The Current

[YaketySax]

Hello Twin Cities!

Can anyone tell me how The Current was started?
I live in Atlanta now and the current state of radio here is down-right depressing. Both alternative stations were axed within months of each other. http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/10/09/radio-trends-behind-the-recent-upheaval-on-the-amfm-dial/
The sign of promise is that our public radio station is doing very well and doesn't show any signs of slowing. http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/10/30/wabe-fm-has-another-record-breaking-campaign-drive-with-nearly-1-5-million-in-pledges/
I was up in the cities recently and my friends were consistently tuned into The Current and I really dug what i was hearing, enough to start streaming it at work. Can anyone here give me the back story on it? Was it created out of necessity, a groundswell of public radio employees who wanted something different, something else? I'd really like to see if an effort can be made for something like it down here.

Thanks!

 

[uncamark]

Can anyone tell me how The Current was started?

A lot of other folks here can tell you a bit more, but I did want to mention a few things: First, the main signal itself was WCAL, a non-commercial Classical station that was operated by a college in the far-southern part of the Twin Cities metro (although with a strong-enough signal to usually be considered a Twin Cities station). The station was purchased by MPR almost a decade ago in a deal that was controversial (partly because the college was selling the station in the first place, and partly because the other major bid came from EMF--with the assumed goal of using the station for K-Love). For more, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KCMP#WCAL.

And the general hatred some Minnesotans have towards MPR and its ex-chief Bill Kling, who was accused many times of trying to shut out secular non-com competition in the state and taking over college stations to convert them to MPR stations. On top of that, WCAL's classical music was self-programmed by the announcers and played a lot of things the MPR classical network (of which KSJN is the Twin Cities flagship) doesn't play, in particular vocal music and long works (following by and large the trend of a lot of classical radio, whether commercial or non-com, as the audience ages and a good portion of that audience--especially the daytime audience--wanting nothing more than high-class background music to have on at work or in stores). Which meant that the WCAL audience was small but loyal and angry that St. Olaf was taking away their station. However, the Current has consistently pulled higher numbers than WCAL ever pulled, particularly after PPM came in.

 

[Natheodan]

Although the brass at MPR would like you to believe that The Current is original idea, to deny that Rev105, KJ104, and Radio K weren't inspirations is a disservice. Minnesotans have always had a passion for local music, and The Current plays it regularly and not just in an hour block on Sunday night. I still enjoy listening to The Current on a regular basis, especially considering that Phoenix radio is mainly a wasteland.

 

[Kent]

The Current also has a channel on Slacker Radio that's pretty good. Plus, you can customize it, and it's commercial free if you're a paid subscriber to Slacker.

 

[Saladressing]

While the overall "vibe" of the stations are somewhat similar, KCMP, a Noncommercial AAA, bears very little resemblance to KJ/Rev/Radio K in music played, as being an Adult Album Alternative station, it avoids almost anything with "loud" guitars. The aforementioned 3 stations were/are rock and roll radio stations.