KSTP (AM)

Infobox Radio station
name = KSTP


city = St. Paul, Minnesota
area = Minneapolis-St. Paul
branding = AM 1500 KSTP
slogan = "The Talk Station"
airdate = February 13, 1925
frequency = 1500 AM (kHz)
format = Commercial; Talk
power = 50,000 watts
erp =
class = A
callsign_meaning = ST Paul (city of license for KSTP)
former_callsigns =
owner = Hubbard Broadcasting
webcast = [http://www.am1500.com/listen.shtml Listen Live!]
sister_stations = KSTC-TV, KSTP-FM, KSTP-TV, WFMP
website = [http://www.am1500.com/ www.am1500.com]
affiliations = ABC News

am1500 KSTP is the flagship station of the Hubbard Broadcasting Corporation, which also owns several other television and radio stations across the United States and some other properties.

History

KSTP's AM signal at 1500 kHz is the product of a 1928 merger between two other Twin Cities stations. WAMD ("Where All Minneapolis Dances") and KFOY had each started broadcasting a few years earlier. Stanley E. Hubbard's WAMD went on the air for the first time on February 13, 1925 (some sources say 1923), originally broadcasting live dance music from a local ballroom. It is claimed that this was the first radio station to be completely supported by running paid advertisements. KFOY radio first took to the air on March 12, 1924 in St. Paul.

Twin Cities stations were experimenting with frequency-modulated transmissions in the late 1930s. KSTP engineers had started running W9XUP at 29.95 MHz by 1938. This "ultra-short-wave" station continued regular broadcasts until at least 1944. Other Twin Cities stations also experimented with FM, but not as extensively. WCCO operated a low-power station, but it apparently went off the air quickly. WTCN's FM transmission stayed around longer, but remained intermittent. KSTP's locally produced programs from this era include the "5:45 News", with newscaster Cal Karnstedt, in 1947.

KSTP was an affiliate for the NBC radio network for much of its early existence. They programmed a full service MOR radio format, in the shadow of the similar WCCO (AM). In 1972, KSTP-AM broke away from their longtime format and became one of four area stations at the time to program a rock music/Top 40 format, as "KS-15," (actually "AM1500, The Music Station") competing with the AM stations WDGY, KDWB and later, WYOO. The competition would eventually shake itself out, with outrageous rocker WYOO dropping out after being sold in 1976, the staid WDGY switching to country music the following year, and uptempo hits station KSTP evolving into its current news/talk format by 1979. Top 40 rock music, by this time, was starting to migrate to the FM band.

Notable hosts who have been on KSTP AM include Jesse Ventura, Larry Carolla, Tom Barnard, Don Vogel, John MacDougal, Griff, Geoff Charles, Joe Soucheray, James Lileks, Leigh Kamman, Barbara Carlson, Peter Thiele, Tom Mischke, Jason Lewis, Chuck Knapp, Machine Gun Kelly, Charle Bush, and Paul Brand. These broadcasters were supported by producers such as Bruce Huff, Rob Pendleton, Alison Brown, Jean Bjorgen, David Elvin (who Vogel dubbed the "Steven Spielberg of Talk Radio"), Mitch Berg and others.

The station has, for the most part, emphasized local hosts over the years, though it was one of Rush Limbaugh's first affiliates (Clear Channel-owned KTLK-FM would take over rights to Limbaugh's show in January 2006). Other syndicated hosts previously on KSTP include Sean Hannity, Bruce Williams, Larry King & Owen Spann.

The station's studios are located in St. Paul and its transmitter is located in Maplewood, Minnesota.

Twins flagship

On August 1, 2006, the station announced that they would be the new flagship for Minnesota Twins baseball, effective with the start of the 2007 season. The Twins had been on rival WCCO since arriving in Minnesota in 1961.

The switch has caused inconveniences among some listeners, particularly in neighboring states and regions. While both WCCO and KSTP are clear-channel stations, KSTP must operate directionally at night, thereby delivering a reduced signal to parts of the market. In response, the Twins have expanded the number of affiliates. [http://www.startribune.com/129/story/1327349.html]

References

* Sies, Luther F. "Encyclopedia of American Radio 1920-1960." Jefferson, NC:McFarland, 2000. ISBN 0-7864-0452-3

External links

* [http://www.am1500.com/ KSTP]
* [http://www.radiotapes.com/ Radiotapes.com] Historic Minneapolis/St. Paul airchecks dating back to 1924 including KSTP and other Twin Cities radio stations.
* [http://www.TwinCitiesRadioAirchecks.com TwinCitiesRadioAirchecks.com] has additional airchecks of KSTP-AM and other Twin Cities radio stations from the 60's and 70's, including Chuck Knapp's 2nd show on KSTP-AM.
* [http://www.am1500.com/twins/announcement.htm KSTP to be Minnesota Twins flagship affiliate in 2007]
*AMQ|KSTP
*AML|KSTP

sequence
list = Radio Home of the
Minnesota Twins
2007–
prev = 830 WCCO
1961–2006
next = incumbent