Frequently Asked Questions


1. Is the station legal?
YES! WIDE-LP is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a noncommercial low power FM (LPFM) radio station broadcasting at a frequency of 99.1 FM in Madison WI. LPFM stations are allowed to broadcast with an effective radiated power of no more than 100 watts.
2. Who owns the station?
The station is owned by Madison Mainstream Radio (MMR), a federally recognized 501(c)(3) organization (making donations tax deductible). MMR consistes of a volunteer board of directors operating under the bylaws available here. As of January 1, 2023 the members of that board are:
Bob Park - Co-chair
Ken Skog - Co-chair
Paula Pachciarz - Secretary
Barbara Park - Treasurer
Tom Kozlovsky - Director at Large
3. Where does the station broadcast from?
The station broadcasts from the garage of Ken Skog at 626 Orchard Dr. in the Midvale Heights neighborhood of west Madison.
4. What is the station's range?
A rough idea of the station's range can be obtained from this projected range map. This map, however, is based on general LPFM radio information and local terrain features. It does not take into account a station's particular broadcast antenna or any information about the radio receiving the signal. In practice the station can be heard on a car radio well beyond the boundary shown, but indoor reception is more limited because the signal does not have much penetrating power. The farther you are from the transmitter location marked on the map the more important it becomes to have a good radio with an external antenna wire for good indoor reception.
5. What is the station's business address?
The station's business address is 5610 Hammersley Rd, in the Orchard Ridge neighborhood across the beltline from Midvale Heights.
6. What is the station's annual budget?
The station's annual budget for 2023 is available here.
7. Why are there no commercials?
The FCC prohibits commercials on any station that it licenses as noncommercial. All LPFM stations, including WIDE-LP, are in this category.
8. How can I help support the station?
Visit our Sponsor Page (where you will find a Donate button and where to mail a check), and provide feedback to radio@widelp.org on what you hear (or don't hear) on the air or in our online archives. Printed copies of our 2023 station brochure that you can share with friends are available at Sequoya Library, on shelves to the left as you enter from the parking lot. The brochure is also available for online viewing.