The low-power station will broadcast at about 99 watts, with an expected coverage area spanning from Hermantown to Superior. MPR purchased the 90.9 FM spot on the dial in 2015 from Family Stations, a national Christian network, which had aired programming as W215CG.
From the news release:
Cementing its strong relationship with the area’s music scene and its countless fans from Duluth to points north and east, The Current will broadcast on 90.9 FM and 100.5 WSCN HD-2, beginning Monday, Feb. 1.
“The Current has always had a special relationship with Duluth – its vibrant music scene and the community of music-loving fans,” said Jim McGuinn, program director for the Current. “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.”
“Our listeners have told us for years they wanted the Current in Duluth,” said Patty Mester, MPR’s Duluth regional manager. “We are thrilled that we are finally able to provide the Current to our Twin Ports audiences.”
In addition, the Current will hire a Duluth-based radio personality who will host a weekly Duluth Local Music show with the opportunity to create additional programming specific to the region. This position will play a key role in connecting and collaborating with the music community, creating deep relationships with artists, venues and community leaders. Funding for the Duluth Local Music show and its host are made possible by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Interested individuals can apply at americanpublicmedia.org/careers. The deadline to apply is Sunday, Feb. 14.
“Since the station’s launch in 2005, we’ve supported the area artists like Low, Trampled by Turtles, Charlie Parr, Southwire, Tin Can Gin, Actual Wolf, Red Mountain, and Sarah Krueger,” said Lindsay Kimball, assistant program director for The Current. “And now, with a presence on the dial in Duluth and the hiring of a Duluth host, we’ll be even better positioned to discover the next generation of artists coming out of Duluth, the North Shore and the Iron Range.”
Fans of the Current who would like their own 90.9 the Current bumper sticker cling can sign up at thecurrent.org/Duluth. Plans for a large-scale community event to celebrate the new station are underway and will be announced in March.
The Current brings listeners the best authentic new music alongside the music that inspired it, from local to legendary, indie to influential, new to nostalgic. The Current began broadcasting in 2005 as a non-commercial, member-supported radio station. From the start, the Current has received numerous accolades, including FMQB Triple A Conference NonComm Station of the Year and Jim McGuinn Program Director of the Year for several consecutive years. In 2015, City Pages readers named it “Best Radio Station” in its annual “Best of the Twin Cities” awards. Also in 2015, David Safar was named FMQB Triple A Conference NonComm Music Director of the Year and the Current’s online music coverage earned two Page One Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. The Current and its hosts have also been honored by the Minnesota Daily, Women’s Press Awards and Vita.MN. Its stellar broadcasts of in-studio performances have been featured online at Pitchfork Media and Prefix Magazine.
