KARE
KARE is an NBC-affiliated television station serving the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota, market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KARE is a television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serving the Twin Cities region. It broadcasts on virtual channel 11 and is affiliated with NBC. The station’s studios are located on Olson Memorial Highway in Golden Valley, while its transmission facilities are at the Telefarm Towers in Shoreview. Its identity has changed substantially over time: the channel began in 1953 as a shared-time operation involving WMIN-TV and WTCN-TV, later became a full-time WTCN-TV service, used the WUSA call sign briefly, and adopted KARE in 1986. Channel 11 began broadcasting on September 1, 1953. WMIN-TV and WTCN-TV initially shared the frequency and both carried ABC programming, while producing separate local schedules from facilities in St. Paul and Minneapolis. The shared arrangement ended in 1955 when Consolidated Television and Radio Broadcasters acquired the stations, took the WTCN-TV identity, and consolidated operations at the WTCN facilities. Time Inc. acquired the station in 1957. After ABC moved its affiliation to KMSP-TV in 1961, channel 11 operated as an independent station. Its schedule emphasized movies, syndicated programs, local news, sports, and broadcasts of Minnesota Twins baseball. The baseball coverage became a major audience and advertising asset and helped make the station one of the strongest independent outlets in the United States. Chris-Craft Industries purchased WTCN-TV in 1964 and expanded its children’s, movie, and sports programming. The station carried Twins games and later Minnesota North Stars hockey, reinforcing a locally oriented programming strategy. Metromedia acquired the station in 1971 and invested in a new Golden Valley studio complex. Although Metromedia discontinued some established programs, including Lunch with Casey and, for a period, Twins telecasts, the station remained a financially successful independent outlet. A major turning point came in 1979. When KSTP-TV moved from NBC to ABC, NBC selected WTCN-TV as its new Twin Cities affiliate. The station adopted the NewsCenter 11 branding for its news operation, but the initial newscast strategy performed poorly against established competitors. Gannett acquired the station in the early 1980s and undertook a broad overhaul of its news programming, staffing, and presentation. The station’s late-news ratings improved substantially between 1983 and 1987. It changed its call sign to WUSA in 1985 and then to KARE in 1986 after Gannett transferred WUSA to its Washington, D.C., station. KARE subsequently developed a durable position in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul television market, with local news remaining central to its brand. As described in the cited reference material, it was a second-place local-news finisher in 2022.
History
KARE’s history begins with the allocation and construction of television channel 11 in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul market. WMIN Broadcasting had initially sought a television authorization for St. Paul, but regulatory delays and the FCC’s 1948 freeze on new television grants interrupted that effort. After the freeze was lifted, WMIN and WTCN-related interests pursued channel 11 in Minneapolis. To avoid a prolonged comparative hearing, the parties proposed a shared-time arrangement, which the FCC accepted. Broadcasting began on September 1, 1953. WMIN-TV and WTCN-TV each supplied its own local programs and facilities while sharing the channel’s transmission infrastructure. Their schedules included news, women’s programming, movies, cooking, youth entertainment, and music. WMIN operated from the Hamm Building in St. Paul, while WTCN used facilities at the Calhoun Beach Hotel in Minneapolis. Early locally produced programs included Captain 11, Wrangler Steve, J. P. Patches, and Lunch with Casey. The station also briefly carried selected DuMont programming before that material moved to another local outlet. In 1955, Consolidated Television and Radio Broadcasters acquired WTCN-TV, WMIN-TV, and related assets. WMIN-TV left the air, and channel 11 became a full-time WTCN-TV service. Operations were consolidated in Minneapolis. Time Inc. purchased the station in 1957 and strengthened its movie, sports, and promotional programming. ABC affiliation ended in 1961 when the network moved to KMSP-TV. WTCN-TV then became an independent station, relying on films, syndicated entertainment, local news, and sports. The station’s broadcasts of Minnesota Twins baseball were especially important. WTCN-TV carried a substantial schedule of games, often in conjunction with WCCO radio, and the broadcasts generated strong audience shares, advertising support, and distribution on cable systems outside the immediate metropolitan area. The station also carried other sports, including wrestling, college athletics, and later Minnesota North Stars hockey. Chris-Craft Industries acquired WTCN-TV in 1964 and expanded its children’s and entertainment offerings. In 1971, Metromedia purchased the station and pursued a more modern physical and programming operation. It built a large studio complex in Golden Valley and continued operating WTCN-TV as a profitable independent, although some long-running children’s and sports programs were discontinued or moved. A transmission-infrastructure episode also shaped the station’s history. In 1971, a tower under construction at the Telefarm site collapsed, killing seven workers. Replacement towers were erected later. The station eventually established its transmission facilities at the Telefarm Towers in Shoreview. In 1979, WTCN-TV became NBC’s Twin Cities affiliate after KSTP-TV announced a move from NBC to ABC. The initial NewsCenter 11 news launch did not meet expectations and was outperformed by established market leaders. Metromedia later sold the station to Gannett, which executed a broad news reorganization. From 1983 through 1987, the station moved from last place to first place in late-news ratings. The call sign changed to WUSA in 1985 and to KARE in 1986, when Gannett reassigned WUSA to its Washington station. KARE retained the NBC affiliation and continued building its identity around local journalism, weather, community coverage, and regional broadcasting. The cited reference describes the station as active and in second place in local news ratings as of 2022.
- 1987
News ratings improve substantially
[1]After Gannett’s news overhaul, the station rises from last to first in late-news ratings during the 1983–1987 period.
- 1986
The station adopts the KARE call sign
[1]Channel 11 becomes KARE after Gannett moves the WUSA call sign to Washington, D.C.
- 1985
Call sign changes to WUSA
[1]The station adopts the WUSA call sign before the designation is later transferred to Gannett’s Washington station.
- 1979
WTCN-TV joins NBC
[1]Channel 11 becomes the NBC affiliate for the Twin Cities and launches the NewsCenter 11 news identity.
- 1971
Metromedia acquires WTCN-TV
[1]Metromedia purchases the station and begins developing a major Golden Valley studio complex.
- 1964
Chris-Craft Industries acquires WTCN-TV
[1]The new owner strengthens children’s, movie, and sports programming, including the station’s Minnesota Twins coverage.
- 1961
ABC affiliation moves to KMSP-TV
[1]WTCN-TV becomes an independent station and expands its reliance on movies, syndicated programming, news, and Minnesota sports.
- 1957
Time Inc. acquires the station
[1]Time Inc. purchases WTCN-TV and expands its movie, sports, and promotional programming.
- 1955
WTCN-TV becomes the full-time channel 11 service
[1]Consolidated Television and Radio acquires the stations, ends the shared-time arrangement, and consolidates channel 11 operations under WTCN-TV.
- 1953
Channel 11 begins broadcasting
[1]WMIN-TV and WTCN-TV begin shared-time broadcasting on September 1, with separate local schedules and shared transmission facilities.
Products and positioning
A locally focused broadcast television station combining NBC network content with regional news, weather, sports, community programming, and digital media services.
Local television news
KARE 11 News
KARE’s core local-news service, covering the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region through scheduled newscasts, reporting, interviews, weather, traffic, and community stories. The news operation became the central focus of the station’s post-1980s competitive strategy.
Network television · 1979
NBC programming
Network entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming distributed by NBC and broadcast by KARE as the network’s Twin Cities affiliate since 1979.
Sports broadcasting · 1961
Minnesota Twins broadcasts
WTCN-TV’s baseball telecasts were a defining offering during its independent-station period. The games generated substantial local audiences and helped the station secure wider cable distribution and advertising support.
Children’s television · 1953
Local children’s programming
Early channel 11 schedules included locally produced children’s programs such as Captain 11, J. P. Patches, and Lunch with Casey. These programs helped establish the station’s local identity before later ownership changes reduced or ended several of them.
Brand decisions
1983
Gannett restructures local newsStrategyBackground
The station’s first NBC-era news product had underperformed against competing Minneapolis–Saint Paul stations.
Action taken
Gannett undertook a comprehensive overhaul of news programming and presentation.
Aftermath
Late-news ratings improved from last place to first place during the 1983–1987 period.
1979
Launch of an NBC-oriented news operationStrategyBackground
WTCN-TV needed a stronger local-news service after becoming NBC’s Twin Cities affiliate and competing against established news leaders.
Action taken
The station launched newscasts under the NewsCenter 11 brand and promoted the operation heavily.
Aftermath
The initial effort was a ratings and commercial disappointment, leading to later ownership-driven changes in the news operation.
Sources1 sources
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