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KSJN
KSJN (99.5 FM) is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Owned by Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), this station serves the Twin Cities region as the flagship of "YourClassical MPR", MPR's classical music network. KSJN's studios are located at the MPR Broadcast Center on Cedar Street in downtown Saint Paul, while its transmitter is located on the KMSP Tower in Shoreview. KSJN broadcasts using HD Radio technology, and uses its HD2 subchannel to carry American Public Media's Classical 24 network.
The 99.5 frequency was established as commercial radio station WLOL-FM in 1957; the station achieved its most success as a top-rated Top 40 station during the 1980s under Emmis Communications ownership. After Emmis purchased the Seattle Mariners baseball club, the company sold WLOL to MPR in 1991. Relaunched as KSJN, the station has originated the public radio service's classical format full-time ever since.
On July 18, 1956, radio station WLOL (1330 AM) was granted a construction permit for a new FM radio station to be heard on 99.5 MHz. The station, WLOL-FM, began broadcasting in February 1957 with a classical music format. The station maintained this programming for its first 16 years of operation until the money-losing outlet switched to automated beautiful music in August 1973. The station donated its classical albums to KSJN (91.1 FM) and KUOM.
The easy listening format proved to be popular as more people acquired FM receivers and offices played WLOL-FM for their employees and visitors. The station aired quarter-hour sweeps of soft instrumental music as well as Broadway and Hollywood show tunes.
The competition in the easy listening format was evident in the Twin Cities. Other stations in the format at the time included KEEY-FM and WAYL AM-FM (now KKMS and KXXR). Midcontinent Broadcasting sold WLOL-AM-FM to Bob Liggett of Liggett Broadcasting for $1.55 million in 1978. On August 20, Liggett, with a staff of nine disc jockeys, debuted a new soft adult contemporary station as Easy Rockin' FM 100 WLOL. The flip brought WLOL-FM into competition with KSTP-FM and WCCO-FM (now KMNB). Ratings rose, but the station remained far off its direct competition.
On December 12, 1981, WLOL-FM changed formats again, this time to Top 40/CHR as 99½ WLOL. The ratings effect was quick to take hold; in the spring 1982 Arbitron survey, WLOL-FM more than doubled its performance and vaulted into third place in the Twin Cities, led by the revamped "Hines and Berglund" morning show hosted by John Hines and Bob Berglund.
Even while WLOL was surging, a sale was in the works. In 1982, an Indianapolis-based consortium headed by Jeff Smulyan acquired WLOL-FM for $6 million, a record price at the time for a Minnesota radio station. It was the first station purchase for Emmis Communications, which then bought two more stations the next year. The station peaked in the ratings in 1984 with a 9.9 share, closely behind second-place KSTP-FM and well ahead of direct format competitor KDWB. WLOL and KDWB would go on to have a bitter rivalry throughout the 1980s, with WLOL dominating the format in the Twin Cities for the next five years.
WLOL was noteworthy for its presentation, by combining typical Top 40 programming philosophies with a local touch. In addition, WLOL relied heavily on unique jingle packages, including the now iconic "Get Me Up!" jingle, which was written by Kyrl Henderson of the now defunct Reel Good Productions, and was distributed to stations across the country. Local artists such as Prince & The Revolution, Morris Day & The Time, Information Society, Alexander O'Neal and The Jets all received support from WLOL.
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KSJN
KSJN (99.5 FM) is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Owned by Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), this station serves the Twin Cities region as the flagship of "YourClassical MPR", MPR's classical music network. KSJN's studios are located at the MPR Broadcast Center on Cedar Street in downtown Saint Paul, while its transmitter is located on the KMSP Tower in Shoreview. KSJN broadcasts using HD Radio technology, and uses its HD2 subchannel to carry American Public Media's Classical 24 network.
The 99.5 frequency was established as commercial radio station WLOL-FM in 1957; the station achieved its most success as a top-rated Top 40 station during the 1980s under Emmis Communications ownership. After Emmis purchased the Seattle Mariners baseball club, the company sold WLOL to MPR in 1991. Relaunched as KSJN, the station has originated the public radio service's classical format full-time ever since.
On July 18, 1956, radio station WLOL (1330 AM) was granted a construction permit for a new FM radio station to be heard on 99.5 MHz. The station, WLOL-FM, began broadcasting in February 1957 with a classical music format. The station maintained this programming for its first 16 years of operation until the money-losing outlet switched to automated beautiful music in August 1973. The station donated its classical albums to KSJN (91.1 FM) and KUOM.
The easy listening format proved to be popular as more people acquired FM receivers and offices played WLOL-FM for their employees and visitors. The station aired quarter-hour sweeps of soft instrumental music as well as Broadway and Hollywood show tunes.
The competition in the easy listening format was evident in the Twin Cities. Other stations in the format at the time included KEEY-FM and WAYL AM-FM (now KKMS and KXXR). Midcontinent Broadcasting sold WLOL-AM-FM to Bob Liggett of Liggett Broadcasting for $1.55 million in 1978. On August 20, Liggett, with a staff of nine disc jockeys, debuted a new soft adult contemporary station as Easy Rockin' FM 100 WLOL. The flip brought WLOL-FM into competition with KSTP-FM and WCCO-FM (now KMNB). Ratings rose, but the station remained far off its direct competition.
On December 12, 1981, WLOL-FM changed formats again, this time to Top 40/CHR as 99½ WLOL. The ratings effect was quick to take hold; in the spring 1982 Arbitron survey, WLOL-FM more than doubled its performance and vaulted into third place in the Twin Cities, led by the revamped "Hines and Berglund" morning show hosted by John Hines and Bob Berglund.
Even while WLOL was surging, a sale was in the works. In 1982, an Indianapolis-based consortium headed by Jeff Smulyan acquired WLOL-FM for $6 million, a record price at the time for a Minnesota radio station. It was the first station purchase for Emmis Communications, which then bought two more stations the next year. The station peaked in the ratings in 1984 with a 9.9 share, closely behind second-place KSTP-FM and well ahead of direct format competitor KDWB. WLOL and KDWB would go on to have a bitter rivalry throughout the 1980s, with WLOL dominating the format in the Twin Cities for the next five years.
WLOL was noteworthy for its presentation, by combining typical Top 40 programming philosophies with a local touch. In addition, WLOL relied heavily on unique jingle packages, including the now iconic "Get Me Up!" jingle, which was written by Kyrl Henderson of the now defunct Reel Good Productions, and was distributed to stations across the country. Local artists such as Prince & The Revolution, Morris Day & The Time, Information Society, Alexander O'Neal and The Jets all received support from WLOL.