City Shoreview, Minnesota Branding ALT 93.3 Repeater(s) KQQL 107.9-HD2 | Broadcast area Minneapolis-St. Paul Frequency 93.3 MHz | |
Slogan Twin Cities Alternative | ||
W227BF (93.3 FM, "Alt 93.3") is a translator broadcasting the alternative format of the HD2 subcarrier of iHeartMedia's KQQL. Licensed to Shoreview, Minnesota, it serves the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area inside the I-494/I-694 beltway. The station is currently owned by Educational Media Foundation, through operated by iHeartMedia. All the offices and studios are located in St. Louis Park and the transmitter is atop the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis.
History
On April 25, 2006, Clear Channel announced that KQQL's HD2 subchannel will carry a format focusing on hit music from the 1980s. The HD2 station, called Kool 1-0-80s, showcased every song to ever hit the Top 40 in the 1980s.
During summer 2011, the HD2 subchannel changed programming to a simulcast of AM radio station KFXN ('The Score'). On September 8, 2011, the "Score" sports format began airing exclusively on KQQL-HD2 as their former signal (690 AM) was flipped to Asian programming.
In August 2012, the HD2 subchannel was changed back to Kool 1-0-80s, now iHeartRadio's "My 80s", with the same 1980s hits format it had before.
On May 23, 2014, KQQL-HD2 changed their format to urban adult contemporary and began simulcasting on FM translator W227BF (93.3 FM), licensed to Shoreview. Soon after, it started stunting with several types of music, changing every few days.
On June 13, 2014, KQQL-HD2 changed their format to modern rock, branded as "ALT 93.3". The station competes against locally owned KQGO "GO 96.3" as well as Minnesota Public Radio's non-commercial adult album alternative KCMP "89.3 The Current."
As of October 2, 2014, KQQL's Kool 1-0-80s format is being broadcast on KQQL's HD3 channel and on translator W244CS/96.7 in the Southeast metro. It would later be dropped for "Pride Radio." On June 12, 2015 KQQL-HD3 and W244CS changed their format to dance, branded as "96.7 Pride Radio."