KRNT

KRNT (1350 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Serving the Des Moines, Iowa, USA area, the station is licensed to Saga Communications of Iowa, LLC and features programming from ESPN Radio along with Chicago Cubs baseball broadcasts and Drake University sports programming. The station won a Peabody Award in 1945 for outstanding reporting of news.

History

KSO, located at 1370 AM, moved from Clarinda, Iowa into Des Moines in 1932. On March 17, 1935, the station officially became KRNT and moved to 1320 AM (KWCR moved from Cedar Rapids, Iowa that same year and adopted the KSO call sign, also effective March 17, 1935). At that time, both stations were owned and operated by subsidiary corporations of the Des Moines Register-Tribune. KRNT moved to the current 1350 AM frequency in 1941.

Then-owners Cowles Media started up a sister station, KRNT-FM (104.5) in 1948, but took it off the air and returned the license in 1955. In 1970, they signed on another KRNT-FM (102.5 FM).

For years, KRNT carried an adult standards format, supplemented by sports programming (most notably the Chicago Cubs and Drake University athletics). In 2015, the adult standards format was moved to sister station KAZR's HD2 subchannel and translator K283CC 104.5 FM. KRNT was rebranded ESPN Des Moines as it became the market's ESPN Radio affiliate.