In the early decades of radio, network radio programming was similar to today’s TV network programming, with nightly blocks of entertainment shows broadcast on stations from coast to coast. Here is a look at some of the big “clear channel” stations reaching the Upper Midwest carried back in the late 1940’s and what they’re carrying now:
| Freq. | City | Late 1940’s | Now |
| 540 | Watrous, SK | CBK, CBC Trans-Canada | CBK, CBC Radio One |
| 650 | Nashville | WSM, Country | WSM, Classic Country |
| 660 | New York | WNBC, NBC | WFAN, Sports |
| 670 | Chicago | WMAQ, NBC | WSCR, Sports |
| 700 | Cincinnati | WLW, Mutual | WLW, News/Talk (ABC) |
| 720 | Chicago | WGN, Mutual | WGN, News/Talk |
| 740 | Toronto | CBL, CBC Trans-Canada | CFZM, Classic Hits |
| 750 | Atlanta | WSB, NBC | WSB, News/Talk (ABC) |
| 760 | Detroit | WJR, CBS | WJR, News/Talk |
| 770 | New York | WJZ, ABC | WABC, News/Talk (FOX) |
| 780 | Chicago | WBBM, CBS | WBBM, All News (CBS) |
| 810 | Schenectady | WGY, NBC | WGY, News/Talk (FOX) |
| 820 | Dallas | WBAP, NBC | WBAP, News/Talk (FOX) |
| 830 | Minneapolis | WCCO, CBS | WCCO, News/Talk (CBS) |
| 840 | Louisville | WHAS, CBS | WHAS, News/Talk (ABC) |
| 850 | Denver | KOA, NBC | KOA, News/Talk (ABC) |
| 860 | Toronto | CJBC, CBC Dominion | CJBC, Ici Radio-Canada Première |
| 870 | New Orleans | WWL, CBS | WWL, News/Talk (CBS) |
| 880 | New York | WCBS, CBS | WCBS, All News (CBS) |
| 890 | Chicago | WLS, ABC | WLS, News/Talk (ABC) |
| 990 | Winnipeg | CBW, CBC Trans-Canada | CBW, CBC Radio One |
| 1000 | Chicago | WCFL, ABC/Mutual | WMVP, Sports (ESPN) |
| 1020 | Pittsburgh | KDKA, NBC | KDKA, News/Talk (CBS) |
| 1030 | Boston | WBZ, NBC | WBZ, News/Talk (CBS) |
| 1040 | Des Moines | WHO, NBC | WHO, News/Talk (FOX) |
| 1060 | Philadelphia | KYW, NBC | KYW, All News (CBS) |
| 1100 | Cleveland | WTAM, NBC | WTAM, News/Talk (ABC) |
| 1110 | Omaha | KFAB, CBS | KFAB, News/Talk (ABC) |
| 1120 | St. Louis | KMOX, CBS | KMOX, News/Talk (CBS) |
| 1160 | Salt Lake City | KSL, CBS | KSL, News/Talk (NBC) |
| 1180 | Rochester, NY | WHAM, ABC | WHAM, News/Talk (FOX) |
| 1190 | Fort Wayne | WOWO, CBS | (no longer class A) |
| 1500 | St. Paul | KSTP, NBC | KSTP, Sports (ESPN) |
| 1520 | Oklahoma City | KOMA, CBS | KOKC, News/Talk |
| 1530 | Cincinnati | WCKY | WCKY, Sports (ESPN) |
| 1540 | Waterloo | KXEL, ABC | KXEL, News/Talk (FOX) |