KYCR
Encyclopedia
KYCR is a radio station
serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, and licensed to Golden Valley, Minnesota
. The station is owned by Salem Communications
and broadcasts a secular talk radio
format. The call sign stands for "Your Christian Radio".
-oriented radio station. In the 1960s and 1970s, KUXL played gospel
and R&B music, prior to becoming full-time religious. During this period and for many years after, the station was restricted to daytime operation. Its studios and offices were located on Duluth Street in Golden Valley and the transmitter and tower were a block away next to Highway 100.
In the mid-1960s, the station was operated by Marvin Kosofsky, who hired Bob Smith (a.k.a. Wolfman Jack
), who relocated from Del Rio, Texas
, to run the station with a mostly R&B format. Also at KUXL at this time were Art Hoehn (a.k.a. Fat Daddy Washington) and former KDWB
personality Ralph Hull (a.k.a. Preacher Paul Anthony and The Nazz). It was this trio of broadcasters who took control of "border blaster" station XERB 1090, in Baja California
, in 1965. They operated the "Big X" from Minneapolis initially, then relocated to Southern California
in 1966.
The call letters changed to KYCR in May 1988.
KYCR was in 1994 purchased by Children's Broadcasting Corporation, parent of the Radio Aahs
children's format, becoming a sister to Aahs flagship station WWTC
1280. KYCR retained its religious format as studios were co-located with WWTC at Excelsior Boulevard and Highway 100 in St. Louis Park. In 1996, the transmitter was moved a few miles south of its longtime tower to WWTC's 4-tower transmission facility in St. Louis Park, west of Highway 100 and south of I-394.
KYCR and WWTC were acquired by religious and conservative broadcast company Salem Communications
in 2000 and both stations moved to the facility of Salem's KKMS
in Eagan (transmission continued from the WWTC/KYCR site in St. Louis Park). From 2002 until 2007, KYCR was a time-shifted version of WWTC "The Patriot" as "The Patriot II". The format was then changed to a general talk format with its own identity, simply known as "AM 1570: The New Talk of the Twin Cities". In April 2007, KYCR lost syndicated talk-show host Don Imus
from the lineup after the network cancelled the show. After two months of a "Dr. Laura" replay in the slot, the show was replaced by The War Room
with Quinn
and Rose from WPGB
in Pittsburgh, becoming the first affiliate for the show in the midwest. Until April 2009, other programming included Dennis Miller
, The Radio Factor
, Laura Schlessinger
, Lars Larson
, Janet Parshall
, and Mark Levin
.
As of March 30, 2009, the station attempted yet another format change, this time to an all-business format, carrying programming from the Bloomberg News business network. The station's slogan changed to "Business 1570 -- Twin Cities Business Radio."
On August 13, 2008 North Dakota State University
in Fargo, ND announced that AM1570 would become the home of NDSU Bison football broadcasts for the 2008 season. This makes the station the first affiliate in the Twin Cities area for NDSU sports.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, and licensed to Golden Valley, Minnesota
Golden Valley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,281 people, 8,449 households, and 5,508 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,982.3 people per square mile . There were 8,589 housing units at an average density of 839.5 per square mile...
. The station is owned by Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
and broadcasts a secular talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format. The call sign stands for "Your Christian Radio".
History
The station signed on the air on October 27, 1961 as KUXL and has a long history of being a religionReligion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
-oriented radio station. In the 1960s and 1970s, KUXL played gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and R&B music, prior to becoming full-time religious. During this period and for many years after, the station was restricted to daytime operation. Its studios and offices were located on Duluth Street in Golden Valley and the transmitter and tower were a block away next to Highway 100.
In the mid-1960s, the station was operated by Marvin Kosofsky, who hired Bob Smith (a.k.a. Wolfman Jack
Wolfman Jack
Robert Weston Smith, known commonly as Wolfman Jack was a gravelly voiced US disc jockey who became famous in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early career:...
), who relocated from Del Rio, Texas
Del Rio, Texas
Del Rio is a border city in and the county seat of Val Verde County, Texas, United States.. Del Rio is connected with Ciudad Acuña via the Lake Amistad Dam International Crossing and Del Río-Ciudad Acuña International Bridge...
, to run the station with a mostly R&B format. Also at KUXL at this time were Art Hoehn (a.k.a. Fat Daddy Washington) and former KDWB
KDWB
KDWB-FM is an American commercial radio station broadcasting in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, the radio format was known for over fifty years as a major contemporary hit radio Top 40 pop music outlet. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. It broadcasts in 5.1 cinema-quality...
personality Ralph Hull (a.k.a. Preacher Paul Anthony and The Nazz). It was this trio of broadcasters who took control of "border blaster" station XERB 1090, in Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, in 1965. They operated the "Big X" from Minneapolis initially, then relocated to Southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1966.
The call letters changed to KYCR in May 1988.
KYCR was in 1994 purchased by Children's Broadcasting Corporation, parent of the Radio Aahs
Radio AAHS
Radio AAHS was a radio network managed by the Children's Broadcasting Corporation. Its flagship station was WWTC-AM 1280 in Minneapolis, which broadcast from the former First Federal Bank building at Highway 100 and Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park. At its height in 1996, Radio AAHS had 29...
children's format, becoming a sister to Aahs flagship station WWTC
WWTC
WWTC is a long-standing radio station serving the Twin Cities region. Despite its up-and-down history, the station spawned two of the area's major television stations and had some very innovative and unusual periods in its history...
1280. KYCR retained its religious format as studios were co-located with WWTC at Excelsior Boulevard and Highway 100 in St. Louis Park. In 1996, the transmitter was moved a few miles south of its longtime tower to WWTC's 4-tower transmission facility in St. Louis Park, west of Highway 100 and south of I-394.
KYCR and WWTC were acquired by religious and conservative broadcast company Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
in 2000 and both stations moved to the facility of Salem's KKMS
KKMS
KKMS is a Salem Communications-owned radio station licensed to Richfield, Minnesota, United States and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Studios are located in Eagan, Minnesota...
in Eagan (transmission continued from the WWTC/KYCR site in St. Louis Park). From 2002 until 2007, KYCR was a time-shifted version of WWTC "The Patriot" as "The Patriot II". The format was then changed to a general talk format with its own identity, simply known as "AM 1570: The New Talk of the Twin Cities". In April 2007, KYCR lost syndicated talk-show host Don Imus
Don Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
from the lineup after the network cancelled the show. After two months of a "Dr. Laura" replay in the slot, the show was replaced by The War Room
The War Room with Quinn and Rose
Quinn and Rose is a conservative political talk show. It is syndicated, by Clear Channel Radio from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The show is done by Jim Quinn with "color commentary" from a woman known as Radio Rose . It is broadcast from 6 A.M. to 9 A.M., while some affiliates replay the first hour...
with Quinn
Jim Quinn
Jim Quinn is an American radio talk show host based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His program, The War Room with Quinn and Rose, is aired on 12 stations across the U.S. and is also heard on XM Satellite Radio Channel 166 from 6–9 a.m...
and Rose from WPGB
WPGB
WPGB is a conservative talk radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts at 104.7 MHz with an ERP of 13 kW...
in Pittsburgh, becoming the first affiliate for the show in the midwest. Until April 2009, other programming included Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, The Radio Factor
The Radio Factor
The Radio Factor was a nationally syndicated talk radio program, which aired from 2002–2009 and was hosted mainly by Bill O'Reilly. The program, which featured host commentary with a mix of listener call-in and guest segments was broadcast live every weekday from the Fox News Channel studios in...
, Laura Schlessinger
Laura Schlessinger
Laura Catherine Schlessinger is an American talk radio host, socially conservative commentator and author. Her radio program consists mainly of her responses to callers' requests for personal advice and has occasionally featured her short monologues on social and political topics...
, Lars Larson
Lars Larson
Lars Larson is a conservative U.S. talk radio show host based in Oregon. Larson hosts a national talk radio show, which as of 2009 is syndicated by Compass Media Networks...
, Janet Parshall
Janet Parshall
Janet Parshall is the host of the conservative, Christianity-based radio talk show In the Market with Janet Parshall, which is broadcast on the Moody Radio network. That program is the replacement for her previous radio show, Janet Parshall's America for the Salem Radio Network; that program was...
, and Mark Levin
Mark Levin
Mark Reed Levin is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show The Mark Levin Show. Levin served in the cabinet of President Ronald Reagan and was a chief of staff for Attorney General Edwin Meese...
.
As of March 30, 2009, the station attempted yet another format change, this time to an all-business format, carrying programming from the Bloomberg News business network. The station's slogan changed to "Business 1570 -- Twin Cities Business Radio."
On August 13, 2008 North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, more commonly known as North Dakota State University , is a public university in Fargo, North Dakota. NDSU has about 14,000 students and it is the largest university in North Dakota based on full time students and land size...
in Fargo, ND announced that AM1570 would become the home of NDSU Bison football broadcasts for the 2008 season. This makes the station the first affiliate in the Twin Cities area for NDSU sports.