“THE CURRENT” ROLLS INTO DULUTH/SUPERIOR

American Public Media’s (APM) 89.3 The Current is expanding its reach with a new Instant FM Station covering the Duluth/Superior metro area. The new Triple A outlet debuts on February 1, 2016 at 90.9 FM. 90.9 will become a repeater of APM’s WSCN-HD2 signal.  This is the way new Instant FM Stations are created these days.

APM set the stage for the new station last year when they bought FM translator W215CG from declining religious owner Family Stations for $45,000. APM upgraded it 99-watts at an awesome tower site giving the new 90.9 solid coverage of the entire metro:

 Duluth is a very competitive small noncommercial radio market. Both Minnesota Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Radio have full-market repeaters. Scroll down to see a Dial Guide.

 The Current’s entry into Duluth is likely causing stress at hometown KUMD.  They have been doing pretty well with a mix of Triple A, blues and folk. They had an estimated 11,600 weekly cumulating listeners in the Spring 2015 Nielsen Audio ratings. Now they major competition.

Duluth is important to The Current. Here is how PD Jim McQuinn described it in a press release:

“The Current has always had a special relationship with Duluth; its vibrant music scene and the community of music-loving fans. Duluth is at the center of northern Minnesota’s burgeoning music scene, and we want to support what makes the music community thrive, whether it means giving a band their first spin on the radio, promoting their first gig, or helping spread the word for their first tour.”

McQuinn and The Current have championed Duluth-based band Low.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO AT KUMD?

Don’t panic, you have a lot of brand equity.  90.9 will be a repeater station, so strengthen local outreach. (McQuinn says The Current will hire a Duluth voice for a local music show.) Consider dropping obvious tune-outs on the KUMD schedule such as Pacifica’s Democracy Now!

DULUTH/SUPERIOR

MARKET PROFILE • CITY OF DULUTH

Nielsen Audio Market Rank	210	Metro Population	86,918
Market Median Age	35.4 (US: 35.3)	Median Home Cost	$81,600 (US: $119,600)
% Persons w/Bachelor Degree	28.2 (US: 24.4)	# Persons w/Grad Degree	5,034

DULUTH/SUPERIOR NONCOMMERCIAL RADIO DIAL

F	C	Format	Station Info
88.5	WSSU	NPR News & Classical	Wisconsin Public Radio Repeats WERN, Madison
89.1	WGZS	Native American	Ojibwe Tribe
89.5	WJRF	CCM	The Refuge Regional CCM network based in Duluth
90.5	KDNI	Christian Teaching	Repeats KTIS-AM, St. Paul
90.9	W215CG	Triple A	The Current NEW REPEATER Repeats KCMP, St. Paul
91.3	KUWS	Public Radio Talk	Wisconsin Public Radio Partially repeats WPR Ideas network
92.9	WSCD	Classical	Minnesota Public Radio Classical network Repeats KNOW, St. Paul
93.7	WGHF	Christian Teaching	LPFM owned by Three Angels Broadcasting Network a Seventh-day Adventist Church group based in West Frankfort, IL
97.3	KDNW	CCM	Repeats KTIS-FM, St. Paul
100.5	WSCN	NPR News	Minnesota Public Radio News & Information network Repeats KNOW, St. Paul
103.3	KUMD	Triple A, Folk & Blues	Your Independent Alternative University of Minnesota - Duluth