Idaho Radio News Etc.

Radio Fiesta of Jerome is looking to buy a translator in St. Anthony. While translator purchases aren’t usually a topic around here — this one is interesting. Radio Fiesta is set to pay the current owner, Radio Assist Ministry an eye-popping $35,000 — for a TRANSLATOR!

Why? It appears Radio Assist is… um… assisting Fiesta in segueing the translator from St. Anthony to coverage of Idaho Falls – and we would assume they would want to rebroadcast Fiesta’s KIGO/1420 AM Spanish station.

In the filing, Radio Assist says its two current IF translators – are rebroadcasting non-commercial KISU out of Pocatello. The translators broadcast on 92.1 FM and 106.7 FM… however ears in the market say those frequencies are NOT playing KISU. I’ll leave it to our comments section and the E. Idaho crowd to report what is ACTUALLY on those stations.

Here’s the filing.

A trio of Idaho stations under construction permits have to get on the air in coming weeks — or they could lose those permits:

• KQPI licensed to Aberdeen has until March 25 to file for their license as a C2 at 99.5 (College Creek-Chris Devine-Chicago)
• KRID licensed to Ashton has until March 28 to file for their license as a class A at 96.5 (College Creek-Chris Devine-Chicago)
• A CP issued to Salmon with no call letters assigned has until April 21 to file for their license as a class C at 94.5 (Skywest Media-Ted Tucker-Tucson AZ)

(Thanks Oldtimer!)

The Federal Communications Commission just approved a big rulemaking document that affects a raft of frequencies across Idaho. As part of the decision, KZDX/99.9 The Buzz will have to leave its current dial position behind for a new slot at 93.5 FM. KZBQ/Idaho Country 93.7 will shift to 93.9 FM – and KQEU/Arrow 107.1 will slide up to 107.9

Our FCC expert Oldtimer has the breakdown:

WINNERS in IDAHO

- Sand Hill Media’s KSNA 94.3 a C2 licensed to Rexburg Idaho swaps channels with co-owned KUPI at 99.1 thus giving it an improved signal over Idaho Falls.
- Sand Hill’s KUPI takes over the frequency of BYU-Idaho’s KBYI at 100.5 which will give it a transmitter site near Idaho Falls and thus coverage over both Idaho Falls & Pocatello.
- Sun Valley Radio’s KLZX 95.9 licensed to Weston ID upgrades to a C3 from an A and moves to 99.9.
- Simmons owned KOAX 107.3 C2 licensed to Kemmerer WY becomes a move-in to Shelley Idaho covering Idaho Falls & Blackfoot.
- College Creek, another Chris Devine entity, has their Ashton Idaho Fm construction permit changed from 96.5 class A to 104.5 which will allow it to move closer to Idaho Falls & Rexburg.

LOSERS in IDAHO

- The community of Soda Springs loses its only local FM as it moves to Wilson (Jackson) WY at 100.1 as a C3.
- BYU-Idaho’s KBYI is forced to change frequencies from 100.5 to 94.3 despite its objections to the FCC.
- KZBQ Pocatello changes frequency from 93.7 to 93.9 despites its objections to the FCC.
- KZDX Burley changes frequency from 99.9 to 93.5.
- KQEO Idaho Falls changes frequency from 107.1 to 107.9
- Vacant channel 105.1 class A at Dubois ID to 96.5 class A

Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners have been given the green light to take the radio giant private by the FCC. CC is also working to sell its TV station group to Providence Equity Partners – and has sold or is selling all radio stations in markets smaller than 100 to a variety of buyers. The FCC approved the TV part of the transaction in November.

The Boise Community Radio Project hopes it will one day occupy 89.9 on the FM dial across the Treasure Valley. Project organizers jumped on an application window that just closed, and feel confident they have a good shot at securing an allotment: “Boise Community Radio has focused, successfully, we hope, on recognizing the FCC’s new evaluation criteria and using it to our advantage as a community-based organization”, BCRP Jeff Abrams said in a prepared statement.

No word will come from the FCC for quite a while, but the filings will show up on fcc.gov sometime soon, according to BCRP.

BCRP is the latest entrant into the want-to-be-community-radio space. The Idaho Community Radio folks banded together in the 1990s, and have since reignited their efforts to start a community-based radio station, and is not related to Abrams’ project. I’m checking with ICR to see if they filed.