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Coordinates: 43°03′22″N 89°32′06″W / 43.056°N 89.535°W / 43.056; -89.535
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{{short description|Public radio station in Madison, Wisconsin}}
{{about|the American FM radio station|the German river|Wern}}
{{Infobox radio station
{{Infobox radio station
|name = WERN
| name = WERN
|image =
| logo = Wisconsin Public Radio Logo.png
|city = [[Madison, Wisconsin]]
| city = [[Madison, Wisconsin]]
|area =
| area = [[Madison, Wisconsin]]
|branding =
| branding = [[Wisconsin Public Radio]]
|slogan =
| frequency = {{Frequency|88.7|[[MHz]]}}
|frequency = {{Frequency|88.7|MHz}} {{HD Radio}}
| translators = {{Radio Relay|90.5|W213CE|Madison|HD2}}
|translator =
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1947|3|30}}
⚫
| format = [[Public radio]] - [[talk radio|News and Talk]]
|repeater =
|airdate = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| subchannels = HD2: WPR Music
|share =
| erp = 20,500 [[watt]]s
|share as of =
| haat = {{convert|385|m|ft|sp=us}}
|share source =
| class = B
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
⚫
|format = [[Public radio]], [[Classical music]], [[News radio|News]]
|language =
| facility_id = 63030
|power =
| coordinates =
⚫
| callsign_meaning = '''W'''isconsin '''E'''ducational '''R'''adio '''N'''etwork (early branding for network)
|erp = 20,500 [[watt]]s
⚫
| former_callsigns = WHA-FM (1947–1974)
|haat = {{convert|385|m|ft|sp=us}}
⚫
| former_frequencies =
|class = B
⚫
| affiliations = [[NPR]]<BR>[[American Public Media]]<BR>[[Classical 24]]
|facility_id = 63030
⚫
| owner = [[Wisconsin Educational Communications Board]]
|coordinates =
⚫
| sister_stations = [[WHA (AM)|WHA]]
⚫
|callsign_meaning = '''W'''isconsin '''E'''ducational '''R'''adio '''N'''etwork (early branding for network)<ref>http://www.wpr.org/about/hd_innovation.cfm</ref>
⚫
| webcast = [https://www.wpr.org/ways-to-listen Listen Live]
⚫
|former_callsigns =
| website = [https://www.wpr.org wpr.org]
⚫
|former_frequencies =
⚫
|affiliations = [[Wisconsin Public Radio]], [[NPR]], [[American Public Media]]
⚫
|owner = State of Wisconsin - Educational Communications Board
|licensee = State of Wisconsin - Educational Communications Board
⚫
|sister_stations =
|webcast = [http://wpr-ice.streamguys.net/wpr-ideas-mp3-32.m3u Stream]
⚫
|website = [http://www.wpr.org/ Wisconsin Public Radio]
}}
}}


'''WERN''' (88.7 FM) is a [[radio station]] licensed to [[Madison, Wisconsin]]. The station is part of [[Wisconsin Public Radio]] (WPR), and is the flagship of WPR's "NPR News and Classical Network", consisting of [[classical music]] and news and talk programming.
'''WERN''' (88.7 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a [[non-commercial educational station|non-commercial]] [[public radio|public]] [[radio station]] in [[Madison, Wisconsin]]. It is part of [[Wisconsin Public Radio]] (WPR), and is the [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] of WPR's News Network along with AM sister station WHA. The studios are at 821 University Avenue in Madison.


WERN is a [[list of broadcast station classes|Class B]] FM station, with an [[effective radiated power]] (ERP) of 20,500 [[watt]]s. The [[transmitter]] is off South Pleasant View Road on Madison's southwest side in the Junction Ridge neighborhood, on a [[radio masts and towers|tower]] shared with [[WIBA-FM]].<REF>[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=WERn&nav=home Radio-Locator.com/WERN]</REF> WERN broadcasts using [[HD Radio]] technology.<ref>[http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=95 "HD Radio Guide for Madison, Wisconsin"]</ref> Its HD-2 [[digital subchannel]] carries all classical nusic. Its HD-2 signal serves as the flagship of the WPR Music network and feeds [[FM translators]] '''W213CE''' at 90.5 MHz and W300BM 107.9 both in Madison.<REF>[https://radio-locator.com/info/W213CE-FX Radio-Locator.com/W213CE]</REF>
Since Ideas Network flagship [[WHA (AM)|WHA]] must reduce its power to an all-but-unlistenable level at night, WERN airs a simulcast of the Ideas Network on its HD3 channel. This is used to feed a low-powered translator at 90.3 FM for non-HD Radio listeners.


==History==
⚫
*''See also [[Wisconsin Public Radio]]''
The station [[sign-on|signed on]] the air on {{Start date and age|1947|3|30}}.<ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1977/C%20Section%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201977%20P-6.pdf ''Broadcasting Yearbook 1977'' page C-233], [[Broadcasting & Cable]]. Retrieved Aug. 25, 2023.</ref> It was the first FM station in the network that would become Wisconsin Public Radio. The [[call sign]] was '''WHA-FM''', co-owned with its [[sister station]], [[WHA (AM)|WHA]] [[970 AM]]. At first, the two stations [[simulcast]] their programming, a mix of classical music, news, university lectures and public affairs shows. Originally WHA 970 was a [[daytimer]] station. When it had to go off the air at night, 88.7 WHA-FM continued its programming.

By the late 1960s, WHA-FM began airing some programming that was separate from 970 AM. Eventually, simulcasting was reduced and the FM station sought its own identity.
The call letters became '''WERN''' in 1974.<ref>http://www.wpr.org/about/hd_innovation.cfm {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref>

Because WHA-FM/WERN began broadcasting before current maximum levels were set by the [[Federal Communications Commission]], the station's signal is [[grandfather clause|grandfathered]]. It runs at a higher power for its [[height above average terrain]] (HAAT) than would be permitted today. It covers a large area which affords WPR's "News and Classical Network" a strong signal across Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois including the [[Rockford, IL|Rockford]] area and [[Milwaukee metropolitan area|Metro Milwaukee]].

As part of a major realignment of WPR's offerings to take effect on May 20, 2024; WHA and WERN became the flagships of the WPR News Network, successor to the Ideas Network. Two low-powered translators that served to improve WHA's coverage when that station dramatically reduces its power at sunset aired the all-classical WPR Music network after this realignment occurred.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the new WPR! |url=https://www.wpr.org/new |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=WPR |language=en-US}}</ref> The change substantially improved coverage of NPR news programming in Madison, since WERN penetrates further into south-central Wisconsin than the two translators.

==See also==
⚫
* [[Wisconsin Public Radio]]


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.wpr.org/ Wisconsin Public Radio]
*[https://www.wpr.org/ Wisconsin Public Radio]
*{{FM station data|WERN}}
*{{FM station data|63030|WERN}}
*{{FCC-LMS-Facility|83023|W213CE}}
*{{FMXL|W213CE}}


{{Madison Radio}}
{{Madison Radio}}
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[[Category:Classical music radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Classical music radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:NPR member stations]]
[[Category:NPR member stations]]


{{Wisconsin-radio-station-stub}}

Latest revision as of 20:18, 9 October 2024

This article is about the American FM radio station. For the German river, see Wern.
WERN
Broadcast areaMadison, Wisconsin
Frequency88.7 MHz
BrandingWisconsin Public Radio
Programming
FormatPublic radio - News and Talk
SubchannelsHD2: WPR Music
AffiliationsNPR
American Public Media
Classical 24
Ownership
OwnerWisconsin Educational Communications Board
WHA
History
First air date
March 30, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-03-30)
Former call signs
WHA-FM (1947–1974)
Call sign meaning
Wisconsin Educational Radio Network (early branding for network)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID63030
ClassB
ERP20,500 watts
HAAT385 meters (1,263 ft)
Translator(s)HD2: 90.5 W213CE (Madison)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewpr.org

WERN (88.7 FM) is a non-commercial public radio station in Madison, Wisconsin. It is part of Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), and is the flagship of WPR's News Network along with AM sister station WHA. The studios are at 821 University Avenue in Madison.

WERN is a Class B FM station, with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 20,500 watts. The transmitter is off South Pleasant View Road on Madison's southwest side in the Junction Ridge neighborhood, on a tower shared with WIBA-FM.[2] WERN broadcasts using HD Radio technology.[3] Its HD-2 digital subchannel carries all classical nusic. Its HD-2 signal serves as the flagship of the WPR Music network and feeds FM translators W213CE at 90.5 MHz and W300BM 107.9 both in Madison.[4]

History

[edit]

The station signed on the air on March 30, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-03-30).[5] It was the first FM station in the network that would become Wisconsin Public Radio. The call sign was WHA-FM, co-owned with its sister station, WHA 970 AM. At first, the two stations simulcast their programming, a mix of classical music, news, university lectures and public affairs shows. Originally WHA 970 was a daytimer station. When it had to go off the air at night, 88.7 WHA-FM continued its programming.

By the late 1960s, WHA-FM began airing some programming that was separate from 970 AM. Eventually, simulcasting was reduced and the FM station sought its own identity. The call letters became WERN in 1974.[6]

Because WHA-FM/WERN began broadcasting before current maximum levels were set by the Federal Communications Commission, the station's signal is grandfathered. It runs at a higher power for its height above average terrain (HAAT) than would be permitted today. It covers a large area which affords WPR's "News and Classical Network" a strong signal across Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois including the Rockford area and Metro Milwaukee.

As part of a major realignment of WPR's offerings to take effect on May 20, 2024; WHA and WERN became the flagships of the WPR News Network, successor to the Ideas Network. Two low-powered translators that served to improve WHA's coverage when that station dramatically reduces its power at sunset aired the all-classical WPR Music network after this realignment occurred.[7] The change substantially improved coverage of NPR news programming in Madison, since WERN penetrates further into south-central Wisconsin than the two translators.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WERN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WERN
  3. ^ "HD Radio Guide for Madison, Wisconsin"
  4. ^ Radio-Locator.com/W213CE
  5. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-233, Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved Aug. 25, 2023.
  6. ^ http://www.wpr.org/about/hd_innovation.cfm [dead link]
  7. ^ "Welcome to the new WPR!". WPR. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
[edit]

43°03′22″N 89°32′06″W / 43.056°N 89.535°W / 43.056; -89.535

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WERN&oldid=1250334367"