Jump to content

Media in Minneapolis–Saint Paul

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Dfarmer (talk | contribs) at 21:20, 17 January 2005 (KTIS). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Media in the Twin Cities region runs the gamut from large to small. Many major outlets reach more than half of the population of Minnesota. Since the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area also reaches Wisconsin, many people in that neigboring state are also influenced by these media outlets.

The two main newspapers have "Greater Minnesota" editions, while television and FM radio can reach 80 miles or more out from the area. Additionally, two clear channel AM stations in the area can be received across much of central North America at night. These transmissions can overlap with those from other communities across the area. In fact, a few "Twin Cities" stations are licensed to outlying cities.

At the other end, cable access television, community radio broadcasters, and neighborhood newspapers focus on small markets.

Print

The Twin Cities have two major newspapers: the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Additionally, the Minnesota Daily serves the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus and surrounding neighborhoods. A number of other weekly and monthly publications (most of which are fully supported by advertising) are also available. The most prominent of these is City Pages. Some specifically target an audience, such as the Minnesota music scene or the state's gay community.

Television

The region is currently ranked as the 13th or 14th largest television market, depending on the source.

Area broadcasters include:

Twin Cities Public Television operates both KTCA and KTCI. Hubbard Broadcasting Corporation owns KSTP and has a second TV station, KSTC, which is not affiliated with any network. KMSP and WFTC have now merged as well, and KARE currently has a marketing agreement with KPXM. The only station with its main studios in Minneapolis is WCCO, while St. Paul is host to KSTP/KSTC, KTCA/KTCI, and KMWB. Other stations are located in the suburbs. For much of the last two decades, KARE has had the most popular evening newscasts of the area channels. On the other end, KSTP has struggled to maintain ratings on its news programs. KMSP has had a 9 o'clock newscast since at least the early 1990s when it was an independent channel.

KSTP claims to have been the first station in the country to run a regular nightly newscast. It is the oldest station in the state to still be operating, having first gone on the air in 1948. TV broadcasts first occurred more than a decade earlier during the 1930s when engineers for radio station WDGY (now KFAN) experimented with a mechanical television system. Mechanical TV quickly lost favor, and the station's owner decided to let the license expire in 1938.

Communities in the region have their own public/educational/government-access cable television channels. One channel, the Metro Cable Network, is available on channel 6 on cable systems across the seven-county region. Minneapolis Telecommunications Network (MTN) [2] has three public access channels and Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) [3] has two.

Area residents of the right age look back fondly on many of the locally-produced shows that were on the air for about two decades, from the early days of TV in Minnesota up until the 1970s. WCCO, KSTP, KMSP, and WTCN (now KARE) all had children's shows, though there were a few other notable shows meant for an older audience.

Several television programs originating in the Twin Cities have been aired nationally on terrestrial and cable TV networks. KTCA created the science program Newton's Apple and distributes a children's program today. A few unusual comedic shows also originated in the area. In the 1980s, KTMA (predecessor to KMWB) created a number of low-budget shows, including cult classic Mystery Science Theater 3000. The shortlived Let's Bowl! started on KARE, and PBS series Mental Engineering originated on the St. Paul cable access network.

Radio

The radio market in the Twin Cities is considered to be somewhat smaller than for TV, ranked 16th. The area lineup includes:

  • KUOM 770 AM/106.5 FM ("Radio K", college rock/eclectic)
  • WCCO 830 AM ("The Good Neighbor", talk)
  • KTIS 900 AM/98.5 FM (Christian music/talk)
  • KFAN 1130 AM (sports)
  • KSTP 1500 AM (talk) and 94.5 FM ("KS95", 80s, 90s, contemporary)
  • KBEM 88.5 FM ("Jazz 88", jazz)
  • Minnesota Public Radio KNOW 91.1 FM (talk), KSJN 99.5 FM (classical), KCMP 89.3 (eclectic)
  • KFAI [4] 90.3/106.7 FM (talk/music)
  • KQRS 92.5 FM ("KQ92", classic rock)
  • KXXR 93.7 FM ("93X" rock, heavy metal)
  • KJZI 100.3 FM ("Smooth Jazz 100.3", smooth jazz)
  • KDWB 101.3 FM (pop & rock)
  • WLTE [5] 102.9 FM ("102.9 Lite FM", adult contemporary)
  • WGVX 105.1/WGVY 105.3/WGVZ 105.7 FM ("Drive 105", adult alternative)
  • KQQL [6] ("Kool 108", 107.9, oldies)

For decades, WCCO radio was the most well-known and most popular broadcaster in the region, with an all-day talk format. WCCO was eventually pushed out of the top spot by KQRS, a classic rock station with a popular morning show. KSTP also has some fairly popular radio stations, with pop music format on FM and a talk format on AM. Both operate on clear channel frequencies, allowing their signals to be heard across much of North America.

Radio K, on the other hand, is still largely an "AM daytimer" and must shut down at night to make way for two other stations situated in New York and New Mexico. However, the station is belived to be the oldest in the state. It first recevied a license for the call sign WLB in January 1922.

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is also a major force in the state and across the country, best known across the U.S. for the variety show A Prairie Home Companion. Based in St. Paul, MPR is reportedly the nation's second-most powerful public radio organization behind National Public Radio (of which MPR is an affiliate).

Many area residents feel that the overall quality of radio in the region is poor, particularly considering the area's appetite for the arts. Radio K and community station KFAI are often said to be the best area stations by media and music critics, though many listeners find their formats to be disjointed and uncomfortable. Both are hampered by relatively weak or low-fidelity signals, but attempt to compensate with Internet radio streaming.

Most of the major TV and radio transmitters are located in Shoreview, Minnesota, and backup facilities are maintained atop the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis (though a few low-power broadcasters use the setup continuously).

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Media_in_Minneapolis–Saint_Paul&oldid=9474352"