WLBL (AM)

Further information: Wisconsin Public Radio

WLBL (930 kHz) is an AM radio station licensed to Auburndale, Wisconsin, serving Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids. The station is part of Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), and airs "WPR Music", consisting of classical music programming.

WLBL

Auburndale, Wisconsin
Broadcast area	Stevens Point Wisconsin Rapids Marshfield, Wisconsin
Frequency	930 kHz
Programming
Format	Classical
Affiliations	Wisconsin Public Radio NPR American Public Media
Ownership
Owner	Wisconsin 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][a]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	63138
Class	D
Power	5,000 watts day 70 watts night
Translator(s)	99.1 W256CZ (Stevens Point) 100.9 W265DC (Marshfield)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	Wisconsin 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 at 06:00, then go to full power at sunrise.^[3]

Notes

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.