KTNF
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| City of license | St. Louis Park, MN |
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| Broadcast area | Minneapolis-St. Paul |
| Branding | AM 950 KTNF, The Progressive Voice of Minnesota |
| Slogan | What's Left is the Truth |
| Frequency | 950 AM (kHz) |
| First air date | May 13, 1958 |
| Format | Commercial; Progressive talk |
| Power | 1,000 watts |
| Class | B |
| Former callsigns | KRSI, KJJO, KZOW, KSGS, KDOW, KCCO, KSNB |
| Affiliations | Dial Global |
| Owner | JR Broadcasting |
| Website | am950ktnf.com |
KTNF is a radio station licensed to St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The station brands itself as "The Progressive Voice of Minnesota," and offers a combination of locally produced and nationally syndicated progressive talk programming.
In the summer of 2004, the station was purchased by Janet Robert, former Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate for the US House of Representatives, to provide a local outlet for syndicated programming from the former Air America Radio network (the station was originally known as "Air America Minnesota"). KTNF also carries shows from Dial Global.
History
The station signed on as KRSI in 1958, with studios located at 4500 Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park. In 1967, it started an FM station at 104.1 MHz, which, following many format changes, is now KZJK. At one point, both stations were owned by Red Owl Stores. In October 1972, the two stations moved to what is now the AM station's current studio and transmitter facility in Eden Prairie.
The 950 AM frequency has been home to many formats. KRSI was one of the first Top-40 stations in the Twin Cities in the late 1950s. In its most popular incarnation, from 1968 to 1972, it was simulcasting with KRSI-FM (104.1) as "all request radio".
Over the years the station has been through many formats, including:
- Top 40/MOR formats ("Music You Remember") - 1958-1968
- Top 40 as "Request Radio" - 1968-1973 (began 24 hour operation)
- Country music (Automated Drake-Chenault "Great American Country") - 1973-1979
- Rock/new wave ("Musicradio I-95") - 1979-1980
- Adult standards (Music of Your Life, simulcast with KRSI-FM) - February 1980 – 1982
- Country music (SMN "County Coast To Coast") - 1982-1984
- CHR (SMN "Rock America") "Hot Rock 950 KRSI" - 1984-1985
- Oldies "Request Radio" - 1985-1986
- Simulcast with FM as KJJO - 1986-1988
- Urban AC (SMN "Heart And Soul") - 1988
- Hard rock (SMN "Z-Rock") as KZOW - 1988-1990
- Business Radio Network (KJJO) - 1990-1992
- Simulcast with FM (KJJO) - 1992-1995
- R&B oldies as KSGS ("ABC Solid Gold Soul" w/Local AM Drive) ("9-5-0 Solid Gold Soul") - 1995-1999
- Urban Adult Contemporary (ABC "The Touch" w/Local AM Drive) - 1999-2001
- Business Radio as KDOW, then KCCO ("Business 9-5-0") - 2001-2004
- News/Talk as KSNB - 2004
AM 950 simulcast its sister FM station during a number of periods in its history.
The station was running a combination format of news, sports and business news (as KDOW, KCCO, then KSNB) when it was sold by previous owner CBS Radio in 2004. The company that purchased KTNF was founded by Minnesota attorney Janet Robert and former Minnesota Congressman Bill Luther in November 2003, as a result of their concern about the impact right wing talk radio had in the 2002 elections and inspired by Sydney Blumenthal's book The Rise of the Counter-Establishment: The Conservative Ascent to Political Power. When Air America Radio made its debut on March 31, 2004, WMNN, where the group leased airtime, became one of the new network's original affiliates with Al Franken's show, as well as Democracy Radio's Ed Schultz. Eventually, more syndicated and local shows were added. After the sale of WMNN six months later, the format split to broadcasting on both 740 AM and 1530 AM. In October 2004, 950 AM was purchased, and became the permanent home of "Air America Minnesota".
The station has gotten more and more of its programs from Dial Global which syndicated The Stepanie Miller Show and The Bill Press Show. Along the way, Air America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reorganizing under new investors. By the time Al Franken launched his Senate campaign, Air America was KTNF’s source for The Thom Hartmann Show and a handful of weekend programs. Air America ceased operations in January, 2010.
Programming
The station provides a mix of programming between locally produced programs and nationally syndicated programs.
Minnesota connections
In the winter of 2005-2006, U.S. Senator Al Franken, a former St. Louis Park, Minnesota resident, moved his radio show from New York City to downtown Minneapolis, originating his show from studios in the Foshay Tower.
External links
- KTNF official website
- Query the FCC's AM station database for KTNF
- Radio-Locator Information on KTNF
- Query Nielsen Audio's AM station database for KTNF
- Radiotapes.com Airchecks of KRSI and other historical data about the station
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