The Current (radio station)
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| City | Northfield, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Minneapolis-St. Paul |
| Branding | 89.3 The Current |
| Frequency | 89.3 FM (MHz) (also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | 1968 (as WCAL-FM) |
| Format |
Public; AAA HD-2: Local Current |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 234 m (768 ft) |
| Class | C1 |
| Facility ID | 62162 |
| Callsign meaning | The Current, Minnesota Publc Radio |
| Former callsigns | WCAL-FM (1968-2005) |
| Affiliations | MPR, NPR |
| Owner | Minnesota Public Radio |
| Sister stations | KNOW, KSJN |
| Webcast | Listen Live! PLS |
| Website | thecurrent.org |
KCMP (89.3 FM, 89.3 The Current), is a radio station owned by Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) that broadcasts a AAA music format including a significant rotation of songs by local artists. Licensed to serve Northfield, Minnesota, the station's studios are located at the MPR Broadcast Center on Cedar Street in downtown St. Paul, while its transmitter is located atop the Vermillion Highlands near Coates. KCMP is rebroadcast on KMSE in Rochester at 88.7 MHz and on translators around the state. The station broadcasts worldwide via Internet radio streams in the MP3 and Windows Media Audio formats, and is carried on a digital subchannel of KPCC 89.3 FM in Pasadena, California.
The station was launched by St. Olaf College on October 1, 1967 as a sister to WCAL 770 AM, one of the first radio stations in the state. WCAL-FM was operated by St. Olaf for over 37 years and was known as "Classical 89.3" later in its history, playing what many considered to be "alternative" classical music along with a variety of sacred music and religious programming. MPR acquired the station in November 2004 during a drawn-out controversy and launched the new format at 9 a.m. on January 24, 2005, changing the call sign in the process. "Shhh", by the local hip-hop group Atmosphere, was the first song to air under the KCMP banner. The station had an immediate impact, and after just three months, was voted "Best Radio Station" by readers of the local City Pages alternative weekly newspaper. However, a March 2008 City Pages article criticized The Current for repetitious programming and losing touch with the format that endeared listeners during its first two years.
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