central Minnesota later this week, as seven Omni Broadcasting stations will set aside their regular formats for the 15th Annual Radiothon to Prevent Child Abuse. The Radiothon will air from Noon Friday (12/5) to Noon Saturday on KKZY/95.5, KLLZ/99.1, and KBHP/101.1 in the Bemidji area; KBLB/93.3, KUAL/101.5, and WJJY/106.7 in the Brainerd area; and KULO/94.3 and KIKV/100.7 in the Alexandria area. The Radiothon raises funds to support the child abuse prevention and family strengthening programs of the Child Abuse Prevention Councils in ten counties, and set a record last year in the Bemidji area. (11/29/2003)

ONTARIO:
Norwesto Broadcasting has applied to the CRTC for a set of new FM stations serving Vermillion Bay, Kenora, and Dryden. The proposed CKQV-FM would reach about 25,000 people with a locally-originated Hot Adult Contemporary format. The studio would be located in Vermillion Bay. The transmitters would be: 1.6kW/153m on 103.3 in Vermillion Bay, 1.8kW/78m on 104.5 in Dryden, and 1.7kW/105m on 104.5 in Kenora. The only other commercial stations in the area are Fawcett Broadcasting's CKDR/800 (Dryden) and CJRL/1220 (Kenora), which has applied to move to 89.5 FM. Norwesto Broadcasting is owned 80% by Richard Doucet and Brenda Bell of Dryden, and 20% by Stephen and Wendy Bell of Marathon. They are the former owners of CFNO/93.1 (Marathon). (11/27/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Alan Quarnstrom's WMOZ/106.9 (Moose Lake) has dropped Country for Oldies as "Oldies 106.9." The change took effect Wednesday (11/26). The Oldies format comes from Jones Radio Network. The Country format had started in January after WMOZ updgraded to 6kW; prior to that, the station had rebroadcast WKLK-FM/96.5 (Cloquet) with 100W. (11/26/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Michael John Sullivan of St. Cloud has received a construction permit for a low-power TV station in Royalton. With 150kW, K47IT/47 will deliver a strong signal to Little Falls. (11/26/2003)

NEBRASKA:
Cornhusker Television is buying KOHA-LP/65 (Omaha) from K. Sandoval Burke for $75,300. KOHA-LP carries the Home Shopping Network and has no employees. (11/26/2003)

WISCONSIN:
The Northcentral Technical College has received a construction permit for a low-power (100W) station on 93.3 in Wausau. According to their application, NTC plans to offer a radio broadcasting program and use the new station as a training ground for students, playing Jazz, Blues, and Folk music in the evening. The college also plans to offer courses for credit over the air in the morning hours. The Wausau Area Hmong Mutual Association will get a two-hour show six days per week, and other schools and youth organizations in the area will also have opportunities for air time. (11/26/2003)

MICHIGAN:
VCY/America has returned the license for its former Ironwood translator, W201BP/88.1. VCY's programming is now heard on WEGZ/105.9 (Washburn), which delivers a fair signal to Ironwood. (11/26/2003)

MINNESOTA:
All-News WMNN/1330 (Minneapolis) will add a two-hour talk show to its midday lineup beginning Monday (11/24). "The High Ground," hosted by market veteran and comedian Jeff Gerbino, will air weekdays from 1-3 p.m. The show is produced by the Minnesota Production Network, which is offering the show for statewide syndication (from 1-4 p.m.) through the Minnesota News Network. (11/23/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WJMQ/92.3 (Clintonville) is the new radio home of the Wisconsin Timber rattlers minor league baseball team, the Seattle Mariners class A affiliate which plays at the Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton. WJMQ will broadcast all 142 games off the 2004 season. The Country station also carries Packers football and high school sports. (11/23/2003)

CHRISTMAS STATIONS:
Cedar Rapids' KDAT/104.5 and Rapid City's Star 106.3 are the latest stations to go All-Christmas. The Quad Cities' Kool 101.3 will make the change on Monday (11/24), and Duluth's Mix 108 is hinting of a "holiday surprise" on Thanksgiving. (11/23/2003)

MINNESOTA:
KARE/11 has named Frank Vascellaro as the replacement for Paul Magers at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. Magers will soon leave for a job at KCBS/Los Angeles. Weekend sports anchor Tim McNiff will take over Vascellaro's current position as weekday morning anchor, and Erik Perkins will take over as weekend sports anchor. Here's more information from KARE's website. (11/21/2003)

MINNESOTA:
Larry and Nancy Bentson of Midcontinent Media have donated $10 million to the University of Minnesota. The money will be used solely for scholarships, and is the biggest donation ever for that purpose. The Bentsons had initially planned to make the gift as a bequest (after their death), but decided recently to make the gift now. (11/20/2003)

NEBRASKA/WISCONSIN:
Omaha's "Lite Rock 101.9" (KLTQ Lincoln) made the switch to Christmas music Wednesday (11/19), and Milwaukee's Light 97 (WLTQ) switched on Thursday, a day earlier than expected. Check the link in the lefthand column for this year's "All Christmas Stations" list as more stations get the holiday spirit. (11/20/2003)

NORTH DAKOTA:
The KVRR/FOX translator in Devil's Lake has moved from channel 23 to channel 33 as K33HB, and increased power to 15.2kW. (11/20/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WBOG/94.5 (Tomah) debuted a new format of Country music as "B94-5" on Wednesday (11/19) just after Noon. An hour of agricultural information hosted by Brian Winikins will air weekdays at 5 a.m., followed by a local morning show with Mike Burns Gilbert and Steve Peterson, who also serves as program director. Robin John will host a local afternoon show, and Jones Radio Networks' format will air at other times. Weather forecasts come from meteorologists at ABC-TV affiliate WXOW/19 (La Crosse). B94-5 will also carry a Polka show with Gary Brueggen on Saturdays from 6-8 a.m. The station plans to change call letters to WTMB. That callsign moves from AM 1460, where 94.5's previous Oldies format as WBOG has moved. (11/19/2003)

MINNESOTA:
KBUN/1450 (Bemidji) has joined the FAN Network, but isn't carrying the entire lineup. KBUN carries FAN programming from 6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m., and carries ESPN Radio at other times, except for the local news hour at Noon. The station has dropped Sporting News Radio. (11/19/2003)

WISCONSIN:
WisconsinBroadcasting.com reports that WPCK/104.9 (Denmark-Green Bay) has ended its simulcast with WPKR/99.5 (Omro), but has kept a Country format as "Kicks 104.9." The change came on Monday morning (11/17) after a weekend of stunting, and follows WPKR/WPCK's sale to Cumulus Media. (11/17/2003)

ONTARIO:
The CRTC has authorized Couchiching Community Radio to build a low-power station in Fort Frances. The station will operate on 92.3 with 50W, serving members of the Couchiching First Nation with a mixture of Classic Rock and aboriginal-language programming. The CRTC rejected opposition from Fort Frances' only station, CFOB-FM/93.1, which says it has seen declining revenues in recent years. Here's the decision. (11/16/2003)

IOWA:
The Des Moines Register reports a format flip: Citadel's KRKQ/98.3 has dropped Light Adult Contemporary for Talk and Sports. The new station goes by the name "Wow FM", but the callsign is still KRKQ for now. Local programming includes a midday show with Des Moines Mayor Preston Daniels, who lost his previous radio home when KVJZ/106.3 dropped Smooth Jazz, and a local sports show with Jerry Westemeyer and the Round Guy. Syndicated programming includes Bob and Tom, Glenn Beck, Don and Mike, Michael Savage, and Sporting News Radio on weekends. The station also plans to carry Sean Hannity, who is currently heard on KWKY/1150. This is the fourth format for 98.3 since the station was moved in to the Des Moines market a decade ago. (11/12/2003)

WISCONSIN:
Some changes at the Magnum Radio Group in Tomah, as the Jones Radio Network Oldies format has been moved from WBOG/94.5 to WTMB/1460, displacing Jones' Music of Your Life format. 94.5 says it will give listeners the 'alternative' they've been asking for on Wednesday, November 19. (11/11/2003)

WISCONSIN:
DISH Network has launched a Madison package, carrying all channels in the market: WKOW-ABC, WISC-CBS, WMSN-FOX, WMTV-NBC, WHA-PBS, and WBUW-WB. The package is available to customers in Columbia, Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Juneau, Lafayette, Marquette, Richland, Rock and Sauk counties. DirecTV plans to begin offering Madison stations in the coming months. (11/7/2003)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The FCC has begun granting some of the thousands of translator applications filed last March. The first to be granted in our area is for K300AN/107.9 (Chamberlain), a 17-Watt translator to rebroadcast The Praise Network's KGRD/105.3 (Orchard, NE). (11/7/2003)

MINNESOTA:
KLGR-FM/97.7 (Redwood Falls) has dropped Oldies for Adult Contemporary as "Mix 97.7". The change occurred on Saturday, November 1. The new format is locally originated, replacing ABC's "Oldies Radio" format, which is still heard on a few other stations in southern Minnesota. (11/5/2003)

MINNESOTA:
KNSG/94.7 (Springfield) has ended its temporary rebroadcast of KARZ/107.5 (Marshall) and is now airing Christmas music. KNSG began rebroadcasting KARZ in June after it was sold to Bruce Linder. (11/5/2003)

WISCONSIN:
Northern Thunder has received a construction permit for a low-power (100W) station on 96.3 in Eau Claire. The environmental group plans to use their station to broadcast regional environmental updates, proposed community changes, and local government issues. (11/5/2003)

NEBRASKA:
KKPR/1460 (Kearney) has dropped Soft Oldies for Sports. The station carries most of ESPN Radio's lineup, plus Jim Rome from 3-6p. 1460 plans a callsign change to KXPN. (11/3/2003)