WLBL (AM)

WLBL (930 AM) is a radio station licensed to Auburndale, Wisconsin, serving Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids. The station is part of Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), and airs WPR's "Ideas Network", consisting of news and talk programming.

WLBL (AM)
CityAuburndale, Wisconsin
Broadcast areaStevens Point
Wisconsin Rapids
Marshfield, Wisconsin
Frequency930 kHz
Programming
FormatPublic radio, News
AffiliationsWisconsin Public Radio, NPR, American Public Media
Ownership
OwnerWisconsin Educational Communications Board
History
First air date
February 5, 1923
Former call signs
WPAH (1923-1924)
Call sign meaning
Wisconsin, Land of Beautiful Lakes[1]
Technical information
Facility ID63138
ClassD
Power5,000 watts (daytime)
70 watts (night)
Translator(s)99.1 Mhz (W256CZ)
100.9 Mhz (W265DC)
Links
WebcastStream
WebsiteWisconsin Public Radio
WLBL Webpage

WLBL is the second-oldest station in the Wisconsin Public Radio network. It traces its history to WPAH in Waupaca, which was licensed to the Wisconsin Department of Markets, and began broadcasting on February 5, 1923. The Department later moved its operations to Stevens Point and changed the calls to WLBL in May 1924. In 1932, it began sharing programs with Madison's WHA—the ancestor of today's Wisconsin Public Radio network. Owned for many years by the state Commerce Department, it is now owned by the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.

WLBL must power down to 70 watts at sunset, resulting in spotty coverage even in Wisconsin Rapids and missing Stevens Point altogether. During the fall, winter, early spring, and late summer, it is allowed to boost its power to 500 watts before sunrise, then go to full power at sunrise.[2] Because of this, the full Ideas Network schedule is heard on the third HD subchannel of Wausau's WHRM-FM (90.9), a sister station to WLBL which carries WPR's NPR News and Classical service.

References
  1. The station application requested "WLOL", for "Land of Lakes", but the U.S. Department of Commerce, which regulated radio at this time, required that call signs for new stations meet the current standard of being issued sequentially-assigned call letters that had "B" as the third letter, so "WLBL" was substituted, and the station slogan modified accordingly. 9XM Talking by Randall Davidson, 2006, page 204, quoting the May 12, 1924 issue of the Stevens Point Daily Journal.
  2. WLBL operating hours

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.