Fond du Lac Band to buy radio stations in Cloquet, Moose Lake

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The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is expanding its voice again, this time with the purchase of radio stations WKLK in Cloquet and WMOZ in Moose Lake.

An agreement was struck between the band and Alan Quarnstrom, owner of QB Broadcasting Ltd. based in Red Wing, Minn.

“We have a verbal agreement and I hope to have a contract within a few weeks,” Quarnstrom told the News Tribune.

The sale still must receive approval from the Federal Communications Commission, which is expected to take about 90 days.

Karen Diver, Fond du Lac chairwoman, said there are no plans to make any immediate changes at the stations.

“No plans beyond just running it as a commercial radio station,” Diver said in an e-mail to the News Tribune.

WKLK-FM is a “classic rock” format while the AM station format is listed as “nostalgia.” WMOZ is an oldies station. The stations have a mix of local and satellite programming.

The 25,000-watt FM 96.5 WKLK originally went on the air as KOUV on Nov. 29, 1991, then changed its call letters to WKLK in February 1992, when Quarnstrom bought the station. WKLK 1230 AM has been on the air since the 1950s, he said.

Quarnstrom, who once lived in Esko but now lives in Red Wing, will remain in control until FCC approval is received. He said he plans no changes in personnel or programming during that period. He said the stations were in good shape financially.

It’s the second major move into radio for the band this year. In September, Fond du Lac debuted station WGZS at 89.1 FM, a new 50,000-watt public radio station on the reservation that can broadcast south to Hinckley, east into Wisconsin, west to McGregor and north into the Iron Range.

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