KTNF
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| Broadcast area | Minneapolis-St. Paul |
| Frequency | AM 950kHz |
| Branding | AM 950 KTNF, The Progressive Voice of Minnesota |
| Programming | |
| Format | Progressive talk radio |
| Affiliations | AP Radio News |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | JR Broadcasting |
| History | |
First air date | May 13, 1958 |
Former call signs |
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| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 57833 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 1,000watts |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | am950radio /Listen-Live |
| Website | am950radio |
KTNF(950kHz,"AM 950" ) is acommercialAMradio stationlicensedtoSt. Louis Park, Minnesotathat serves theMinneapolis-St. Paulmetropolitan area. The station brands itself as "The Progressive Voice of Minnesota," and offers a combination of locally produced andnationally syndicatedprogressive talkprogramming. It is owned by JR Broadcasting.
KTNF's studios andtransmitterare located on Valley View Road inEden Prairie.[2]It operates with 1,000wattsaround the clock, using adirectional antenna,with a two-tower arrayby day and a three-tower pattern at night.
Syndicated shows heard on KTNF includeThe Stephanie Miller Show,The Thom Hartmann Program,Democracy Now!withAmy Goodman,The Morning Drive with Santita JacksonandThe David Pakman Show.Most hours begin with an update fromAP Radio News.
History[edit]
On May 13, 1958,the stationsigned onthe air. The originalcall signwas KRSI.[3]It was owned by Radio Suburbia and its studios were located at 4500 Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park. On July 1, 1962, it started anFMsister stationat 104.1 MHz, which is nowKZJK.At one point, both stations were owned byRed OwlStores. In October 1972, the two stations moved to what is now the AM station's current studio and transmitter facility inEden Prairie.
The 950 AM frequency has been home to many formats. KRSI was one of the firstTop-40stations in theTwin Citiesin the late 1950s. While it was owned byRoy H. Park,KRSI carried one of its most popular formats,simulcastingwith 104.1 KRSI-FM asTop 40"All Request Radio," between 1968 and 1972.
Over the years the station has been through many formats, including:
- MORformat "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 asKJJO(1986–1988)
- Urban AC(SMN "Heart And Soul" ) (1988)
- Hard rock(Satellite Music Networks'"Z-Rock") asKZOW(1988–1990)
- Business Radio Network (KJJO) (1990–1992)
- Simulcast with FM (KJJO/KMJZ) (1992–1995)
- R&B oldiesasKSGS( "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 asKDOW,thenKCCO( "Business 9-5-0" ) (2001–2004)
- TalkasKSNB(2004-)
AM 950 simulcast with co-owned 104.1 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 ownerCBS Radioin 2004. The company that purchased KTNF was founded byMinnesotaattorneyJanet Robert and former MinnesotaCongressmanBill Lutherin 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. WhenAir America Radiomade its debut on March 31, 2004,WMNN,where the group leased airtime, became one of the new network's original affiliates withAl Franken's show, as well asDemocracy Radio'sEd Schultz.Eventually, more syndicated and local shows were added. After the sale of WMNN six months later, the format split to broadcasting on both740 AMand1530 AM.In October 2004, 950 AM was purchased, and became the permanent home of "Air America Minnesota".
In the summer of 2004, the station was purchased by Janet Robert, formerDemocratic-Farmer-Laborcandidate for theUS House of Representatives,to provide a local outlet forsyndicatedprogramming from the formerAir America Radionetwork(the station was originally known as "Air America Minnesota" ).
The station procured some programs from Dial Global, which syndicatedThe Stephanie Miller Showand TheBill PressShow. Along the way, Air America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reorganizing under new investors. By the time Al Franken launched his Senate campaign in 2007, Air America was KTNF's source for The Thom Hartmann Show and a handful of weekend programs. Air America ceased operations in January 2010.
The station's ownership transitioned in October 2013 to long time employee Chad Larson. Branded as "AM950 The Progressive Voice of Minnesota" the station is the only Progressive Talk Radio station in Minnesota. The station broadcasts national programs including Thom Hartmann, Stephanie Miller, Norman Goldman, Amy Goodman, David Pakman and Brad Friedman. Local weekday drive time programming includes the Matt McNeil Show and Native Roots Radio. AM950 receives its funding through paid advertisements and listener donations.[4]
Former Logos[edit]
References[edit]
- ^"Facility Technical Data for".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"KTNF-AM Radio Station Coverage Map".radio-locator.
- ^"Broadcasting Yearbooke 1960 page A-177"(PDF).
- ^"AM 950 – The Progressive Voice of Minnesota".
External links[edit]
- KTNFin theFCCAM station database
- KTNFinNielsen Audio's AM station database
- RadiotapesAirchecks of KRSI and other historical data about the station
- Randi Rhodes
- Stephanie Miller Show