KMNB

KMNB
	Audacy, Inc. (Audacy License, LLC, as Debtor-in-Possession);
Sister stations	KZJK; WCCO;
History
First air date	1969; 55 years ago
Former call signs	WCCO-FM (1969–83); WLTE (1983–2011);
Call sign meaning	"Minnesota Buz'n" (former branding)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	9641
Class	C0
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	315 meters (1,033 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	45°03′30″N 93°07′28″W / 45.05833°N 93.12444°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live (via Audacy)
Website	www.audacy.com/1029thewolf

KMNB (102.9

Downtown Minneapolis

.

History

Early years as WCCO-FM

The station began as WCCO-FM in

underground rock

tracks, along with full-service elements such as news and weather.

Until

syndicated "Dr. Demento Show" for weekends. Personalities included Paul Stagg, Carl Lensgraf, Terri Davis, Tom Ambrose, Curt Lundgren, Johnny Canton, Peter May and Pat O'Neill. Tim Russell, who went on to be a cast member on NPR's "A Prairie Home Companion

," hosted middays and created memorable characters like traffic reporter "Captain Buzz Studley."

Switch to Top 40

WCCO-FM was a modestly successful station until new IDS Center transmitters for competing stations were built in 1979. That caused interference to WCCO-FM's broadcast signal. In addition to the interference, the station was affected by a strike at about the same time. The striking FM air staff was temporarily replaced with announcers with little experience, making the station sound unpolished compared to its usual presentation. The station also began to face formidable competition after a relaunch of KSTP-FM "KS95," with a comparable live AC format. The station gravitated to a stricter playlist as the 1980s wore on.

In

KDWB

had moved from AM to the FM band. WCCO-FM also made the switch to Top 40 under Program Director John Long that year. However, results were dismal, and both the format and Long lasted just a few months.

WLTE (1983–2011)

The "Lite" format was introduced later in 1983, along with new

soft adult contemporary format, the station switched to all-Christmas music from mid-November to midnight on Christmas, billing itself in that period as "The Official Christmas Music Station". Rival Kool 108, an oldies

station, also programs nothing but Christmas music during this period.

In 1998, the ownership of WLTE, along with sister station WCCO, went to the Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, a subsidiary of CBS Radio.^[4]

Until the early 2000s, the station had been known as "W-Lite" and "Lite Rock 103 FM," having rounded the frequency up to "103" since the WCCO-FM days. The frequency approximation worked in the days before digital tuners, and it eliminated confusion with

KEEY

, on 102.1. The station became "102.9 Lite FM" in the mid-2000s, as digital tuners became standard on most FM radios, displaying a station's exact dial position.

Country era (2011–present)

In December 2011, WLTE became the subject of format change rumors, amid falling ratings. On December 16, 2011, the station dismissed its entire on-air staff, effective December 23, while also dropping the use of the "Lite FM" moniker, and began promoting "Something Fresh Coming to the Twin Cities." CBS announced on December 19 that the station would switch to a

Elmo & Patsy, while the first (and ultimately last) song on "Buz'n" was "My Kinda Party" by Jason Aldean

.

On December 26, 2011, WLTE changed its call letters to KMNB to reflect the new branding. WLTE was the last of four CBS Radio stations to drop the AC format in

all-news to simulcast WBBM

.

At the same time as the format flip, the former "Lite FM" AC format moved to co-owned KZJK 104.1-HD2, replacing smooth jazz.

On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with

Entercom.^[6] The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on the 17th.^[7]^[8]

On November 23, 2018, KMNB began running promos pointing to a change on December 3 at 7 a.m., under the tagline 'the Buzz has worn off'. At that time, KMNB rebranded as “102.9 The Wolf”, keeping its country music format, but slightly tweaking it to be include “yesterday’s country hits”.[9]^[10]^[11]

On March 3, 2020, Entercom and the Minnesota Twins baseball club announced that all games, in addition to being aired on flagship WCCO, would be simulcast on KMNB for the 2020 baseball season. This arrangement will continue at least through the 2023 season.^[12]^[13]

HD Radio

KMNB broadcasts using the

CBS Sports Radio

on its HD3 sub-channel.

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for KMNB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1964 page B-85
^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1984 page B-138
^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2001 page D-240
^ "New country station BUZ'N 102.9 to replace WLTE". Star Tribune. 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
^ CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom
^ "Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio". Entercom. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
^ Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". Radio Insight. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
^ Buz'n 102.9 Rebrands as "The Wolf"; Adds Thunder
^ Domain Insight 11/29: What's Next for 102.9 Minneapolis?
^ Audio of KMNB's Relaunch as "The Wolf"
^ Minnesota Twins to Air on WCCO & 102.9 The Wolf
^ 102.9 The Wolf will simulcast the 830 WCCO radio broadcast of Twins baseball

External links

[1] "Facility Technical Data for KMNB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[2] Broadcasting Yearbook 1964 page B-85

[3] Broadcasting Yearbook 1984 page B-138

[4] Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2001 page D-240

[5] "New country station BUZ'N 102.9 to replace WLTE". Star Tribune. 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2011-12-19.

[6] CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom

[7] "Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio". Entercom. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.

[8] Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". Radio Insight. Retrieved November 17, 2017.

[9] Buz'n 102.9 Rebrands as "The Wolf"; Adds Thunder

[10] Domain Insight 11/29: What's Next for 102.9 Minneapolis?

[11] Audio of KMNB's Relaunch as "The Wolf"

[12] Minnesota Twins to Air on WCCO & 102.9 The Wolf

[13] 102.9 The Wolf will simulcast the 830 WCCO radio broadcast of Twins baseball

[1]

[4]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

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