Knoepke was rather unforthcoming inTCBsinterviews, conducted by phone and email, with David Heim, Entercoms corporate communications vice president, monitoring; she declined to talk about ratings, audience data, revenue, nor, unsurprisingly, candidates to replace Lee. Jason joined WCCO as a reporter in 2003 and was able to mark an impression on the public. (Digital revenues, recalls Adam, account for 1020 percent of station revenues. The essential question to contextualize WCCOs future is whether these dire audience metrics are really meaningful. "This is a message to everyone who sends me and WCCO emails about [Amelia and Frank] sitting too close together," he tweeted. As recently as 1979, WCCO had 1.4 million in cume. WCCO hasnt focused on ratings for many years, says Shannon Knoepke, the stations market manager (essentially its COO). Its not work for me., One such friendship is with Owatonna-based Federated Insurance and its chairman, Jeff Fetters. Radio is no exception, butCCO has defied convention. News Talk 830 WCCO is Minnesota's source for breaking news, compelling talk, the very latest traffic and weather plus Twins and Timberwolves. Its a weekly conversation. Reporter Jason Derusha bid goodbye to WCCO This Morning on June 23 after 19 years of his service on the TV network. WCCOs inability to develop its next generation of program hosts is at the core of the stations audience struggles. [Management is] definitely trying to young it up, explains Adam. Gallery: WCCO's Mark Rosen said he planned to wrap up his 50-year broadcasting career in April following coverage . But radio has an incredible future when led by smart, creative, visionaries who can build connection with an audience.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. This means that with the conversion to digital, a station like WCCO in the Twin Cities can retain its Channel 4 brand identity, while also offering additional over-the-air content on a Channel 4.2 . As late as 1969, WCCO-FM was broadcasting at 2,700 watts atop the 450-foot Foshay Tower in downtown Minneapolis, and only for the minimum number of hours required to keep its FCC license. The stations farm director was feted across the states ag belt and held down important on-air segments each day. Development of talent is an industrywide problem, says Bloom. Bandwidth auctions, 84 of them in the past 20 years, have been to wireless Internet and phone carriers. In the 1950s, as network programming was shifting from radio to television, WCCO switched to a full-service middle-of-the-road format, including popular music, news, sports, and talk. And Lees prowess is known throughout town. Will it make the city a more affordable place to live? For most of his first decade at the station, Lee did AM drive fill-in work. People selling cars, boats, and other specific advertisers want that audience. By contrast, the advent of digital music and streaming services has devastated music radio, its programming commodified and often presented by disc jockeys recording air segments from studios hundreds of miles away. KFAN was still struggling on the AM band. Google Search shows that this is the CBS affiliate in Minnesota. I have no concerns, she notes. Chicago-based broadcast industry columnist Robert Feder toldTCBthat Entercom-owned market leader WBBM-AM lost its morning drive cohost to retirement a year ago and was not replaced, an apparent cost-cutting move. Thats hard to listen to.. He can host any time slot. Once that auction is concluded, the FCC will resell the bandwidth it has purchased in a second auction to wireless companies, where demand is growing. Tim Walz declares state of state strong (but says state of Florida, not so hot), Minnesota Democrats, except Dean Phillips, say they back Bidens reelection, The tough, lonely job of being a marijuana legalization opponent in Minnesota, A full repeal of Minnesotas Social Security tax now unlikely after Senate DFL concedes to a partial cut, These bikers don't want a bike trail on St. Paul's Summit Avenue, DFL still not united on red flag law, background checks after months of advocacy on guns, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons license. Shame on WCCO. Usually when these things happen it is one of the following: 1.) He graduated from the University of North Dakota, then hopped to jobs in Grand Forks and Fargo. Miscellaneous Unclassified. Reach Agweek reporter Jeff Beach at jbeach@agweek.com or call 701-451-5651. WCCO first signed on the air on September 4, 1922, as WLAG, known as "the Call of the North". In the early days of radio, WCCO was a powerful force in the development of better and more powerful transmitters. The fine particles in the smoke could cause health problems for people in. Tax credits of up to $1,500 for e-bikes added to Minnesota Senate transportation budget, Minnesota Gov. Dont think we dont smell blood in the water., Lee says he will continue to do endorsements for the station as long as both sides find it mutually satisfying, which gives Knoepke a measure of confidence. Finally, WCCO remains a cash machine with a community of satisfied advertising partners. Selective TV is a non-profit over-the-air television programming system supported by viewer contributions. The final factor limiting WCCOs reach is that, like most radio stations in America, it is owned by an overleveraged media company that reported miserable 2020 results. He became a regional celeb at KFGO, where his stock in trade was comedy bits trading on the dialects and folkways of North Dakotans, not dissimilar to the schtick of Charlie Boone and Roger Erickson. WCCO delivers the decision-makers the company is trying to reach. Much of Minnesota remains under drought conditions. More recent WCCO personalities have included longtime Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman, "Whole-Lotta Woman" Ruth Koscielak and Tim Russell, who had been a cast member on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, heard on NPR for many years. The radio station was founded 99 years ago as WLAG at 710 AM; it became WCCO in 1924, its call letters reflecting its owners, the Washburn Crosby Co., a predecessor of General Mills. Same issue. Also in 1979, Hubbard-owned KSTP-FM became KS95 and, under program director Chuck Knapp, emerged as the towns first FM station that did more than just play music. St. Paul ABC affiliate KSTP is also included in Spectrums Rochester listings but is subject to blackouts. Weve known about this for a year and a half, says Knoepke. Alexandria area residents raised about $500,000 to set up the Selective TV system more than 35 years ago. In March 2018, WCCO shut down its HD Radio signal on AM 830. Nonetheless, its recently departed program director told on-air talent to imagine they were aspirationally programming for a 42-year-old man. There are only two AM stations left in the region that even attract a substantial audience:CCO and iHearts conservative talker, KTLK. The vendor provider (Spectrum) no longer has a contract to carry the station. A local watershed was KFANs move to FM in 2011. We never really recovered, says former WCCO program director Jon Quick. The Twins would move to KSTP beginning in the 2007 season, and would then move to then-team owned KTWN-FM prior to the start of the 2013 season. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Normally that process would be driven by a programming executive, but right now WCCO is without a brand manager, as Entercom labels the role. December 18, 2020 1:18 pm. 1,867 were here. She returned to Minnesota in 2006 to co-host a weekday morning show on WCCO with Susie Jones. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free under anAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons licenseas long as you follow ourrepublishing guidelines. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Bloom was followed by Hanson, who came from an Entercom sports station in Kansas City. I recently noticed that she doesnt seem to work for the station anymore, but there is next to no information regarding her departure. It has to be distinctive, even memorable. On November 17, 2017, WCCO announced that Twins broadcasts would return to the station beginning in the 2018 season. WCCO is also a PEP station for the Emergency Alert System. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. WCCO has a longtime reputation of being the station to tune in for emergency information, especially severe weather and school closings in winter. Local hosts are heard most hours of the day and evening, including Chad Hartman, Vineeta Sawkar, Paul Douglas, Jordana Green and Adam Carter, Jason DeRusha, and Henry Lake. Hanson declined an interview, but Bloom does not accept the thesis, saying he had numerous detailed conversations with Knoepke before his hire: [She] did not hire me because [she] was satisfied with 180 cume (see sidebar, below) and 4.5 share., Bloom believes he was hired to evolve to a sharper-edged news/current events format, but Knoepke got cold feet. [10][11] The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on November 17. Jun 1, 2022 Current Conditions FC - - Feels. In the February 2021 Nielsen ratings, released as this issue ofTCBwent to press, Minnesota Public Radios all-news KNOW-FM was the #2-rated local station, while iHeart Medias mostly sports KFAN was #3, and CCO was tied for ninth (with sister station Jack FM; Hubbards KS95 was #1). In January, WCCO attracted slightly more female than male listeners, per Nielsen data. But many industry observers believe the only way forward for CCO is a major update and modernization of its sound. The format is not conducive to [comedy] bits anymore.. Theres no other person like him in the history of Twin Cities radio. WCCO's Director of Meteorology Mike Augustyniak says those in the purple areas should stay indoors as much as possible. Bagwell's letter does say that "CBS is working with another translator operator that might potentially begin simulcasting the WCCO-TV signal to some viewers within KCCO-TV's current service contour.". MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has extended and upgraded the air quality alert in much of the state due to "unprecedented" conditions caused by wildfire smoke. The biggest problem is finding people qualified to update a heritage brand, says Langmyer. Weekend hosts Rajkumar and Sheletta Brundidge are also women of color who offer vastly different takes on that experience. Having six stations in town is key to maximizing revenue, explains Anselmo. Digital streaming is a recent emphasis. The permanent impact of the 2008 recession is notable in the data, but also notable is that the falloff in audience is far steeper than revenue. And has the right person to deliver the message.. Knoepke expects station revenues to rebound to 2019 levels this year. Scandinavian Gift Shop to host Wake Up Alexandria on May 5, New robot server 'hired' at Grand Arbor's Pioneer Grill in Alexandria, State FFA band and chorus are the hidden gem of Minnesota State FFA convention, MN 100 Club donates $50,000 to family of Pope County fallen officer, Overpass in Glenwood to memorialize Deputy Josh Owen. Washburn Crosby Company, forerunner of General Mills, took over the station and switched the call sign to WCCO for the company's initials. Being invited and paid to give up their broadcast spectrum is a first for television broadcasters, Meisch said. Johnson announced the news via a Monday morning Facebook post. The advertising load in morning drive is particularly heavy. Theres not a future in bland. WCCO is a Class A clear-channel station. This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.. In that vein, theres some talk that WCCO will go to more of a continuous newscast in AM drive and might not immediately designate a successor. http://wcco.com/local/wcco.tv.transmitter.2.1710777.html wcco.com Local television personality Boyd Huppert of Kare-11 called into WCCO Friday afternoon to reveal heartbreaking news that has kept him off the air for weeks: He was diagnosed with probable lung cancer. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. And Hubbards all-sports format at 1500 AM never got enough traction to be relevant. iHeart is at its maximum of six local signals, while Cumulus, Entercom, and locally owned Hubbard Radio have three. "However, on Saturday northerly winds behind a cold front will bring more smoke from wildfires located north of the Canadian border in Ontario and Manitoba into Minnesota. A look at just HOW dry we have been, a few raindrops possible today, and the return of the heat is in my forecast https://t.co/Cx5NJc1Iwo #mnwx #wiwx. Rate it: WCCO. Only a fraction of listeners even use the AM band. As noted here previously, the Rochester area makes up about half of the households in the Rochester-Austin-Mason City market. First, digital streaming and smart speakers may quickly render the AM band struggle moot. Some believe her two programming hires, Bloom and Hanson, were imposed by Entercom. A 100 year-old AM station can dream, cant it? Visit the Downdetector Methodology page to learn more about how Downdetector collects status information and detects problems. What message if anything do you get when you tune to it? WCCO-TV, a television station (channel 32, virtual channel 4) licensed to serve Minneapolis, Minnesota. . Retiring morning host Dave Lee will not be around to broadcast over it, but I think you do need an FM signal, he says. WCCO journalist Nick Streiff shared one of the complaints about Frank and Amelia's lack of social distancing while presenting the news. And then he wasn't. "Back in October, actually late September, I went in for my annual physical," Huppert said . Hes an extrovert. Relatively affluent cord cutters using over-the-air signals by choice could find viewing alternatives with relative ease, but the poor who use free over-the-air TV because they cant afford to pay for TV might see their viewing choices dwindle. CBS closed down the KCCO studio in Alexandria in 2004. Morning drive has pretty much transitioned to news, Lee says. The petition included ratings data showing that WCCO no longer meets the threshold of broadcast viewership to be considered significantly-viewed in Rochester. Everything on WCCO Radio can be sponsored: time checks, weather forecasts, news updates, the studio itself. The studios were in the Oak Grove Hotel near Loring Park in Minneapolis. WCCOs downturn may not have been as great due to the buoyancy of political advertising last year.). Historically, solid radio signals sell for large multiples, so Entercom could never hope to pick up a competitors signal for a song, if you will. Because the data is proprietary and WCCO refuses to comment, there is no way to settle the question. He added that his only regret is that he did not have a chance to say goodbye on the air. Welcome to the official YouTube channel for WCCO News and CBS News Minnesota, your destination for everything local -- including breaking news and the best o. Just found this after my wife asked me what happened to Molly. Is the station gone completely, or another channel in its place? This site has some photos and recordings. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Usually when these things happen it is one of the following: 1.) The statements and views expressed in this posting are my own and do not reflect those of Gray Television. The Federal Communications Commission is inviting 2,197 of them nationwide including 20 in the Twin Cities and another 16 elsewhere in Minnesota to give up their broadcast bandwidth in exchange for money a lot of money. Because that would require, at least temporarily, sacrificing the several million dollars The Wolf bills. It resonated for enough of us, but if you didnt grow up on a farm or in a deeply Lutheran suburb, it could also be a barrier. CCOs power ratios [the revenue premium it derives above what ratings metrics would dictate] are what make it hard to change, says former programming boss Andy Bloom, whom Knoepke hired in 2018, but was replaced in less than a year. I want us to think big, address diversity and inclusion with smart, qualified hosts. But in late 2020, the opportunity presented itself. Knoepke is clearly talking about revenues, because CCO does not win in any key daypart. Finally in 1973, WCCO-FM station moved its antenna to 1,250 feet near the top of the Shoreview, Minnesota, Twin Cities antenna farm, with a power of 100,000 watts. They need to hire someone with a track record of success, with a vision, and get out of the way.. He has a great voice. "I don't know why (CBS) would want lose that market share up here," said Lonnie Wing, a Selective TV board member. CCO held a 20 share as late as 1991, but by 1998, with Steve Cannon and Boone & Erickson all retired from their drive-time strongholds, the station had fallen to a 10 share. Jason DeRusha, the longtime WCCO-TV morning news anchor and co-host of "WCCO Mid-Morning," announced on Tuesday that he was leaving the television station he's been with for nearly 20 years. Radio is most threatened by people in leadership roles who only account for it as a commodity and see stations as real estate assets, says Langmyer, speaking of the industry in general. News Talk 830 WCCO is Minnesota's source for news, traffic and weather plus Twins and Timberwolves. BIA Kelsey estimates CCO is the fourth highest-billing radio station in town. Cory Hepola moved from KARE-11 two years ago and describes his midmorning niche as a work in progress. In August 2008, as a cosmetic change to make WCCO in sync with other CBS talk radio stations, the station changed from "News/Talk 830 WCCO" to "News Radio 830 WCCO." Disclosure: Jon Ellis is an employee of Gray Television. Because the data is proprietary and WCCO refuses to comment, there is no way to settle the question . [WCCO] overachieves in revenue vs. audience size, says Mark Fratrik, chief economist at BIA Kelsey, a consulting firm that advises the industry. Broadcasters have four options to participate in the reverse auction, depending on their current channel assignment: Those broadcasting in UHF (channels 14-51) can move to low VHF channels 2-6, or high VHF channels 7-13. Just wondering if you guys have any insight! The iconic radio station that was once the town square of Minnesota faces a near-term full of challenges. The significantly-viewed list was originally developed in 1972, showing which stations had significant broadcast viewership in each location. Said one CCO insider, he had the misfortune to arrive with a sports-oriented mentality in a period when hard news became primary., Knoepke says she intends to replace Hanson with a leader with forward vision.. By the time Boone & Erickson retired in 1998, Lee was a familiar voice to their listeners and had been anointed by the duo as their successor. Strike-weary listeners sampled the better fidelity of the FM band, and realized it offered weather, traffic, and news, and some stayed. WCCO has a tattered rep replacing marquee talent. Adam Platt isTCBs executive editor. Knoepke proudly notes the stations online listenership was up 47 percent year over year. Its key to note that as of this winter, Entercom stock was down 62 percent since buying CBS Radio. But the name of the game is revenue, and WCCO remains a formidable force. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Still, the local industry was shocked when Northern Lights sold both frequencies to a nonprofit religious broadcaster for just $2.45 million. After years of programming to the least diverse aspects of Minnesotas population, WCCO has made strides in recent years to diversify its air talent. KNOW has nearly twice CCOs audience share and more than twice the number of listeners per week. Morning drive is responsible for one-third to one-half of the billings at most radio stations says Anselmo, and WCCO is no exception. As long as people think of WCCO as their grandparents station, Bloom says, then it is., The question is whether CCO leadership is trying to have it both ways. Accordingly, we conclude that the Petitioner has met its burden and demonstrates that WCCO-TV fails to meet the requirements to maintain its status as significantly viewed in Rochester. While light rain showers moved over southwestern Minnesota on Friday, no other significant rain is in store for the first few days of August. Two stations can broadcast on the same channel. He has covered media businesses in the Twin Cities since 1985. As Lee moves from drive time to a photo on the stations wall of fame, WCCO faces the same question it has faced throughout the last quarter-century: What is the cure for its chronic audience atrophy, and is it worse than the disease?
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