City Auburndale, Wisconsin First air date February 5, 1923 | Frequency 930 kHz Format Public radio, News | |
Broadcast area Stevens Point
Wisconsin Rapids
Marshfield, Wisconsin Translator(s) 99.1 Mhz (W256CZ)
100.9 Mhz (W265DC) | ||
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 is the second-oldest station in the Wisconsin Public Radio network. It traces its history to station 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, where it was issued a license for 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 Stevens Point. It is allowed to boost its power to 500 watts before sunrise, then go to full power at sunrise.[1] Because of this, an HD Radio subchannel of the full Ideas Network schedule is heard on Wausau's WHRM-FM (90.9-3), a sister station to WLBL which carries WPR's NPR News and Classical service.