List of radio stations in Minnesota

The list of radio stations in Minnesota encompasses all full-power and low-power AM and FM broadcast stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate within the U.S. state of Minnesota, serving urban centers, rural communities, and border regions with a wide range of programming formats. As of October 2025, Minnesota hosts 407 such radio stations, reflecting the state's extensive broadcast infrastructure that includes approximately 80 AM outlets and over 300 FM stations, both commercial and non-commercial.^[1] The Twin Cities metropolitan area, the largest radio market in the state, features prominent stations like WCCO (830 AM) for news and talk, KFAN (100.3 FM) for sports, and KNOW (91.1 FM) as a flagship of Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), which operates a network of 45 stations providing public service programming across the state and into neighboring areas.^[2][3] Other key markets include Duluth-Superior and Rochester, where stations offer local content in genres such as country, classic hits, and religious broadcasting, contributing to Minnesota's diverse media landscape that supports community engagement, emergency information, and cultural preservation.^[1][4] These stations are regulated under FCC rules to ensure interference-free operation and public interest fulfillment, with lists often organized by call sign, frequency, city of license, owner, and format for easy reference by listeners, researchers, and broadcasters.^[5][6]

Active stations

Low-power and translator stations

Low-power FM (LPFM) stations in Minnesota operate at effective radiated powers (ERP) of 100 watts or less, providing non-commercial, community-focused programming to localized audiences, often in rural, tribal, or urban fringe areas where full-power stations may not reach effectively. These stations, authorized by the FCC under the Local Community Radio Act of 2010, emphasize educational, ethnic, and hyper-local content, with restrictions prohibiting commercial advertising and requiring third-adjacency protection from full-power FM signals. As of 2025, Minnesota hosts approximately 34 active LPFM stations, many operated by non-profits, universities, or community groups, filling coverage gaps in underserved regions such as rural central Minnesota and the Iron Range.^[7][8] Representative examples of active LPFM stations include those serving diverse communities with specialized formats: In 2025, the FCC granted construction permits for several new LPFM stations during post-window processing, including allocations in tribal areas like the Fond du Lac Reservation and urban fringes near Duluth, prioritizing non-profit applicants to enhance access in low-income communities while adhering to contour overlap restrictions. FM translators and boosters in Minnesota, licensed by the FCC with maximum ERP of 250 watts, primarily rebroadcast signals from AM or full-power FM primary stations to extend coverage without originating independent programming, as expanded under the Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 2000. These auxiliary facilities, numbering over 200 statewide as of 2025, are common for public broadcasters like Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), which uses 41 translators to bolster news and classical music signals across remote northern and western areas. Boosters, a subset of translators, amplify a primary station's signal within its protected contour, such as those aiding urban signals in the Twin Cities metro. Examples include translators relaying AM talk formats in rural settings and non-commercial boosts for educational stations, all subject to FCC rules limiting third-adjacent channel interference.^[12][3] Representative FM translators and boosters: These low-ERP facilities collectively support broader access to diverse programming, particularly in Minnesota's expansive rural landscapes, without competing directly with full-power commercial outlets. As of November 2025, Minnesota is home to approximately 80 active full-power AM stations and over 300 active full-power FM stations, licensed by the FCC and serving various markets with commercial and non-commercial formats. Detailed lists of these active full-power stations, organized by call sign, frequency, city of license, owner, and format, can be found in comprehensive directories.^[1][6]

Defunct stations

AM stations

Several AM radio stations in Minnesota have ceased operations over the decades, often due to economic pressures, mergers, technological shifts, or failure to renew licenses amid declining listenership in the AM band. Early 20th-century stations faced challenges from unstable broadcasting regulations and limited infrastructure, while more recent closures reflect broader industry trends like competition from digital media and high maintenance costs for aging facilities. The following list highlights notable defunct AM stations, organized chronologically by sign-off date, with details on their operations, closures, and historical context. Frequencies from these stations have generally been returned to the FCC's pool for potential reassignment, though many remain unused as of 2025 due to low demand for new AM licenses.^[15] These closures illustrate AM radio's evolution in Minnesota, from pioneering broadcasts in the 1920s to recent attrition, with many stations unable to adapt to FM dominance and streaming. Efforts like the FCC's AM revitalization initiatives have had limited success in the state, contributing to post-2020 shutdowns.^[23][15]

FM stations

Several FM radio stations in Minnesota have ceased operations over the decades, often due to financial challenges, ownership changes, or shifts in the broadcasting landscape. These closures have left gaps in local coverage, particularly in rural areas, and highlight the vulnerabilities of smaller-market stations to economic pressures such as declining advertising revenue post-pandemic and failed attempts to transition to digital formats like HD Radio, as of November 2025.^[24] Notable examples include WFNX, which served as the sole commercial FM outlet for Minnesota's North Shore region between Duluth and the Canadian border, providing local news and music to remote communities until its demise; its failure underscored the challenges of sustaining operations without viable digital upgrades in low-advertising areas. Similarly, KDXL represented a rare high school-operated full-power FM, fostering youth involvement in broadcasting from 1972 until its end, with alumni noting the loss of hands-on training opportunities and equipment donated to nearby community stations. In the 2000s, some rural FM stations faced displacement pressures from Low-Power FM (LPFM) expansions authorized by the FCC in 2000, though full-power licenses like those in northern Minnesota were more often affected by mergers than direct frequency conflicts.^[24][25] Historically, FM broadcasting in Minnesota encountered unique hurdles during its analog-to-digital evolution. Early stations pioneered FM experiments in the 1920s-1930s but folded without federal support for the medium, as AM dominance prevailed until post-WWII FM allocations. More recently, by the mid-2020s, several operators attempted HD Radio conversions to multicast additional channels but abandoned efforts due to high costs and insufficient listener adoption, contributing to closures like WFNX where analog signals could not compete with streaming alternatives. These defunct stations influenced current market formats by vacating frequencies now occupied by translators or public radio extensions, preserving some legacy programming through archives.^[24]

Station formats and markets

Major markets

Minnesota's radio landscape is dominated by several key metropolitan markets, as defined by Nielsen Audio rankings for 2025. The largest is the Minneapolis-St. Paul market, ranked #15 nationally with a population of 3,126,500, encompassing a diverse audience that includes approximately 341,500 Black residents and 212,100 Hispanic residents. This market supports over 50 commercial radio stations, reflecting high station density in the Twin Cities area, where around 20 full-power AM and FM stations serve as core outlets amid a broader ecosystem including translators and low-power signals. Revenue trends in major markets like Minneapolis-St. Paul mirror national patterns, with local radio advertising projected to contribute to a $12.3 billion industry total in 2025, though spot ad revenue faces a 5% decline to $1.76 billion amid shifting digital competition. Audience demographics skew toward adults 25-54, who represent a key listening segment, with overall radio reach remaining robust at 92% of the population aged 6 and older. Smaller markets like St. Cloud emphasize agricultural content, such as the weekly Central Minnesota Farm Report on stations like KASM, catering to the region's farming communities and agribusiness interests. In Rochester, health-related programming stands out due to the Mayo Clinic's presence, with flagship shows like Mayo Clinic Radio broadcasting live on KROC-AM to deliver expert medical insights to a health-conscious audience. The Duluth-Superior market's cross-border dynamics foster unique content blending Minnesota and Wisconsin influences, including coverage of Lake Superior commerce and binational events. As of 2025, iHeartMedia maintains dominance across multiple markets, owning key stations in Minneapolis-St. Paul such as KFAN (sports) and K102 (country), bolstering its position following earlier consolidations that enhanced its portfolio without major new acquisitions since 2023.

Common formats

Radio formats in Minnesota reflect the state's diverse geography and demographics, with country music emerging as a dominant genre, especially in rural regions where it resonates through themes of community and tradition. Nationally, country leads as the most prevalent format with over 2,100 stations as of early 2025, a trend mirrored in Minnesota's countryside where classic country programming connects listeners to local experiences. News and talk formats prevail in urban centers like the Twin Cities, focusing on political discourse and current events to engage city dwellers. Classic hits, featuring rock and pop from past decades, also maintain strong appeal across both urban and suburban audiences, providing nostalgic entertainment. Public radio, primarily through Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), offers news, classical, and alternative music services via a 45-station network that reaches nearly all of the state and parts of neighboring areas, serving over 1 million weekly listeners. Unique to Minnesota are formats tied to its cultural heritage and regional interests. Ethnic programming, such as Scandinavian music and folklore shows like Nordic Roots, airs on community stations in areas with historical immigrant populations from Norway, Sweden, and Finland, preserving linguistic and musical traditions. Sports radio is a staple, with extensive coverage of the Minnesota Twins baseball and Vikings football teams broadcast on networks like KFAN, which serves as the state's leading sports outlet and reaches fans statewide during seasons. Christian contemporary music thrives in northern Minnesota, often described as having a "Bible Belt" influence, with stations like Psalm FM delivering inspirational songs and teachings to rural and small-town listeners. As of 2025, radio trends in Minnesota align with national shifts toward digital integration, including podcasts, which now contribute to over $2 billion in annual radio digital revenue and enhance traditional broadcasts with on-demand content. This evolution supports broader listener engagement, particularly in major markets like the Twin Cities where format diversity accommodates varied preferences. Meanwhile, smooth jazz has continued its national decline, with fewer dedicated stations due to shifting audience tastes and competition from streaming services. Data from the Radio Advertising Bureau underscores these changes, highlighting radio's adaptability through hybrid models that blend over-the-air and online formats.