WDLS

WDLS

City	Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Frequency	900 kHz
First air date	1969
Format	Classic Country
Power	1,000 watts day 220 watts night
Class	D
Facility ID	2807
Owner	Magnum Communications
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	wdlsam.com

WDLS (900 AM) is a radio station in the resort community of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

The station was the first in the industry to introduce a "visitor information" format since the format signed on during the Memorial Day weekend of 2004. Its approach emphasises tips and suggestions to help visitors make the best of their vacation time in the popular resort region, even to the point of actually encouraging visitors to come into the studios on Broadway in Downtown Wisconsin Dells and relate their experiences. The station's musical playlist is broad, extending to oldies, 1970s and 1980s hits, country standards and soft hits. Since its audio stream went online in Spring 2005, it became the #1 online radio station in the world of its type. In September 2007, the station returned to its original format of classic country.

History

AM 900 was founded around 1969 by Taylor Electric and originally went on the air as AM 990 - WWDA-AM, which stood for "Wonderful Wisconsin Dells Area." The FM sister station was added shortly after with John Taylor as the GM. Later changing its call to WNNO-AM, from the 1970s (during which time it was a Mutual Broadcasting System affiliate) into the 1990s.

The station was sold to Voss Radio, Inc. in the late 70s, and continued to simulcast Top 40 music. WNNO-AM split the signal and programmed Country Hits in 1982, and broadcast Chicago Cubs baseball from 1983-1985. It was during this time period that the frequency moved from the original AM 990 to the current AM 900 dial position.

Voss sold the station in 1985 to Armada Broadcasting. At this time, WNNO-AM returned to simulcasting Top 40 hits with WNNO-FM. It is interesting to note that one of the principal owners of Armada Broadcasting is the nephew of radio legend Gary Owens, and Gary's liners for WNNO could be heard on the station during this time period

During the early-mid 90s its format alternated between sports and a simulcast of sister Top-40 station WNNO-FM (106.9), or was otherwise off the air, usually after sunset. WNNO and WNNO-FM had studios together on Superior Street in Wisconsin Dells and would usually be on the air from 6AM-12 midnight. In the late 1990s WNNO-AM and WNNO-FM were purchased by Magnum Radio Group and studios were moved to Church Street, Wisconsin Dells, using the call of WBKY-FM (95.9) Portage. By this time, WNNO-AM had become nothing but a simulcast of WIBU-AM (1240) Poynette/Portage, which aired Jones Radio Networks' Classic Hit Country format at the time. The calls were subsequently changed to WDLS; concurrently, WNNO-FM became Jones Hot AC under the name "Mix 106"

By 2000, WIBU and WDLS had become Adult Standards simulcasting Jones' Music of Your Life format. WIBU was later sold off and WDLS became WIBU while continuing to air the adult standards format.

The format of Tourist Info on AM 900 was launched on Memorial Day weekend of 2004, along with the return of the WDLS calls and opening of the current studios on Broadway.

As of September 2007, the station returned to its original roots of broadcasting classic country music to the four county region.

The online feed of the Tourist Station era

In March 2005, the online audio stream of WDLS-AM, as powered by Warp Radio, went live on its website to further increase its potential audience across the Internet.

Within weeks of its launch, its audio stream became the #1 online streaming radio station for its genre, attracting listeners (and subsequent e-mail enquiries about the Wisconsin Dells area) from around the world.

In December 2006, hosting for the online stream was moved to Surfer Network.

See More

WNNO-FM, WDLS's sister station

External links

Query the FCC's AM station database for WDLS

Radio-Locator Information on WDLS

Query Nielsen Audio's AM station database for WDLS

Radio Stations in the Wisconsin Dells Market

By FM frequency	89.1 89.5 92.1 93.9 95.3 95.9 98.9 99.7 100.1 102.9 104.9 105.9 106.1 106.9

By AM frequency	740 900 1350 1400

By callsign	KHA47 W237CJ W259BC W290AL WBDL WBKY WCNP WCWI WDDC WDLS WHAA WMMA WNFM WNNO-FM WPDR WRDB WRPQ WRJC-FM WVCX

Weather	162.450

Nearby radio markets Fox Cities La Crosse Madison Milwaukee–Racine Wausau–Stevens Point See also List of radio stations in Wisconsin

Country radio stations in the state of Wisconsin

By call letters	KDWZ - Superior/Duluth MN WACD – Antigo WAQE – Rice Lake WATQ – Chetek WAXX – Eau Claire WBFM – Sheboygan WBKY – Portage WBSZ – Ashland WCOW-FM – Sparta WCQM – Park Falls WCUB – Two Rivers WCYE – Three Lakes WDDC – Portage WDEZ – Wausau WDKF – Sturgeon Bay WDLS – Wisconsin Dells WDMP – Dodgeville WDMO – Baldwin WDMP-FM – Dodgeville WDUX – Waupaca WEKZ – Monroe WFON - Fond du Lac WGEE – New London WGLR-FM – Lancaster WHDG – Rhinelander WHIT – Madison WHSM-FM - Hayward WHTL-FM – Whitehall WISS – Berlin WIXK – New Richmond WJMC-FM – Rice Lake WJMQ – Clintonville WJMT – Merrill WJVL – Janesville WKQH – Marathon WKTI – Milwaukee WLTU - Manitowoc WMAD – Sauk City WMBZ – West Bend WMIL-FM – Waukesha WNCY-FM – Neenah-Menasha WNFM – Reedsburg WNRG-FM – Brookfield WOBT – Rhinelander WOCO – Oconto WOKY – Milwaukee WPCK – Denmark WPKR – Omro WPLT – Spooner WQCC – La Crosse WQPC – Prairie du Chien WQRB – Bloomer WRDN – Durand WRJC – Mauston WRLU – Algoma WSLD – Whitewater WTCH – Shawano WTMB – Tomah WVRE – Dickeyville WVRQ-FM – Viroqua WWQM-FM – Middleton WXRO – Beaver Dam WYTE – Marshfield

See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Wisconsin

Coordinates: 43°38′23″N 89°43′14″W / 43.63972°N 89.72056°W / 43.63972; -89.72056

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