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 WLAG/WCCO     1923–1974               

During the first half of its existence, WCCO earned a phenomenal reputation.  At one time it had a 62% audience share through the day!  CBS acknowledged that more people listened to its programming on WCCO than on any other station in the country.  WCCO’s signal coverage prior to the break-up of the Clear Channels was nationwide and beyond.

Many of the documents in these pages present a technical look at the progress of the WLAG/WCCO build-out.  Studio photos are included to recreate the flavor of live radio, done the best way they knew how to do it.  The promotion documents provide fascinating snapshots of the industry in its earlier days and over the years.  You’ll notice the focus in the very early days was on RECEPTION and selling receivers.  Later it was about WCCO as a “Full-Service Station” covering the continent.

Of particular interest may be the recording of the opening of the First National Defense Test Day broadcast of September 9, 1924 where WCCO is identified by its previous call letters…less than a month before the WCCO call letters were heard.

We solicit any documentation or photos you may have so that we might share them on this page.

 Some of these files are several pages deep

Earliest WLAG/WCCO History Early WCCO history–notes WLAG Oak Grove Hotel  1923 Spooky WLAG stu. view 1924
WLAG Grain Reporting 1923 WLAG Schedule  1924 WLAG 1st transmitter 1923 WLAG engr circa 1923
WLAG “Listening In”-1  0223 WLAG “Listening In”-3  0323 WLAG “Listening In”-4  0323 WLAG “Listening In”-5 0323
WLAG “Listening In”-6  0423 WLAG “Listening In”-7  0423 WLAG “Listening In”-8  0423
First WCCO License Dec 1924 Early Band–Dick Long 1924 Early Band–Oscar Danielson WCCO–Radio Age–1925
Gold Medal Station  1924-25 Talent preparation <g>  1920s Gopher Football 1924
Experimental licenses 1920s ARRL W-L Committee–1926 Wheaties Quartet  Xmas, 1926
Early changes 1920s-early 30s 500w transmitter  late 20’s 5kw at Anoka late 1920s 5kw Transmitter  1930s
FCC applications 1930–1980 Nicollet Hotel Studio  1930s New studios (Mpls Star) 1938 Beer Band-New Studios  1938
Master Control–Late 1930s WCCO Promotion  Late 1930s Early Clear-Chan brag-piece FCC Measurements  051938
NARBA: 810 to 830–1941 Engineer shortage  1940s Live audience studio–1945 WWII–Return to full power
Audience Maps–1946 WCCO at 25 Years–1949 Studio show  1950s Remote truck  1950s
Auditorium show  1950s 30th Anniversary Book 1954 30th Anniversary jingle  1954 Program Guide–1955
State Fair Promo  Aug, 1952 State Fair Promo  Aug, 1953 State Fair Promo  Aug, 1954 State Fair Promo  Aug, 1957
Conelrad License  Mar, 1959 Master Control–1960’s Audio Block Diagram–1960s Commercial-cutter until 1987!
The WCCO tel “repeater” Analog delay circuitry–1967 West Electric transm.  1960s WCCO Staff  mid-1960s
“CLEAR-CHANNEL” Pages Franklin Antenna appl.–1972 750kw application  Feb, 1964 750kw announcement Oct 1964
Some ‘Master’ Racks  1970S Editing Studio (3)  1970s MCR wider view 1970s WCCO–50–Format mag. 1974
WCCO QSL-Card sampler New Control Room  1979 WCCO–First satellite remote Ice-fishing by satellite! 1989

Tower site from air  2004

 Transmitters  2004 Modern transmitter desk Restored Main audio mixer