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Northwestern Media
TypeRadio network
Country
United States
History
Launch dateFebruary 7, 1949 (1949-02-07)
Links
Websiteunwsp.edu/about-us/radio-ministries

Northwestern Media is the Christian radio ministry of the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, an evangelical university in Roseville, Minnesota. Northwestern Media operates three radio networks serving listeners primarily in the Midwestern United States: the Life Network, a contemporary Christian music station; the Faith Network, with Christian talk and teaching programming; and Spirit FM, playing Christian adult contemporary music.

History

Northwestern Schools, as it was then known, entered the broadcasting business with the launch of KTIS-AM-FM in the Twin Cities on February 7, 1949.[1] The construction of KTIS, costing $40,000, was entirely underwritten by the school's students.[2] Its radio ministry soon expanded. On April 1, 1953, it bought KBOK in Waterloo, Iowa and changed its call letters to KNWS.[3] Growth continued with the October 25, 1955,[4]: C-149  launch of Fargo's KFNW and its 1961 acquisition of KIHO in Sioux Falls, which became KNWC.[5] Northwestern built FM stations in all three cities in 1965 (Fargo's KFNW-FM[4]: C-149  and Waterloo's KNWS-FM[6]) and 1969 (KNWC-FM in Sioux Falls[4]: C-181 ). Northwestern acquired WRVB-FM in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1973,[7] changing it to WNWC; the college would buy an AM station there in 1997.

In 1983, KDNI in Duluth, Minnesota came to air; it was joined by KDNW, a second frequency, in 1992. Des Moines, Iowa, became part of Northwestern Media's footprint when radio stations KJJC and KLRX were bought out of receivership[8] and became KNWI and KNWM in 2004. KJNW FM in Kansas City was acquired in 2013 from Calvary Bible College.[9]

Station sales

In 2010, citing years of low listener support and the fact that it was subsidized by the rest of the network, Northwestern College closed WSMR in Sarasota, Florida, which it had built in 1996; the station was sold to the University of South Florida for $1.275 million and began broadcasting classical music.[10]

Between 2007 and 2012, Northwestern owned a third station, KFNL in the Fargo, North Dakota, area. The station was sold to a commercial broadcaster, Mediactive, LLC, in 2012[11] and is now KBMW-FM.

Between April and August 2018, UNW briefly owned two secular stations, KDSN-AM-FM, in Denison, Iowa. UNW had acquired the stations in order to move KDSN-FM to another frequency and facilitate a signal upgrade for KNWI.[12]

Expansions

Northwestern acquired KLBF near Bismarck, North Dakota, from the Educational Media Foundation in 2017; KLBF became a Faith station, making it the westernmost station in the Northwestern Media portfolio and one of its few markets without a Life station.[13] EMF had previously donated WNWW, an AM radio station in Hartford, Connecticut, to the university in 2016.[14]

In 2018, Northwestern Media entered Omaha with its acquisition of KGBI-FM from Salem Media Group for $3.15 million.[15]

Northwestern Media made two major network acquisitions in 2019. The first came in July when the entire Refuge Radio network was donated to UNW. Refuge owned three full-power stations and 13 dependent translators in Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota.[16] The Refuge network was dismantled and almost all of its transmitters converted to repeat Life and Faith stations; former network key station WJRF in Duluth was taken silent (as Northwestern already had two stations there), the two other full-power stations began simulcasting Life stations, and the translators were spread around the Life and Faith networks.[17]

On August 6, 2019, the Illinois Bible Institute announced it would sell its New Life Radio Network (WBGL/WCIC), a two-network radio ministry primarily broadcasting in Illinois, to the University of Northwestern. UNW paid $9,901,558.34 to acquire its 13 full-power stations and eight translators.[18] The acquisition brought UNW's number of broadcast licenses to 81 in 10 states.[19]

In 2021, Northwestern filed to purchase KLMP and KSLT in Rapid City, South Dakota and their repeaters from Bethesda Christian Broadcasting,[20] closing on the purchase in January 2022.[21] It obtained new licenses for full-power non-commercial stations in Ashland, Wisconsin, and Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 2022,[22][23] and it also purchased a series of FM translators rebroadcasting KSLT from the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel that year.[24]

In a $1.25 million transaction, UNW filed to acquire the Lake Area Educational Broadcasting Foundation, whose Spirit FM and Elevate FM services are broadcast in various cities in Missouri, in March 2023.[25] The purchase, including fifteen stations, eight translators, and six construction permits, was consummated on July 5, 2023.

Stations

Faith Network

Faith Network stations
Call sign Frequency City of license ERP Watts Class FCC info Rebroadcasts
KTIS 900 AM Minneapolis, Minnesota 50,000-D/500-N B Template:AMQ KTIS
K206DI 89.1 FM Mankato, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KTIS
K214DF[note 1] 90.7 FM Golden Valley-Minneapolis, Minnesota 99 D Template:FMQ KTIS
K264CD 100.7 FM Des Moines, Iowa 99 D Template:FMQ KTIS
K215DU 90.9 FM Hutchinson, Minnesota 230 D Template:FMQ KTIS
W248CU 97.5 FM Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KTIS
K277CC 103.3 FM Pennock–Willmar, Minnesota 170 D Template:FMQ KTIS
WNWW[note 2] 1290 AM West Hartford, Connecticut 490-D/11-N D Template:AMQ KTIS
W231CZ[note 1] 94.1 FM Hartford, Connecticut 32 D Template:FMQ WNWW
KNWS 1090 AM Waterloo, Iowa 1,000-D/0-N D Template:AMQ KNWS
K226CK 93.1 FM Waterloo, Iowa 250 D Template:FMQ KNWS
KDNI 90.5 FM Duluth, Minnesota 2,000 C3 Template:FMQ KDNI
K254DS 98.7 FM Grand Rapids, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KDNI
K207ES 89.3 FM Hibbing, Minnesota 12 D Template:FMQ KDNI
K220BI 91.9 FM Grand Marais, Minnesota 34 D Template:FMQ KDNI
KLBF[note 2] 89.1 FM Lincoln-Bismarck, North Dakota 2,300 C3 Template:FMQ KTIS
KFNW 1200 AM West Fargo, North Dakota 50,000-D/13,000-N B Template:AMQ KFNW
K273DJ 102.5 FM West Fargo, North Dakota 250 D Template:FMQ KFNW
KNWC 1270 AM Sioux Falls, South Dakota 5,000-D/2,300-N B Template:AMQ KNWC
K208EX 89.5 FM Brandon, South Dakota 230>100(CP) D Template:FMQ KNWC
K288EV 105.5 FM Brookings, South Dakota 250 D Template:FMQ KNWC
K288GA 105.5 FM Sioux Falls, South Dakota 220 D Template:FMQ KNWC
K298CY 107.5 FM Sioux Falls, South Dakota 250 D Template:FMQ KNWC
WNWC 1190 AM Sun Prairie-Madison, Wisconsin 4,800-D/21-N D Template:AMQ WNWC
W284CW 104.7 FM Madison, Wisconsin 250 D Template:FMQ WNWC
KLMP 88.3 FM Rapid City, South Dakota 63,000 C Template:FMQ KLMP
KLMP-FM1 88.3 FM Rapid City, South Dakota 2,300 D Template:FMQ KLMP
KCKP 100.9 FM Laurie, Missouri 23,500 C3 Template:FMQ
KCKV 91.9 FM Kirksville, Missouri 1,000 A Template:FMQ
K207AY 89.3 FM St. Robert, Missouri 99 D Template:FMQ KCKP
K211FV 90.1 FM Sedalia, Missouri 54 D Template:FMQ KCKP
K285FC 104.9 FM Jefferson City, Missouri 250 D Template:FMQ KCKP

Life Network

Life Network stations
Call sign Frequency City of license ERP Watts Class FCC info Rebroadcasts
KTIS-FM 98.5 FM Minneapolis, Minnesota 100,000 C0 Template:FMQ KTIS-FM
K224DB 92.7 FM Willmar, Minnesota 170 D Template:FMQ KTIS-FM
K232EK 94.3 FM Rochester, Minnesota 115 D Template:FMQ KTIS-FM
K235BH 94.9 FM Mankato, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KTIS-FM
K270DZ 101.9 FM New Ulm, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KTIS-FM
K299AL 107.7 FM Albert Lea, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KTIS-FM
KNWI 107.1 FM Osceola-Des Moines, Iowa 100,000 C1 Template:FMQ KNWI-FM
KNWM[note 3] 96.1 FM Madrid-Ames, Iowa 6,000 A Template:FMQ KNWI-FM
KNWS-FM 101.9 FM Waterloo, Iowa 100,000 C Template:FMQ KNWS-FM
K242BX 96.3 FM Marshalltown, Iowa 250 D Template:FMQ KNWS-FM
K245AZ 96.9 FM Dubuque, Iowa 170 D Template:FMQ KNWS-FM
K261DH[note 1] 100.1 FM Iowa City, Iowa 47 D Template:FMQ KNWS-FM
KDNW 97.3 FM Duluth, Minnesota 72,000 C1 Template:FMQ KDNW-FM
KRFG[note 4] 102.9 FM Nashwauk-Hibbing, Minnesota 25,000 C3 Template:FMQ KDNW-FM
WJRF[note 4] 89.5 FM Duluth, Minnesota 1,650>40,000(CP) A>C1(CP) Template:FMQ KDNW-FM[26]
K201IX 88.1 FM Grand Rapids, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KDNW-FM
W230AN 93.9 FM Hayward, Wisconsin 250 D Template:FMQ KDNW-FM
W220EB 91.9 FM Ashland, Wisconsin 38 D Template:FMQ KDNW-FM
W268AT 101.5 FM Spooner, Wisconsin 19 D Template:FMQ KDNW-FM
K288BF 105.5 FM Grand Marais, Minnesota 122 D Template:FMQ KDNW-FM
KJNW 88.5 FM Kansas City, Missouri 100,000 C1 Template:FMQ KJNW-FM
KGBI-FM 100.7 FM Omaha, Nebraska 100,000 C0 Template:FMQ KGBI-FM
KFNW-FM 97.9 FM Fargo, North Dakota 100,000 C Template:FMQ KFNW-FM
K230AS 93.9 FM Fergus Falls, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KFNW-FM
KNWC-FM 96.5 FM Sioux Falls, South Dakota 100,000 C Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
KRGM[note 5] 89.9 FM Marshall-Redwood Falls, Minnesota 4,250 C3 Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
K208FJ 89.5 FM Fairmont, Minnesota 250 D Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
K210CG 89.9 FM Spirit Lake, Iowa 250 D Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
K220HY 91.9 FM Spencer, Iowa 250 D Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
K257CH[27] 99.3 FM Estherville, Iowa 80 D Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
K220IT 91.9 FM Watertown, South Dakota 50 D Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
K229BK 93.7 FM North Sioux City, South Dakota 250 D Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
K231AR 94.1 FM Mitchell, South Dakota 250 D Template:FMQ KNWC-FM
WNWC-FM 102.5 FM Madison, Wisconsin 50,000 B Template:FMQ WNWC-FM
W237CO 95.3 FM Richland Center, Wisconsin 10 D Template:FMQ WNWC-FM
KSLT 107.1 FM Spearfish, South Dakota 100,000 C Template:FMQ KSLT-FM
KSLT-FM1 107.1 FM Rapid City, South Dakota 2,400 D Template:FMQ KSLT-FM
KSLP[note 6] 90.3 FM Fort Pierre, South Dakota 2,000 A Template:FMQ KSLT-FM
KSLS[note 7] 90.7 FM Dickinson, North Dakota 3,400 A Template:FMQ KSLT-FM
K292DN 106.3 FM Newcastle, Wyoming 31 D Template:FMQ KSLT-FM

Spirit FM

See Spirit FM (Missouri).

Silent

Silent stations owned by Northwestern Media
Call sign Frequency City of license ERP Watts Class FCC info Rebroadcasts
K285ET[note 8] 104.9 FM Kiron, Iowa 250 D Template:FMQ Silent[28]
K282CF (CP) 104.3 FM Dubuque, Iowa 13 D Template:FMQ Silent

Acquired Stations of New Life Media Network from the Illinois Bible Institute

Call sign Frequency City of license ERP Watts Class FCC info Rebroadcasts
WCIC 91.5 FM Pekin-Peoria, Illinois 47,000 B Template:FMQ WCIC
WSCT[note 9] 90.1 FM Springfield, Illinois 3,800 A Template:FMQ WCIC
WPRC[note 9] 88.7 FM Sheffield, Illinois 8,500 B1 Template:FMQ WCIC
W212AN 90.3 FM Jacksonville, Illinois 55 D Template:FMQ WSCT
W219DV 91.7 FM Jacksonville, Illinois 38 D Template:FMQ WSCT
W255AI 98.9 FM Bloomington, Illinois 55 D Template:FMQ WCIC
W263AO 100.5 FM Galesburg, Illinois 19 D Template:FMQ WCIC
K247BW 97.3 FM Bettendorf, Iowa 40 D Template:FMQ WPRC
WBGL 91.7 FM Champaign, Illinois 20,000 B Template:FMQ WBGL
WCFL[note 10] 104.7 FM Morris, Illinois 50,000 B Template:FMQ WBGL
WIBI[note 10] 91.1 FM Carlinville, Illinois 50,000 B Template:FMQ WBGL
WNLD[note 10] 88.1 FM Decatur, Illinois 1,000 A Template:FMQ WBGL
WZGL[note 10] 88.1 FM Charleston, Illinois 2,100 A Template:FMQ WBGL
WCRT-FM[note 10] 88.5 FM Terre Haute, Indiana 1,050 A Template:FMQ WBGL
WCBW-FM[note 10] 89.7 FM East St. Louis, Illinois 250 A Template:FMQ WBGL
WBMV[note 10] 89.7 FM Mount Vernon, Illinois 10,500 B1 Template:FMQ WBGL
WVNL[note 10] 91.7 FM Vandalia, Illinois 100 A Template:FMQ WBGL
WIMB[note 10] 89.1 FM Murphysboro, Illinois 3,500 A Template:FMQ WBGL
W211AD 90.1 FM Granite City, Illinois 60 D Template:FMQ WIBI
W230BS 93.9 FM Effingham, Illinois 38 D Template:FMQ WBMV
K295FB 106.9 FM Cape Girardeau, Missouri 92 D Template:FMQ WBMV

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Translator owned by the Educational Media Foundation
  2. ^ a b Full-power simulcast of KTIS-AM
  3. ^ Full-power simulcast of KNWI
  4. ^ a b Full-power simulcast of KDNW
  5. ^ Full-power simulcast of KNWC-FM
  6. ^ Full-power simulcast of KSLT
  7. ^ Full-power simulcast of KSLT
  8. ^ Owned by the West Iowa Fellowship of Evangelicals
  9. ^ a b Full-power simulcast of WCIC
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Full-power simulcast of WBGL

References

  1. ^ "KTIS, Religious Station, Launched". Star-Tribune. February 8, 1949. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  2. ^ "Students Finance New Station KTIS". Minneapolis Star. February 8, 1949. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  3. ^ "School Group to Assume Control of KBOK Apr. 1". The Courier. March 17, 1953. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Radio" (PDF). 1976 Broadcasting Yearbook. 1976. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  5. ^ "Station KIHO Is Now KNWC". Argus-Leader. April 19, 1961. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  6. ^ "Waterloo's KNWS Begins FM Operation". Cedar Rapids Gazette. June 17, 1965. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "College Buys Radio Station". Wisconsin State Journal. January 30, 1973. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  8. ^ Sprau, Dave (June 26, 2003). "ESPN radio affiliate closes". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  9. ^ Venta, Lance (January 29, 2013). "Northwestern College Buys KLJC Kansas City". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Noncommercial WSMR-FM Sarasota FL going secular". RBR. August 4, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  11. ^ Venta, Lance (March 5, 2013). "The Bone Fargo Goes Dark". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  12. ^ Venta, Lance. "Station Sales Week Of 9/7: KDSN Gets Divested Soon After Its Acquisition". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  13. ^ "KLBF/89.1 (Lincoln-Bismarck) has returned to the air..." Northpine. October 2, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  14. ^ "K-LOVE Transfers Ownership of WCCC-AM in Hartford to Faith Radio". NRB Today. April 14, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  15. ^ "Salem Media Announces Sale of KGBI-FM in Omaha". BusinessWire. May 22, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "Refuge Media Group Donates Stations To University of Northwestern-St. Paul". Inside Radio. July 19, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  17. ^ Ellis, Jon (September 3, 2019). ""Life," "Faith" Networks Expand on Former Refuge Stations". Northpine. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  18. ^ Jacobson, Adam (August 6, 2019). "Faith Radio Finds New Life With 13 New Stations, Plus Translators". RBR. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  19. ^ "U. of Northwestern Buys 13 Stations From Illinois Bible Institute". Inside Radio. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  20. ^ Ellis, Jon. "Bethesda Sells 2 of its 3 Rapid City Stations to Northwestern". Northpine. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Ellis, Jon. "Northwestern Closes Purchase of Two Rapid City Stations, Third to be Sold". Northpine. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  22. ^ Ellis, Jon. "Running List: FCC Grants New Non-Commercial FM Stations". Northpine. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  23. ^ Ellis, Jon. "Running List: FCC Monitor: Quad Cities FM Translator to Relay iHeart Station". Northpine. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  24. ^ Deal Digest, InsideRadio. "Deal Digest - September 1, 2022". InsideRadio. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  25. ^ Venta, Lance (March 15, 2023). "Northwestern Media Expands Across Missouri With Spirit-FM Purchase". RadioInsight.
  26. ^ "FCC Grants Upgrade for Duluth Station". Upper Midwest Broadcasting at NorthPine.com. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  27. ^ Lakes Area Christian Radio files to donate the Estherville, IA-licensed translator K257CH at 99.3 FM to the University of Northwestern-St. Paul."Deal Digest – February 20, 2020". Inside Radio. February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  28. ^ "Western Iowa FM Station Moves, Making Way for Des Moines Upgrade". Upper Midwest Broadcasting at NorthPine.com. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
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