It is a Class A radio station with a 50kw signal which at night can be heard across multiple states and Canadian provinces. Its broadcasts date to October 2, 1924, when Washburn Crosby Company, a predecessor of General Mills, assumed control of a failed facility and relaunched it with new call letters from the Nicollet Hotel.
Now, Audacy Inc. is rolling out a series of special endeavours to celebrate the 100th anniversary of WCCO-AM 830 in Minneapolis.
This includes the August 22 release of a double vinyl album in celebration of the station’s centennial, a gubernatorial proclamation from Tim Walz making August 30 “8-3-0 Day,” and a “grand centennial event.”
Proceeds from the 88-minute double-LP release spanning WCCO’s history in audio and and centennial event will support four charities: Disabled American Veterans Minnesota (DAVMN), Second Harvest Heartland, Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities (UGMTC), and the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
On Friday, live broadcasts and in-person appearances at the Minnesota State Fair will be seen, with WCCO Radio alumni sharing their favorite station stories. Additionally, longtime personality Chad Hartman will throw the first pitch at Target Field prior to the Twins game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“As we honor 100 years of being a local and regional broadcasting leader, we’re not just reflecting on our past legacy, but also spotlighting the community’s continuous support,” said Brad Lane, WCCO Radio’s Brand Manager and Program Director. “Our centennial events and philanthropic efforts are testaments to 830 WCCO’s enduring commitment to positively impacting Minnesota.”
On October 21, 100 years to the day WCCO debuted, a centennial celebration at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, featuring a live show with current and former talent, will be staged.
Meanwhile, WCCO Radio listeners will hear “100 Days, 100 Moments Presented by General Mills,” a series of vignettes highlighting the most significant events and personalities heard on-air over the years, across the next several weeks.
From 1927-1932, WCCO was a member of the NBC Red Network. Then came its sale to CBS, which switched the station’s affiliation. It’s been aligned with CBS Radio News ever since, although local ownership restrictions resulted in the 1952 sale of the station and WCCO-4 to Midwest Radio and Television, led by the McNally and Murphy families. In 1992 CBS merged with that entity, reacquiring the radio and TV stations. Audacy, formerly Entercom, obtained WCCO in its tax-free merger with CBS Radio, spun off from ViacomCBS in 2017.
Programming on WCCO Radio was Full Service since the 1950s, shifting to Adult Contemporary in the 1980s. In the 1990s, music faded in favor of spoken word programming.
To underscore the station’s importance as a clear-channel AM, it is only available on the FM dial via KMNB-FM 102.9 HD2’s digital multicast signal.
I think you mean 1924 in your first graph, which currently reads “Its broadcasts date to October 2, 2024, when Washburn Crosby Company, a predecessor of General Mills…”
Thanks for the catch. We have updated our story.