Like much of life in Minnesota, early TV history in the state is dominated by developments in the Twin Cities. Viewers in much of the state had to rely on deep-fringe signals from Minneapolis until stations signed on in other parts of the state.
Here’s a timeline of TV in Minnesota from the 1940s until 1970. (Note: DuMont is not included except for one primary affiliation).
Alexandria, 1957+
7 KCMT-TV (NBC/ABC)
Duluth, 1953
38 WFTV (ABC/CBS/NBC)
Duluth, 1954 new stations put WFTV out of business
3 KDAL-TV (NBC/ABC)
6 WDSM-TV (CBS/ABC)
Duluth, 1955-1964 affiliation swap
3 KDAL-TV (CBS/ABC)
6 WDSM-TV (NBC/ABC)
Duluth, 1964-1965
3 KDAL-TV (CBS/ABC)
6 WDSM-TV (NBC/ABC)
8 WDSE-TV (NET) new station
Duluth, 1966+
3 KDAL-TV (CBS)
6 WDSM-TV (NBC)
8 WDSE-TV (NET)
10 WDIO-TV (ABC) new station
Hibbing, 1967+
13 WIRT (ABC)
Mankato, 1960
12 KEYC-TV (NBC)
Mankato, 1961+
12 KEYC-TV (CBS)
Minneapolis, 1948
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
Minneapolis, 1949-1951
4 WTCN-TV (CBS/ABC) new station
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
Minneapolis, 1952
4 WCCO-TV (CBS/ABC) callsign change
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
Minneapolis, 1953-1954
4 WCCO-TV (CBS)
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
11 WTCN-TV/WMIN-TV (ABC) new station
Minneapolis , 1955
4 WCCO-TV (CBS)
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
9 KEYD-TV (DuMont) new station
11 WTCN-TV (ABC) WMIN-TV combined into WTCN-TV
Minneapolis, 1956
4 WCCO-TV (CBS)
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
9 KMGM-TV (DuMont) callsign change
11 WTCN-TV (ABC)
Minneapolis, 1957
2 KTCA-TV (NET) new station
4 WCCO-TV (CBS)
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
9 KMGM-TV (Ind.)
11 WTCN-TV (ABC)
Minneapolis, 1958-1960
2 KTCA-TV (NET)
4 WCCO-TV (CBS)
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
9 KMSP-TV (Ind.) callsign change
11 WTCN-TV (ABC)
Minneapolis, 1961-1964
2 KTCA-TV (NET)
4 WCCO-TV (CBS)
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
9 KMSP-TV (ABC) affiliation change
11 WTCN-TV (Ind.)
Minneapolis, 1965-1970
2 KTCA-TV (NET)
4 WCCO-TV (CBS)
5 KSTP-TV (NBC)
9 KMSP-TV (ABC)
11 WTCN-TV (Ind.)
17 KTCI (NET) new station
Rochester-Austin-Mason City, 1953
6 KMMT (CBS/ABC)
10 KROC-TV (NBC/CBS/ABC)
Rochester-Austin-Mason City, 1954-1968
3 KGLO-TV (CBS) new station
6 KMMT (ABC)
10 KROC-TV (NBC)
Rochester-Austin-Mason City, 1968+
3 KGLO-TV (CBS)
6 KAUS-TV (ABC) callsign change
10 KROC-TV (NBC)
Walker, 1964+
12 KNMT (NBC/ABC)
LINK: World Radio History’s collection of Broadcasting Yearbooks