WISCONSIN:
FOX 55 (WFXS Wittenberg-Wausau) returned to the air with a standby antenna Saturday (10/4), after a failure on Tuesday night took the station off the air. The station is providing detailed updates on its website and hopes to get back to full power on Monday. WFXS continued to distribute its signal via Charter and Solarus Cable during the outage, and allowed satellite providers to temporarily carry La Crosse FOX affiliate WLAX in the Wausau market. (10/4/2008)

WISCONSIN:
FOX 11 (WLUK Green Bay) is no longer on Time Warner Cable amid a retransmission consent dispute between Time Warner and WLUK owner LIN TV. FCC rules prohibit Time Warner from carrying another FOX affiliate. Time Warner is distributing free rabbit ears to customers, while WLUK urges viewers to either watch with an antenna or switch to another provider. Time Warner accuses WLUK of "misleading" viewers at tellthetruthwluk.com. WLUK's website suggests Time Warner is not giving it "fair and equitable treatment." (10/4/2008)

WISCONSIN:
WisconsinBroadcasting.com reports that Green Bay's "The Bay" (WZBY/99.7 Sturgeon Bay) has transitioned from Classic Hits/AC to Classic Hits/Oldies. A similar shift was made earlier this year at sister Midwest Communications simulcast "The Valley" (WOFM/94.7 Mosinee-Wausau and WIZD/99.9 Rudolph-Stevens Point). (10/4/2008)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio has signed on new station KRXW/103.5 (Roseau), carrying MPR's News/Talk network. The 48kW/150m station transmits from near Warroad, delivering a strong signal from the Lake of the Woods to Badger. A MPR press release states translator K264AR/100.7 (Roseau), which had carried the News/Talk network, is now carrying the Classical network, but does not mention the fate of translator W215AI/90.9 (Roseau), which had carried the Classical network. (10/3/2008)

IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
Saga Communications is buying translators in Spencer, IA (K254BG/98.7) and Mitchell, SD (K278BJ/103.5) from Horizon Christian Fellowship for a total of $5,800. FCC applications indicate the translators will relay Saga-owned FM stations, though in this age of special temporary authorities for FM translators to relay AM stations, one has to wonder if that's what will ultimately happen. (10/3/2008)

24-HOUR NETWORK CONSOLIDATION:
Dial Global has discontinued three Jones Radio Network 24-hour formats: Jones Standards, Variety Hits, and Smooth Jazz. Most Standards affiliates appear to have moved to Dial Global's Adult Standards format (including WTUX, WKLK, and KDKK), while Variety Hits affiliates were moved to "SAM." It is the second forced network change this year for former Standards affiliates, since Jones parted ways with the Music of Your Life network in January and launched the Standards format. (10/2/2008)

WISCONSIN:
WFCL/1380 (Clintonville) has flipped from Nostalgia to Oldies as WOTE ("Wisconsin's Oldies Thirteen Eighty"). Dave Sanders hosts a local morning show from 5-10a, with Jones Radio Networks' Oldies Station format filling the rest of the schedule. The change comes after Dial Global discontinued the Jones Standards format. (10/2/2008)

WISCONSIN:
FOX 55 (WFXS Wittenberg-Wausau) is off the air after a transmission line failure on Tuesday night (9/30). The station continues to provide programming directly to Charter Cable, but is not available on either satellite provider. WFXS reported that DISH would offer a FOX affiliate from an adjacent market. Ironically, the incident came hours after WFXS resolved a retransmission consent dispute with DISH Network that would have resulted in the station being pulled from DISH today. (10/1/2008)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
WDSM/710 (Superior-Duluth) has switched from CNN to FOX News, while sister station WGEE/970 (Superior-Duluth) has picked up CNN to go with its new Nostalgia format. (10/1/2008)

NORTH DAKOTA:
After a retransmission consent dispute lasting more than three years, DISH Network has added KXMC-CBS and KNDX-FOX to its Bismarck-Minot locals package. It launched in 2005 with KFYR-NBC and PPT-PBS, and KBMY-ABC was added the following year. DirecTV does not have a locals package for the market. (10/1/2008)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KSLT/107.3 (Spearfish-Rapid City) has changed its slogan to "Power 107.3" and continues its Christian Adult Contemporary format. (10/1/2008)

IOWA:
KUEL/92.1 (Fort Dodge) has dropped Hot Adult Contemporary for Active Rock as "The Blaze." The change comes after KUEL owner Three Eagles Communications bought out Clear Channel's former Fort Dodge group, which includes Adult Contemporary-formatted KKEZ/94.5. Three Eagles also has "Blaze" stations in Mason City, Mankato, and Lincoln. (9/30/2008)

MINNESOTA:
Hometown Broadcasting has returned the construction permit for a new station on AM 1100 in Albert Lea. Since the FCC originally granted the CP, Hometown bought the current KQAQ/970 (Austin) to operate alongside its KQPR/96.1 (Albert Lea). The 1100 facility would have required construction of seven towers southeast of Albert Lea. (9/30/2008)

CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR NEW STATIONS:

DEBATE COVERAGE:
While the big four broadcast TV networks and PBS carried Friday night's first presidential debate live, the debate was largely limited to NPR member stations on radio. Commercial stations KTNF, KTLK, WISN, WIBA, KFAB, and KLIN also carried the debate, as well as Christian networks VCY/America and WHWL. Nebraska's NET Radio did not carry the debate, leaving many in central and western Nebraska without any local radio signal to hear the debate. Conflicts with play-by-play sports prevented debate coverage on many heritage news stations, including WCCO, KDAL, WMT, and KELO. WHO stuck with Dr. Laura. Another quirk: Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin Public Radio limited debate coverage to their News/Talk networks, though all simulcast Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" live on both of their networks. (9/27/2008)

MINNESOTA:
Two weeks after they dropped him, KDAL/610 (Duluth) has returned Joe Soucheray's syndicated show to its afternoon lineup. Soucheray dislaces Russ Stewart's two-week-old local show and cuts Rhonda Grussendorf's local show back to an hour. Also, Brad Bennet, whose show was moved from KDAL to WDSM/710 (Superior), is sometimes serving as a fill-in host for the second hour of Carinda Horton's new 10a-Noon show. (9/27/2008)

MINNESOTA:
Clear Channel's KTLK-FM/100.3 (Minneapolis) has added Laura Ingraham weeknights from 11-2. She had previously been heard on WWTC/1280, but was left homeless when WWTC owner Salem dropped her show nationwide. KTLK has dropped Mike McConnell and cut Dave Ramsey back to 2-4a. (9/26/2008)

MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Public Radio has been granted a construction permit for a new 13-Watt translator on 91.9 in Minneapolis. The station will transmit from the Kenwood area with a strong signal to several western Minneapolis neighborhoods. MPR's application stated the translator would relay KSJN/99.5 (Minneapolis) via satellite, but it could be used to relay any non-commercial FM station. (9/25/2008)

OTHER RECENT CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR NEW FM TRANSLATORS:

SOUTH DAKOTA:
The University of Sioux Falls' KCFS/94.5 has upgraded from 150W to 2kW. (9/24/2008)

IOWA:
Todd Kaye has replaced Cori Waters in afternoons on KVIK/104.7 (Decorah). (9/24/2008)

WISCONSIN:
Chad Phelps has replaced Ryan Mathews in afternoons on WQPC/94.3 (Prairie du Chien). (9/24/2008)

IOWA:
KDME-LP (Fort Madison) has moved from 99.9 to 98.3. The station carries a Catholic format. (9/23/2008)

MINNESOTA:
KPRM/870 (Park Rapids) has applied to upgrade its daytime signal from 25kW to 50kW. The upgrade would not dramatically add to KPRM's coverage area, but it would improve its signal to outlying communities such as Bemidji, Staples, Wadena, and Detroit Lakes. The station would remain non-direction during the day and continue to use 1kW directional at night. (9/23/2008)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KSFY/13 (Sioux Falls) has rebranded its news as "ActionNews." (9/23/2008)

IOWA:
KFFF/1260 and KFFF-FM/99.3 (Boone) are splitting up their longtime simulcast, with 1260 airing a Conservative Talk format as "Freedom 1260" and KFFF-FM airing a Christian teaching, talk, and music format as "Faith 99.3." 1260 has a good daytime signal to Des Moines, while 99.3 has a fringe signal to the capital city. Both stations have strong signals to Ames. (9/22/2008)

IOWA:
KIOA/93.3 (Des Moines) has dropped its longtime "Oldies 93.3" slogan and is now simply "93.3 KIOA," positioned as "Iowa's Greatest Hits." (9/22/2008)

MINNESOTA:
The FCC has granted KMOJ/89.9 (Minneapolis) a significant upgrade. The station will move its transmitter from north Minneapolis to Shoreview, using 1.4kW at 273m (class C3), delivering a strong signal to the central and eastern Twin Cites metro area. The signal will remain weaker in the western and far southern suburbs. (9/22/2008)

NEBRASKA/WYOMING:
Two notes from Kimball:

NORTH DAKOTA:
KMAV/1520 (Mayville) has changed its callsign to KMSR following the sale of KMAV AM-FM to KMSR, Inc. 105.5 remains KMAV-FM. (9/22/2008)

SOUTH DAKOTA:
KZNC/99.1 (Huron) has applied to move to Milbank, upgrading from 3kW/56m (class A) to 37kW/172m (C2). The station would have a strong signal to Watertown, SD, and Ortonville, MN. KZNC owner Dakota Communications does not own any existing stations in the Milbank/Watertown area. (9/22/2008)

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN:
WGEE/970 (Superior-Duluth) has dropped its "ESPN 970" Sports format and is now carrying the syndicated "Music of Your Life" (Nostalgia) format. It's the latest in a series of changes at Midwest Communications-owned stations in Duluth. 970 had carried a Nostalgia format as KXTP from 1982 to 1997, and has carried Country, Radio Disney, Hot Talk, and Sports formats since then. Midwest "parked" the WGEE callsign, formerly used on its WTAQ/1360 (Green Bay), on 970 in 2003. The "Music of Your Life" network had been heard on nearby WKLK/1230 (Cloquet) until earlier this year, when the network and Jones Radio Networks parted ways. WKLK now carries Jones' Standards format. (9/19/2008)

NEBRASKA:
The North Platte Bulletin reports that KHAQ/98.5 (Maxwell-North Platte), formerly KRKU/98.5 (McCook), signed on Wednesday (9/17) with an "official" launch set for Monday (9/22). KHAQ carries a Classic Rock format as "The Hawk" with Bob & Tom in the mornings. It's owned by Armada Media, which also owns KODY/1240 and KXNP/103.5. KHAQ's sign-on completes a doubling of the number of stations in the North Platte market from four to eight over the last year. (9/19/2008)

NEBRASKA/IOWA:
A sign the Omaha market's newest station may be about to sign on: "107.9 The Bull" (KTIC-FM West Point) has applied for a license to cover its construction permit to move its transmitter to the west-northwest. The move clears the way for Connoisseur Media's KGGG/107.7 (Pacific Junction, IA) to come on the air with 50kW at 129m, blanketing the Omaha market. KTIC-FM's move strengthens the Country station's signal to Norfolk and Wayne. (9/19/2008)

WISCONSIN:
WKPO/105.9 (Soldiers Grove) has received a construction permit for 25kW/100m (class C3), which will give it a strong signal to Viroqua and a fringe signal to La Crosse. Advance Acquisition, a subsidiary of Starboard Media, signed the station on briefly earlier this year as WKAH with just 200 Watts before taking it off the air and selling it to Robinson Corporation, the owner of Viroqua's two existing stations. The WKPO callsign was previously used by the present WWHG/105.9 (Evansville). (9/19/2008)

WISCONSIN:
Clear Channel's WOKY/920 (Milwaukee) is dropping its "Mighty 92" Oldies format at 6 a.m. Thursday (9/18) for Classic Country as "The Wolf." The Oldies format had been launched in January 2007, replacing Adult Standards, in an effort to capitalize on the station's Top 40 heritage. Clear Channel also owns "FM 106" (WMIL/106.1 Waukesha-Milwaukee), which carries a mainstream Country format. (9/18/2008)

MINNESOTA:
Jeff Johnson's Northfield Media, Inc. is buying KYMN/1080 (Northfield) from Ingstad Brothers Broadcasting for $290,000. Johnson's company will take over the station through a local marketing agreement on October 1. KYMN carries a Soft Oldies format with Ed Schultz from 2-5 p.m. It is the only commercial radio station in the city of 19,000, and its daytime signal is also strong in the southern Twin Cities metro. (9/17/2008)

MINNESOTA/IOWA:
Minnesota Public Radio is picking up another three translators from Horizon Christian Fellowship for $41,000. The translators are in Eveleth, Pine City, and New Ulm, and MPR states they will carry affiliates of its News and Information network. The Pine City translator received its license in July but has not been heard on numerous checks since then. MPR purchased another eight Horizon translators earlier this year, including K247BF/97.3 (Decorah), which decorahnews.com reports is now on the air carrying the News and Information service. That network is also heard on KLNI/88.7 (Decorah), which has a smaller coverage area than the new translator. (9/16/2008)

IOWA:
Powell Broadcasting's KSRZ/102.3 (Onawa-Sioux City) has changed its name from "Bob" to "Jack," continuing its Variety Hits format. (9/16/2008)

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