WCCO Radio Will Switch Over Thursday Afternoon, Ending 90-Year Era

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — WCCO Radio is set to make a historic switch Thursday afternoon, ending a network news relationship that stretched back more than 90 years.

The station announced Thursday that it will become an ABC News affiliate as CBS News Radio prepares to end operations.

WCCO said the switch was planned for 3 p.m. Thursday, May 21.

The change was announced on "The WCCO Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar," where WCCO Brand Manager Brad Lane said the station would move to ABC News.

For WCCO, the switch marks the end of a long-running CBS era. WCCO said its ties to CBS go back more than 90 years, beginning after CBS bought WCCO from General Mills in 1932. CBS had previously bought a partial stake in the station in 1929.

ABC News will now provide WCCO with hourly national news updates, including 2-minute top-of-the-hour newscasts and 5-minute overnight updates, according to the station.

The station said ABC News correspondents will also appear on WCCO programs for national and international stories. WCCO will also have access to ABC News longform coverage for major breaking news, presidential debates, election coverage and holiday specials.

The first ABC News holiday special on WCCO will be "Press Play," which is scheduled to air Memorial Day from 6 to 9 p.m., according to the station.