NEWS

NEBRASKA/IOWA:
A former downtown Omaha train station will become a TV station: Hearst ABC affiliate KETV/7.1 announced plans last week to move to the historic Burlington Station. The station anticipates a 2015 move-in, more than forty years after the last train pulled out. KETV is currently located about two dozen blocks away on Douglas Street near I-480.

The day before the KETV announcement, NBC affiliate KWWL/7.1 (Waterloo) announced plans not to move. The Quincy Newspapers station says after an exhaustive review, it has decided to stay in the downtown Waterloo location it's used since 1958 but extensively renovate the facility. The KWWL Building is also home to KBOL-LP/100.1. (6/10/2013)

IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA/WISCONSIN
Young Broadcasting, which owns several stations in the Upper Midwest, is merging with Media General in an all-stock transaction announced Thursday. Young's stations include ABC affiliate WBAY/2.1 (Green Bay), NBC affiliate KWQC/6.1 (Davenport), CBS affiliate KELO-TV/11.1 (Sioux Falls), and CBS affiliate KCLO/15.1 (Rapid City). Media General's holdings are mostly in the southeastern U.S. The combined company will have thirty network-affiliated TV stations in 27 markets representing 14 percent of U.S. TV households. (6/6/2013)

Sioux City, IOWA:
The FCC has denied an application from future Iowa Public Radio station KNSX/97.1 (Moville) to provide a stronger signal to Sioux City. The current KNSX construction permit calls for 5.2kW/109m (class A) and the station applied to upgrade to 11.8kW/149m (class C3) from a site 8.5km closer to Sioux City. Even if the proposed facility meets technical requirements, it ran afoul of the rules by which the frequency was originally reserved for non-commercial use. The non-commercial reservation was made, in part, because more than ten percent of the people in the new station's coverage area would be served by just one other non-commercial station. However, by widening KNSX's coverage area, the percentage of listeners in the coverage area receiving only one other non-commercial station would have dropped below ten percent. In a letter informing ISU of the denial, the FCC says the facility specified in KNSX's modification application would have been disqualified in the initial round of competing applications since it would not have met the ten-percent standard. It said ISU had failed "to present good cause for waiver" and "not shown sufficiently unique 'special' circumstances, i.e., rare and exceptional circumstances beyond its control to justify a waiver." The deadline to build KNSX is January 31, 2015. IPR also once held the construction permit for KHGM/88.9 (Sioux City) but sold it to Little Priest Tribal College earlier this year. (5/28/2013)

IOWA/WISCONSIN:
Cumulus Media has rebranded Country outlets in the Des Moines, Green Bay, and Appleton markets as "Nash FM," the branding it first rolled out in New York after Christmas last year. KHKI/97.3 (Des Moines), WPCK/104.9 (Denmark-Green Bay), and WPKR/99.5 (Omro-Oshkosh-Appleton), the latter two of which simulcast, began using the new branding Friday (5/24). The stations are also launching new Facebook pages for the new brands, since it's difficult to change a Facebook fan page name, forcing KHKI to give up more than 7,000 fans and WPCK to give up more than 2,000 fans. RadioInsight reports Cumulus also made the change in three other markets outside the Upper Midwest. (5/24/2013)

NEW FM TRANSLATORS GRANTED:(Iowa translators in bold face)

NEW FM TRANSLATORS GRANTED: (Iowa translators in bold face)

Atlantic, IA: K224EA/92.7, 250W, VSS Catholic Communications

Bluegrass (Davenport), IA: K253BL/98.5, 170W, Educational Media Foundation

Burlington, IA: K265EQ/100.9, 80W, American Family Association

Clinton, IA: K282BG/104.3, 80W, American Family Association

Hiawatha (Cedar Rapids), IA: K281BS/104.1, 88W, Educational Media Foundation

Mount Pleasant, IA: K284BT/104.7, 250W, Starboard Media

Portland (Mason City), IA: K258CI/99.5, 140W, Clear Channel

Sioux City, IA: K235CA/94.9, 250W, VSS Catholic Communications

Spirit Lake, IA (Jackson, MN): K249EO/97.7, 250W, Kleven Broadcasting (KKOJ)

Blue Earth, MN: K237FO/95.3, 250W, Minnesota Public Radio

Pennock, MN: K277CC/103.3, 250W, Refuge Media Group

Beatrice, NE: K277CD/103.3, 250W, Community Broadcasting

Briggs (Omaha), NE: K255CJ/98.9, 99W, CSN International

Columbus, NE: K257FK/99.3, 250W, VSS Catholic Communications

West Point, NE: K255CK/98.9, 170W, VSS Catholic Communications

Eau Claire, WI: W292EG/106.3, 250W, Clear Channel

Fond du Lac, WI: W276CO/103.1, 250W, Sister Grace (5/13/2013)

IOWA/MINNESOTA
A winter storm has knocked KUSQ/95.1 (Worthington) and KZTP/104.3 (Sibley-Worthington) off the air. The station posted a picture of a partially-toppled tower on its Facebook page. Two sister stations, KWOA/730 and KITN/93.5, remain on the air. (4/10/2013)

IOWA/NEBRASKA/NORTH DAKOTA
Bismarck and Sioux City are among seven new markets nationally getting classic TV network Me-TV. The network says Hoak Media's KFYR-TV (Bismarck) will begin carrying Me-TV on 5.2 beginning May 1 and Quincy Newspapers' KTIV (Sioux City) will begin carrying Me-TV on 4.3 on July 1. Both are primary NBC affiliates and KTIV also carries CW+ on 4.2. It's not immediately clear whether Me-TV will also be seen on KFYR-TV's three satellites/semi-satellites in western North Dakota. The latest affiliate additions bring Me-TV to 147 markets containing 89 percent of U.S. households. In the Upper Midwest, the only markets that still don't have Me-TV affiliates are Lincoln-Tri Cities, North Platte, Mankato, Ottumwa, and Quincy, and the latter four markets only have one or two commercial stations. (4/5/2013)

Iowa City, IOWA:
The FCC has issued a $1,200 fine against Thomas Costa for allegedly operating an unlicensed radio station on 87.9 in Iowa City. FCC agents visited Iowa City on Sept. 19 and 20, 2012, in response to a complaint and inspected the operation at that time. Costa argued that he was not actually the operator of the station but had allowed others, whose names he said he did not have, to install and operate the transmitter in a room he rented. In its forfeiture order, the FCC said that even if Costa did not actually operate the transmitter, federal law says he was still responsible for the operation of the unlicensed station as the renter of the room where it was located. However, the FCC did agree to reduce the fine from $10,000 to $1,200 because of Costa's inability to pay the higher amount. (4/4/2013)

Washington, IOWA:
M&H Broadcasting is buying an FM translator to use for its AM station in Washington from First Ventures Capital Partners. The asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC states M&H will pay $22,500 for K274BT/102.7 (Mount Pleasant) on the condition that First Ventures obtains a construction permit to move K274BT to the KCII/1380 tower site. KCII currently simulcasts a News/Adult Gold format with KCII-FM/106.1. K274BT is currently licensed for a site northwest of Mount Pleasant and has a CP to move to 102.5 from a site midway between Mount Pleasant and Washington; at least one more move would be required to get it to the KCII site. As previously reported, M&H is in the process of buying an FM translator from First Ventures to use to relay its AM station in Knoxville. (3/26/2013)

Ottumwa, IOWA:
In a mixed decision, the FCC says KTVO/3.1 (Kirksville, MO-Ottumwa, IA) and two pay TV providers need to continue talking about a dispute over carriage of out-of-market TV stations. KTVO carries ABC on 3.1 and CBS on 3.2 and is trying to get network programming from KCCI/8 (CBS, Des Moines), KGAN/2.1 (CBS, Cedar Rapids), and KCRG/9 (ABC, Cedar Rapids) blacked out on Citizens Mutual Telephone Cooperative's system in Bloomfield and LISCO's system in Fairfield. (KCCI is carried on the Bloomfield system and KGAN and KCRG are carried on the Fairfield system.) The FCC agreed with KTVO's assertion that none of the stations still qualifies as "significantly viewed" among broadcast viewers in the two communities. However, the commission was stumped on the question of whether Citizens and LISCO are actually "cable systems" as defined by the law. If they are cable systems, they are small enough to be exempt from network non-duplication rules. The commission told the three parties to discuss the matter and file a complaint if they can't reach an agreement. (3/20/2013)

FM TRANSLATOR CHANGES APPROVED:

FM TRANSLATOR CHANGES APPROVED:K237DH/95.3 (Pella, IA) transmitter move to Knoxville and upgrade to 250W to relay KNIA/1320 (Knoxville)(3/13/2013)

Perry, IOWA:
The FCC has proposed a $14,000 fine against Latin Broadcasting Company for alleged lighting violations at the Dallas County tower site of KDLS-FM/105.5 (Perry-Des Moines) last year. The FCC alleges that the tower's top beacon and top set of side lamps were not working when a sheriff's deputy observed the tower on July 13 or when an FCC agent visited on July 19, and that it received conflicting reports from the tower owner when it inquired about the outage. Latin Broadcasting Company has thirty days to either pay the fine or ask for a reduction or cancellation. (3/11/2013)

IOWA:
Radioactive, LLC is seeking license renewal for two Iowa stations that have been on the air for a total of six days in the past five years. KYME/92.9 (Rockford) and KEWS/104.7 (Sac City) recently filed amendments to their license renewal applications explaining their broadcast histories. Both received their licenses in 2008 and have conducted annual one-day broadcasts, which begin before 10 a.m. and conclude after 10 p.m. to meet the minimum daily broadcast requirement. Filings indicate KYME was on the air March 7, 2008; March 2, 2009; Feb. 25, 2010; Feb. 22, 2011; Feb. 14, 2012, and Feb. 6, 2013, while KEWS was on the air March 5, 2008; Feb. 28, 2009; Feb. 23, 2010; Feb. 19, 2011; Feb. 15, 2012; and Feb. 7, 2013. Each one-day broadcast is followed by another request for special temporary authority to remain silent citing "inadequate long-term staffing and programming resources" and a statement that Radioactive, LLC is working on a long-term plan for the stations. Each station is currently licensed for 375W but KYME has the potential to be upgraded to serve Mason City while KEWS could reach Storm Lake. (3/11/2013)

IOWA/SOUTH DAKOTA:
There are three more low-power TV stations to add to the list of those deleted by the FCC: KCDE-LP (Cedar Rapids), KHHH-LP (Cedar Rapids), and KWSF-LP (Sioux Falls). Just like the six other LPTV license cancellations reported here a few weeks ago, the stations were forced to leave the air at the end of 2011 by the discontinuation of channels 52-69 but lost their licenses for failing to return on new channels within a year. It does not appear KCDE-LP or KHHH-LP were ever on the air for a significant amount of time, though FCC rules apparently allow stations to remain licensed if the transmitter is turned on at least once every thirty days. (3/4/2013)

IOWA/ILLINOIS/MISSOURI/MICHIGAN:
Sinclair Broadcasting is picking up stations in four Upper Midwest markets as part of a nationwide deal with Barrington Broadcasting. Sinclair will pay Barrington $370 million for 18 stations in 15 markets, and is also assuming operational or sales agreements with an additional six stations in markets where ownership caps will not allow a duopoly. The deal includes KTVO (ABC/CBS, Kirksville, MO-Ottumwa, IA), KHQA (CBS/ABC, Hannibal, MO-Quincy, IL), WLUC (NBC/FOX, Marquette, MI), WPBN (NBC, Traverse City, MI) and satellite WTOM (Cheboygan, MI), and WGTU (ABC, Traverse City, MI) and satellite WGTQ (Sault Ste. Marie, MI). (WGTU/WGTQ are owned by Tucker Broadcasting and operated by WPBN.) If this deal and another to buy Cox stations in other parts of the country is approved, Sinclair will own or operate 112 stations in 61 markets serving about 30 percent of U.S. households. (3/1/2013)

IOWA:
KNIA/1320 (Knoxville) could get an FM translator if the FCC approves a waiver to move a translator from Pella to Knoxville. K237DH/95.3 is currently licensed to transmit with 10 Watts from a tower east of Pella and has applied to move to Knoxville with 250 Watts. The move is farther than would normally be allowed, but K237DH is seeking a waiver because the old and new facilities are mutually exclusive. K237DH is owned by First Ventures Capital Partners and KNIA, which carries a Country format, is owned by M&H Broadcasting. M&H also owns Adult Contemporary outlet KRLS/92.1 (Knoxville). (2/28/2013)

IOWA/ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN/MINNESOTA:
Grant Media's stations in the Quad Cities and La Crosse-Eau Claire have returned to DISH Network after a weeklong outage amid a retransmission consent dispute. Quad Cities FOX affiliate KLJB/18 (Davenport) and CW affiliate KCGW/26 (Burlington) and La Crosse FOX affiliate WLAX/25 had been affected. (2/25/2013)

IOWA/NEBRASKA:
New Omaha rimshot KIMI/107.7 (Sidney, IA) is on the air testing with Classic Rock. Station owner Victor Michael posted a video on YouTube with audio of one of the test broadcasts as heard on a clock radio in Council Bluffs. KIMI uses 50kW/124m from a tower south of Pacific Junction, IA, delivering a good signal to Omaha and Council Bluffs. The station was originally licensed to Humboldt, NE on 107.9 but was never on the air there for more than a few days, according to FCC filings. It was able to move to 107.7 Sidney after the FCC's unusual move to delete the allotment and construction permit for KGGG/107.7 (Pacific Junction), which was plagued by complaints about interference to navigation equipment at Eppley Airfield and Offutt Air Force Base. The FCC refunded Connoisseur Media the money it spent at auction for the frequency. (2/18/2012)

IOWA/ILLINOIS:
Quad Cities FOX affiliate KLJB/18 (Davenport) and CW affiliate KCGW/26 (Burlington) left DISH Network Saturday (Feb. 16) amid a retransmission consent dispute. KLJB says it has "no idea" why DISH removed its signal, saying they thought they had granted DISH an extension. DISH says KLJB and KGCW, operated by Grant Media, are seeking a three-fold increase in the amount of money it receives and says it had to pull the stations because its agreement to carry them expired. (2/18/2012) 

IOWA:
Community First Broadcasting is buying translator K207EV/89.3 (Storm Lake) to relay its KAYL/990 (Storm Lake). The buyer will pay Edgewater Broadcasting $25,000 for the license; no equipment is included in the sale. The sale is contingent upon the FCC approving a move for K207EV from 89.3 to 99.9, since the translator would not legally be allowed to relay a commercial station on 89.3. No waiver is needed for the move since 99.9 is an IF frequency in relation to 89.3. KAYL carries the syndicated "Juan" Spanish Variety Hits format. (2/15/2013)