.gif)
KDAL (AM)
Encyclopedia
KDAL is an AM radio station broadcasting out of Duluth, Minnesota
with a News
/Talk
format. KDAL is currently owned and operated by Midwest Communications
. Midwest Communications
also owns KDWZ, WDSM
, WGEE
, KTCO
, and KDAL-FM
in Duluth. All the Duluth stations share the same studio location at 715 East Central Entrance, up the hill from downtown.
KDAL broadcasts Minnesota Twins
baseball, local news, weather, school closings, and cancellations. It is well heard throughout NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin.
came from the founder's name, Dalton A. LeMasurier. LeMasurier was President and General Manager of the station for many years.
On September 5, 1937, power increased to 250 watts and the station joined the CBS Radio
network.
KDAL switched dial positions to the current 610 kHz on October 24, 1941, increasing power to 1000 watts. The switchover was dramatically made from a plane flying over the city. In 1947, a new transmitter and tower were constructed at 63rd Avenue West and the harborfront. The facilities remain to this day. KDAL got another power increase again to 5,000 watts on August 7, 1947, as a new transmitter and tower were constructed. This enabled KDAL to serve an even wider area. The event was celebrated with a "Kilowatt Karnival" in the Duluth National Guard Armory.
In the 1948-1949 season, CBS raided NBC and grabbed some of their biggest stars. Radio's highest rated program, "The Jack Benny Program", moved to CBS and KDAL in January, 1949. "Amos 'n' Andy", "George Burns & Gracie Allen", "Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy" and Bing Crosby also made the switch. CBS was suddenly the number one network and KDAL finally made some headway against NBC's WEBC.
KDAL made the jump to television as KDAL TV-3 in 1953. Both stations have remained with CBS up to the date of this writing in 2009. KDAL TV became KDLH in the late 1970s.
KDAL featured a full service
AC format during the 1980s and 1990s.
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
with a News
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/Talk
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. KDAL is currently owned and operated by Midwest Communications
Midwest Communications
Midwest Communications, Inc. consists of Midwest Communications, Inc. and WRIG, Inc., which collectively own forty-six radio stations. The Company got its start in Wausau, Wisconsin, with WRIG, Inc. and the acquisition by the D.E. Wright family of a 1400 kHz, 250 watt AM facility from the...
. Midwest Communications
Midwest Communications
Midwest Communications, Inc. consists of Midwest Communications, Inc. and WRIG, Inc., which collectively own forty-six radio stations. The Company got its start in Wausau, Wisconsin, with WRIG, Inc. and the acquisition by the D.E. Wright family of a 1400 kHz, 250 watt AM facility from the...
also owns KDWZ, WDSM
WDSM
WDSM is a talk radio station in Duluth, Minnesota, . WDSM was created in 1938 as an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System. The requested call letters were W Duluth Superior Mutual. WDSM provided Mutual programming throughout the Iron Range of Norther Minnesota as well as the...
, WGEE
WGEE
WGEE is a radio station licensed in Superior, Wisconsin. The station is owned and operated by Midwest Communications, which owns six stations in Duluth, Minnesota. All the Duluth stations share the same studio location at 715 East Central Entrance, up the hill from downtown.WGEE airs programming...
, KTCO
KTCO
KTCO is a radio station in Duluth, Minnesota, airing a country music format. KTCO-FM is owned by Midwest Communications, which also owns KDWZ, WDSM, WGEE, KDAL, and KDAL-FM in Duluth...
, and KDAL-FM
KDAL-FM
KDAL-FM "Rock 96" is a radio station in Duluth, Minnesota airing a mainstream rock format.KDAL-FM is owned by Midwest Communications, which also owns KDWZ, WDSM, WGEE, KDAL, and KTCO in Duluth...
in Duluth. All the Duluth stations share the same studio location at 715 East Central Entrance, up the hill from downtown.
KDAL broadcasts Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
baseball, local news, weather, school closings, and cancellations. It is well heard throughout NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin.
History
KDAL went on the air as a 100-watt station at 1490 kHz on November 22, 1936. The KDAL call signCall sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
came from the founder's name, Dalton A. LeMasurier. LeMasurier was President and General Manager of the station for many years.
On September 5, 1937, power increased to 250 watts and the station joined the CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
network.
KDAL switched dial positions to the current 610 kHz on October 24, 1941, increasing power to 1000 watts. The switchover was dramatically made from a plane flying over the city. In 1947, a new transmitter and tower were constructed at 63rd Avenue West and the harborfront. The facilities remain to this day. KDAL got another power increase again to 5,000 watts on August 7, 1947, as a new transmitter and tower were constructed. This enabled KDAL to serve an even wider area. The event was celebrated with a "Kilowatt Karnival" in the Duluth National Guard Armory.
In the 1948-1949 season, CBS raided NBC and grabbed some of their biggest stars. Radio's highest rated program, "The Jack Benny Program", moved to CBS and KDAL in January, 1949. "Amos 'n' Andy", "George Burns & Gracie Allen", "Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy" and Bing Crosby also made the switch. CBS was suddenly the number one network and KDAL finally made some headway against NBC's WEBC.
KDAL made the jump to television as KDAL TV-3 in 1953. Both stations have remained with CBS up to the date of this writing in 2009. KDAL TV became KDLH in the late 1970s.
KDAL featured a full service
Full service (radio format)
The full service radio format consists of a wide range of programming. Mostly found on the AM band, the format can be found on a handful of FM stations...
AC format during the 1980s and 1990s.