Listeners disappointed by the recent demise of Madison’s progressive talk radio station The Mic 92.1 FM can take heart: There’s another radio station in Madison with a focus on progressive talk and public affairs programming right in the heart of downtown Madison.
WMUU 102.9 FM is a small station broadcasting a four-mile signal from Central Properties on State Street. The station is owned by the First Unitarian Society (FUS) of Madison, a large Unitarian Universalist congregation on Madison’s west side. FUS has a long history of supporting progressive religious exploration and social justice, and WMUU strives to air programming with a focus on progressive politics and local and national social justice work.
Broadcasting since August 2015, the station airs primarily half-hour and hour long talks and interviews on subjects including news, science, history, philosophy, music, arts, literature, and old-time radio dramas. Local programming includes interviews recorded by Madison-based volunteers, a daily re-broadcast of WORT’s A Public Affair show, and presentations recorded at The Madison Institute and FUS. Programming also includes national shows including Travel with Rick Steves, Alternative Radio, and The Mimi Geerges show, and international news from United Nations Radio and the German news service Deutsche Welle. The station also produces a live two-hour radio show called Live from the Fountain, which takes place at the Fountain restaurant every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.
WMUU isn’t the only low-power radio station to emerge in the last few years, however. Since late 2013, when the Federal Communications Commission accepted the most recent round of applications for low-power radio licenses, four other stations have gone on air in the greater Madison area: WWMV 95.5, owned by the Lussier Community Education Center, WLSP 103.5, owned by the Sun Prairie Community Media Center, WVMO 98.7, owned by the City of Monona, and Christian radio station WALK 103.7. Two other low-power stations, WIDE 99.1 FM and WIXL 97.1 FM, went on air in the mid-2000s.
Listeners interested in learning more about WMUU can tune in at 102.9 FM or listen online at wmuuradio.org.
For questions about programming and volunteer opportunities, contact FUS Audio Specialist Elizabeth Delaquess at wmuuradio@gmail.com.
Information about the First Unitarian Society can be found at fusmadison.org
Information about other low-power radio stations in Madison can be found at lpfm.madisonwi.us