New non-commercial stations

[w9wi]

The FCC released details of over 3,500 applications for new non-commercial FM stations yesterday.

Applications in Wisconsin:

90.5C3 Adams 7,000 157 44-01-13/89-33-29 Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
90.9C3 Ashland 8,000v 34 46-35-18/90-50-08 Cultural Renewal Radio, UA
90.9C3 Ashland 23,000 74 46-36-28/90-50-14 University of Wisconsin
89.5C3 Baraboo 25,000 76 43-35-03/89-49-11 Optima Enrichment Inc.
89.5C2 Baraboo 10,000 254 43-25-43/89-38-50 Liberty & Freedom Inc.
91.5C2 Barron 39,000 124 45-27-30/92-03-00 Community Public Radio Inc.
88.5A Barton 1,000 -13 43-25-30/88-10-59 Harvest Time Apostolic Ministries
91.5A Chenequa 1,800 58 43-15-11/88-26-15 Peace Education Project of Peace Action Wisconsin
90.5C3 Coloma 15,000 75 44-01-40/89-31-34 TDL Broadcasting Inc.
89.5B Columbus 50,000 65 43-25-32/89-12-04 Wisconsin Academy SDA Church
90.9A Cross Plains 400 87 43-12-44/89-35-59 Pierced Communications Inc.
91.5B1 Delafield 10,000 47 43-09-39/88-22-12 Family Life Broadcasting Inc.
91.5B1 Delafield 2,000 183 43-01-42/88-23-32 Optima Enrichment Inc.
89.1C1 Eagle River 60,000v 83 45-55-41/89-22-34 WRVM Inc.
90.7A Elroy 6,000 74 43-45-02/90-15-27 Tomah SDA Church
88.3A Erdman 6,000 55 43,45-55/87-45-59 Bethesda Christian Broadcasting
88.5A Fond du Lac 5,000v 106 43-42-01/88-19-24 WRVM Inc.
91.7A Forestville 4,000 72 44-34-32/87-29-44 Sturgeon Bay SDA Church
88.5C3 Genoa 2,800 156 43-20-53/91-13-28 Calvary Iowa City
91.5C3 Hancock 25,000 78 44-10-09/89-42-58 Optima Enrichment Inc.
90.7A Hillsboro 600 67 43-39-45/90-20-42 Liberty & Freedom Inc.
88.7A Iron Mountain 900 191 45-49-15/88-02-25 White Pine Community Broadcasting Inc.
(tower site is in the U.P., I suspect they mean Iron Mountain, Michigan)
88.5A Kenosha 2,400 139 42-30-35/87-53-11 WBEZ Alliance
89.1A Kenosha ?h/220v 61 42-29-36/87-52-14 Institute for One Wisconsin Inc.
89.1A Kenosha 700v 15 42-35-57/87-54-47 JKJ Educational Foundation
90.9C2 Manitowoc 20,000 111 44-07-31/87-37-41 Optima Enrichment Inc.
90.9C3 Manitowoc 30,000 88 44-10-23/87-33-39 Cornerstone Community Radio Inc.
90.9A Manitowoc 1,700 50 44-07-31/87-37-33 Bethesda Christian Broadcasting
88.3C3 Markesan 30,000 73 43-41-51/89-05-30 Optima Enrichment Inc.
88.1C3 Merrill 10,000 89 45-08-56/89-34-47 WRVM Inc.
89.1C1 Minocqua 100,000 100 45-43-34/89-24-51 Lakeland SDA Church
90.9C3 Mishicot 11,000 91 44-11-16/87-35-33 Shredding the Darkness
88.5A Oak Creek ?h/3,000v 98 42-45-36/87-57-53 Institute for One Wisconsin Inc.
90.7C3 Oakdale 10,000 75 43-53-12/90-09-01 Crossfire Inc.
90.1C2 Owen 50,000 40 44-56-59/90-37-54 Optima Enrichment Inc.
89.3C3 Park Falls 8,000 98 45-56-43/90-16-22 Wisconsin Educational Communicaitons Board
88.5B Port Washington 39,000 62 43-25-06/87-55-43 University of Wisconsin
88.3C3 Portage 10,000v 82 43-37-28/89-27-57 Cornerstone Community Radio Inc.
91.3C3 Prentice 20,000 46 45-40-23/90-23-16 Calvary Broadcasting Inc. **DISMISSED**
88.5B1 Racine 7,800 128 42-45-36/87-57-53 Family Life Broadcasting Inc.
90.5C2 Reedsburg 33,500 92 43-36-56/89-47-01 Lighthouse Christian Fellowship
88.7C2 Rhinelander 50,000 103 45-46-31/89-14-55 Christian Vision Inc.
89.1C1 Rhinelander 75,000v 135 46-01-55/89-31-48 Northwoods Catholic Radio
89.9C3 Rhinelander 17,000 100 45-43-34/89-24-51 Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
89.9C3 Rhinelander 16,800 100 45-43-34/89-24-51 Rhinelander SDA Church
91.5C2 Rice Lake 55,000 144 45-22-23/91-55-22 Immanuel Baptist Church
91.5C2 Rice Lake 50,000 92 45-25-16/91-25-10 University of Wisconsin
90.5B1 Ridgeway 9,199 87 42-59-37/89-59-36 Folklore Village Farm Inc.
88.3C3 Ripon 1h/8,000v 102m 43-44-30/88-50-04 VCY America Inc.
91.5C2 Rockland 50,000 91 44-08-56/90-32-52 Crossfire Inc.
88.5B Saukville 70,000v 63 43-25-06/87-55-43 Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Inc.
88.3C3 Sheboygan 20,000v 52 43-40-25/87-50-20 Cornerstone Community Radio Inc.
90.9A Sheboygan 15,000v 35 43-52-41/87-46-19 Bloomington-Normal Broadcasting Corp.
89.3C2 Sparta 36,327 105 44-13-42/90-42-57 Crossfire Inc.
91.9A Sparta 300 167 43-58-29/90-51-53 Liberty & Freedom Inc.
90.1C3 Spring Valley 16,000v 88 45-01-58/92-14-06 The I-C-N Company
91.5C1 Stevens Point 100,000 85 44-11-07/89-31-24 JKJ Educational Foundation
89.3C1 Stoddard 47,000 156 43-20-53/91-13-28 Lighthouse Christian Fellowship
88.3A Taycheedah 175 9 43-46-45/88-26-47 Bethesda Christian Broadcasting
89.1C3 Thorp 25,000 100 44-59-32/90-43-39 Milewski Nature Fund Inc.
90.1C2 Thorp 100,000 91 44-57-40/90-45-35 Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel
91.5A Tomah 1,500 26 43-58-07/90-30-51 Evangel Ministries Inc.
91.3C1 Tomahawk 51,000 51 45-35-33/90-00-10 Tomahawk Light Broadcasting Inc.
91.5A Turtle Lake 5,000 77 45-31-16/92-04-04 Templo Apostoles y Profetas Bethel
91.5C3 Turtle Lake 20,000v 100 45-29-27/92-11-33 The I-C-N Company
90.9A Two Rivers 1,400 51m 44-11-16/87-35-33 VCY America Inc.
91.9A Viroqua 480 135 43-36-28/90-53-24 Driftless Community Radio Inc.
91.5A Waupaca 3,900 100 44-21-51/89-08-41 Waupaca Area Public Radio Inc.
91.9C3 Webster 15,000 127 45-50-29/92-28-14 Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
88.1C2 Wentworth 31,000v 90 46-25-07/91-55-12 American Family Association
88.5B1 West Bend 16,000 126 43-25-46/88-16-00 Christian Vision Inc.
91.5A West Bend 290 122 43-19-29/88-14-07 Jubilation Ministries
88.3C2 Wisconsin Dells 37,000 94 43-47-38/89-19-48 Basalt of the Earth Inc.
90.5C3 Wisconsin Dells 4,000 222 43-25-50/89-38-53 Cornerstone Community Radio Inc.
91.7C3 Wis. Rapids 7,000 52 44-19-11/89-58-45 Wisconsin Rapids SDA Church
89.7C3 Yuba 10,500 122 43-47-16/90-11-52 Harvest Christian Fellowship Inc.

h - horizontal polarization only
v - vertical polarization only
SDA - Seventh-Day Adventist

other abbreviations as in the original.

Note that the Milwaukee Symphony application in Saukville is patently defective, calling for a 70-kilowatt Class B station. (the power limit for Class B is 50 kilowatts) A number of applicants in other states made similar mistakes.

Note also that the University of Wisconsin (presumably on behalf of Wisconsin Public Radio) filed for a station on 88.5 in Port Washington. Presumably if granted this would join WPR's classical music service. I think you can reasonably assume the same for the Milwaukee Symphony's station, if the FCC were to screw up & grant a 70kW station!

MANY of these applications are mutually exclusive. For example, Port Washington and Saukville on the same frequency. I do think the use of 88.5 in the Milwaukee area will probably be predicated on not signing on until WITI-TV shuts down its analog operation on channel 6. I suspect that will happen before the FCC gets around to granting any of these applications!

 

[Wolf2]

Question for you w9wi...

1) Why wouldn't the FCC grant a 70kw license? It is possible depending on the engineering of the station or frequency - I once worked at a station that was capped at 85kw by the FCC though it was clearly in an area and on a freq that could go to 100kw

2) Why wouldn't 88.5 be granted - channel six operates on 87.7. I live in a market in which we have channel six along with an 88.1 and a 88.5.

Just wondering. Thanks.

 

[w9wi]

1) Why wouldn't the FCC grant a 70kw license? It is possible depending on the engineering of the station or frequency - I once worked at a station that was capped at 85kw by the FCC though it was clearly in an area and on a freq that could go to 100kw

They'll grant 70kW in northern Wisconsin but not in the Milwaukee area. See http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/fmzones/. In Zone II, Class C, C0, and C1 stations (with a maximum power of 100kW) are granted. However, in Zones I and I-A, Class C/C0/C1 stations are not allowed. Instead, they offer Classes B and B1, with a maximum power of 50kW.

2) Why wouldn't 88.5 be granted - channel six operates on 87.7. I live in a market in which we have channel six along with an 88.1 and a 88.5.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/73525.html. FCC Regulation 73.525 limits the use of the 88-92MHz band in areas near channel 6 TV stations.

The regulation is relatively recent - if your local 88.1 and 88.5 stations have been around for more than 20 years that might be why.

Also, there are some mitigation means FM stations can use to avoid interference and comply with 73.525. They can use vertical polarization, or at least more vertical power than horizontal. They can co-locate with the TV-6 station. (one station in Philadelphia actually uses the TV-6 antenna!) But none of these applications has done this.

 

[Steve_O]

We have a Milwaukee Station on 88.1...Family Radio . So that is a Moot point.

 

[w9wi]

We have a Milwaukee Station on 88.1...Family Radio . So that is a Moot point.

Family Radio is EXTREMELY close to the TV-6 tower. (within a few hundred feet) They wouldn't get away with 88.1 in Ozaukee County where the proposed 88.5 stations would be.

88.9 gets away with it because they were there first, before the new rules went into effect. (also, they're *on* the TV-6 tower)

 

[JohnL]

I remember several years ago when Carrol College in Waukesha, WI. started up its low power on 88.1. It caused a lot of interference, and drew complaints from viewers who relied on outdoor antennas to watch WITI-TV. The problems were solved when the Carrol College station moved to 104.5 Mhz.

 

[FightingIrish]

This will all be a moot point a year from now since WITI will move from Ch. 6 after the analog shutoff. Hence, no interference.

 

[FightingIrish]

Another thing I thought of, in regard to the MSO/WPR applications...

Anyone else get the feeling these two are in cahoots with each other? MSO obviously knows nothing about radio, and WPR will no doubt want to put on their classical music service on a new Milwaukee-area station. Both have worked together on programming in the past. My feeling is that if MSO gets the license, they'll merely have WPR run it.

I'm guessing the dual applications are to hedge their bets against the multiple religious station applications.

 

[w9wi]

Another thing I thought of, in regard to the MSO/WPR applications...

Anyone else get the feeling these two are in cahoots with each other? MSO obviously knows nothing about radio, and WPR will no doubt want to put on their classical music service on a new Milwaukee-area station. Both have worked together on programming in the past. My feeling is that if MSO gets the license, they'll merely have WPR run it.

I'm guessing the dual applications are to hedge their bets against the multiple religious station applications.

I guess I don't see where filing multiple applications improves MSO/WPR's chances.
_________________________________________________
A quick analysis suggests the applicants mutually-exclusive with MSO and WPR:
- WRVM, for 5kw/106m in Fond du Lac
- Calvary Iowa City, for 2.5kw/156m in Genoa
- Chicago Public Radio, for 2.4kw/139m, in Kenosha
- One Wisconsin, for 3kw/98m in Oak Creek
- University of Wisconsin (on behalf of WPR?), for 39kw/62m in Port Washington
- Family Life Radio, for 7.8kw/128m in Racine
- MSO, for 70kw/63m in Saukville
- Cornerstone Christian Radio, for 20kw/52m in Sheboygan (88.3)
- Bethesda Christian Broadcasting, for 180w/9m in Taycheedah (88.3)
- Educational Media Foundation (K-Love) for 5.2kw/98m in Union Grove
- Christian Vision, for 16kw/126m in West Bend.

1. If 10% of the service area of a proposal, with at least 2,000 people, would receive a first or second non-commercial service, that proposal (and others that meet the same criteria) would receive preference. That probably won't apply here as I suspect all of the service area of all applicants already receives at least two NCE services.

2. 3 points if the applicant's headquarters or 75% of its Board of Directors are within 25 miles of the city of license. I believe the Oak Creek, Saukville, (MSO) and West Bend applications are probably the only three that will qualify here.

3. 2 points if the proposed station would be part of a statewide network. The Port Washington (WPR) application is probably the only one that qualifies here.

4. 2 points if the applicant has no other local media interests. I suspect *everyone* will get these points.

5. 1 point if the coverage exceeds by 10% in population and area other applications. 2 points if coverage is 25% better. Looks to me as if the Port Washington, Saukville, and maybe West Bend applications will lead here.

6. Finally, if there's a tie at this point, the applicant with the fewest overall media interests wins.

By my (not necessarily accurate) reckoning, the leading applicants would be WPR with 6 points, MSO with 7, Christian Vision (West Bend) with 6. If MSO is not allowed to correct their technically defective application then they're out of the running. By my reckoning, the Board of Regents has four media interests (four applications filed in this group); Christian Vision has five; so the permit would go to the University.

There are a LOT of what-ifs though. What if WSUM (the student station in Madison) counts against the UW? What if applications don't count as media interests? Does WPR's and Christian Vision's coverage actually exceed that of the next largest applicant by 10%? 25%? Will the MSO be allowed to correct its application?

_________________________________________________

Anyway, having more applications doesn't seem to improve the chances of any one being the "best".

Regarding TV-6, yes, that was my point: that I don't think these applications would have been accepted if we didn't know that WITI was moving to channel 33 in a little over a year.