WWJO

Last updated

WWJO
The studios for WWJO, KLZZ, KMXK, KZRV, KXSS, and WJON, viewed from the Empire Builder
Broadcast area Central Minnesota
Frequency 98.1 MHz
RDS PS/RT: Title Artist 98.1 Minnesota's New Country
Branding98-1 Minnesota's New Country
Programming
Format Country
Affiliations Compass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
KLZZ, KMXK, KZRV, WJON, KXSS
History
First air date
April 19, 1971 (1971-04-19) [1]
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 73145
Class C
ERP 100,000 watts (with beam tilt)
HAAT 305 m (1,001 ft)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website minnesotasnewcountry.com

WWJO (98.1 FM) is a radio station in St. Cloud, Minnesota airing a country music format. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. The station's studios, along with Townsquare's other St. Cloud stations, are located at 640 Lincoln Avenue SE, on St. Cloud's east side.

WWJO-FM began broadcasting on April 19, 1971. [3] The station was established by Andy Hilger, who had previously purchased WJON-AM in 1965. Hilger envisioned the FM signal as a powerful regional voice, and the station initially launched with a 100,000-watt transmitter on a 1,000-foot tower located in northern Benton County. [4] This provides the station with coverage from the Twin Cities to Brainerd.

In its early years, the station adopted a country music format, which would become its long-standing identity under the branding "98 Country." Hilger utilized the station to provide extensive coverage of local events and sports that were previously limited to the lower-power AM dial. [5]

The station remained under the ownership of the WJON Broadcasting Company for nearly three decades. In May 1999, Andy Hilger sold the station along with sister properties WJON-AM and KMXK-FM to Regent Communications (now Townsquare Media) for approximately $5 million. [6]

Ownership transitioned again in 2013 when Townsquare Media acquired a total of 53 stations from Cumulus Media, which included the entire St. Cloud cluster. [7] Following this merger, WWJO moved its operations to the unified Townsquare technical facility at 640 Lincoln Avenue SE in St. Cloud. [8]

References

  1. ↑ "WWJO-FM radio on air". The St. Cloud Daily Times. St. Cloud, Minnesota. April 16, 1971. p. 6. Retrieved August 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WWJO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "WWJO-FM radio on air". The St. Cloud Daily Times. St. Cloud, Minnesota. April 16, 1971. p. 6.
  4. ↑ "Andy Hilger". Pavek Museum. Pavek Museum. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Notable Announcers Resonate Throughout SJU's Athletic History". gojohnnies.com. Saint John's University Athletics. August 17, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  6. ↑ "WJON Broadcasting Company (WJON-AM, WWJO-FM and KMXK-FM)". PitchBook. PitchBook Data, Inc. May 11, 1999. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  7. ↑ Venta, Lance (August 30, 2013). "Townsquare Acquires 71 Stations From Cumulus & Peak". RadioInsight. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  8. ↑ Fybush, Scott (December 19, 2014). "Site of the Week 12/19/2014: St. Cloud MN". Fybush.com. NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved January 2, 2026.

45°48′50″N94°01′37″W / 45.814°N 94.027°W / 45.814; -94.027


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