WMDX
Broadcast areaMadison metropolitan area
Frequency1580 kHz
BrandingMad Radio 92.7
Programming
FormatProgressive talk
AffiliationsABC News Radio
Ownership
Owner
  • Sage Weil and Michael Crute
  • (Civic Media, Inc.)
WAUK, WISS, WRCO, WRCE, WRPQ
History
First air date
April 2, 1950 (as WTTN)[1]
Former call signs
WTTN (1950-2023)
Technical information
Facility ID71092
ClassD
Power5,000 watts days
800 watts critical hours
4 watts nights
Transmitter coordinates
43°11′43″N 88°45′17″W / 43.19528°N 88.75472°W / 43.19528; -88.75472
Translator(s)92.7 W224EG (Madison)
Links
Websitemad.radio

WMDX (1580 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Columbus, Wisconsin, and serving the Madison metropolitan area radio market. The station is owned by Sage Weil and Michael Crute, through licensee Civic Media, Inc. Crute is the host of "The Devil's Advocates", a syndicated show for which WMDX serves as the flagship station.[2] Branded as "Mad Radio 92.7", WMDX airs a progressive talk radio format. WMDX carries live locally programmed news and talk programming for most of the day, originating from studios located on State Street in downtown Madison as well the Waukesha studios of sister station WAUK. The station also carries live syndicated programming from Stephanie Miller and Thom Hartmann. WMDX also serves as the flagship station of the Civic Media Network, a statewide news network with affiliates across Wisconsin.

WMDX is powered by day at 5,000 watts, using a directional antenna that provides city-grade coverage of the northern and eastern portions of the Madison area including Columbia and Dodge counties. But because 1580 AM is a Canadian clear channel frequency, WMDX must protect Class A CKDO Oshawa, from interference. During critical hours, WMDX drops to 800 watts, and after sunset, to only 4 watts, which roughly covers only the city of Columbus. The transmitter is off Parpart Road in Hampden, Wisconsin.[3] All programming is simulcast on 250 watt FM translator 92.7 W224EG which affords WMDX 24/7 city grade signal to most of Dane County .[4]

History

WMDX began broadcasting on April 2, 1950 as WTTN, and was licensed to Watertown, Wisconsin.[1] The station ran 250 watts, during daytime hours only, and was owned by Watertown Radio, Inc.[5] In 1961, the station's power was increased to 1,000 watts, and it began to be simulcast on 104.7 WTTN-FM.[5][6] WTTN aired a middle of the road (MOR) format in the 1970s and 1980s.[7][8][9][10] Nighttime operations were added in the late 1980s, running 7.8 watts.[10] The station adopted a country music format in 1991.[11]

In 1999, WTTN was sold to Good Karma Broadcasting for $525,000.[12] In 2001, the station adopted a news-talk format.[13] In January 2003, WTTN adopted an oldies format.[14][15] The station was branded "The Goose" during this period.[14][16][17]

In 2009, WTTN's city of license and transmitter site were moved to Columbus, Wisconsin, and its daytime power was increased to 5,000 watts using a directional array.[18] This move allowed for co-owned 100.5 WTLX to be moved from Columbus to Monona.[16] Later that year, the station adopted a Spanish language sports format as an affiliate of ESPN Deportes.[18] In 2018, the station adopted a progressive talk format branded as "Resistance Radio", simulcasting Milwaukee based sister station WRRD.[19] This marked a return of the progressive talk format to the strongly liberal leaning Madison area since the format change of iHeart Media's WXXM to Adult Hits in 2016.

On February 6, 2023, WTTN rebranded as "Mad Radio 92.7" under new WMDX call letters.[20] Effective February 21, 2023, WMDX and translator W224EG were sold by Good Karma Broadcasting to Sage Weil and Michael Crute's Civic Media, Inc. for $363,000.

Translator

On May 14, 2019, WTTN began to simulcast on Madison translator W224EG (92.7 FM), and was rebranded as "Talk 92.7".[21]

Broadcast translator for WMDX
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class FCC info
W224EG 92.7 FM Madison, Wisconsin 200994 250 121 m (397 ft) D LMS

References

  1. ^ a b 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-233. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "WTTN Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WMDX
  4. ^ Radio-Locator.com/W224EG
  5. ^ a b History Cards for WMDX, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  6. ^ 1963 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1963. p. B-205. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  7. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1975, Broadcasting, 1975. p. C-214. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  8. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1979, Broadcasting, 1979. p. C-247. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  9. ^ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1982, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1982. p. C-268. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1989, Broadcasting & Cable, 1989. p. B-333. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  11. ^ "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 8, No. 33. August 19, 1991. p. 1. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  12. ^ "Transactions", Radio & Records. July 23, 1999. p. 8. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  13. ^ "Format Changes and Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 30. October 31, 2001. p. 6. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Broadcasting News–January 2003", Upper Midwest Broadcasting. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  15. ^ Devine, Cathy (2003). The M Street Radio Directory. 12th Edition. p. 650. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "WTLX Gets OK To Move Closer To Madison", All Access Music Group. September 7, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  17. ^ "Moser Upped To Station Manager At Good Karma's Beaver Dam Cluster", All Access Music Group. September 26, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Broadcasting News–September 2009", Upper Midwest Broadcasting. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  19. ^ "'Devils Advocate Radio' Adds Simulcast Partner", InsideRadio. March 6, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  20. ^ Devil Radio Gets Mad in Madison Radioinight - February 7, 2023
  21. ^ "Progressive Talk Radio Returns To Madison FM Dial", InsideRadio. May 14, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2019.

External links

Radio stations in the Madison, Wisconsin, metropolitan area
Radio Stations in Wisconsin Dells–Baraboo, Wisconsin
News/Talk radio stations in the state of Wisconsin
Categories