WLUM-FM facts for kids
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| Frequency | 102.1 MHz |
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| Branding | "FM 102/1" |
| Programming | |
| Format | Alternative rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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Sister stations
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WLDB, WZTI |
| History | |
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First air date
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September 1960 |
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Former call signs
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Call sign meaning
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We Love YoU, Milwaukee |
| Technical information | |
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Licensing authority
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FCC |
| Facility ID | 63595 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 8,800 watts |
| HAAT | 257 meters |
| Links | |
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Public license information
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| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | fm1021milwaukee.com |
WLUM-FM (102.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This station plays Alternative rock music and is known by its brand name, "FM 102/1". Its main offices are in Menomonee Falls. The broadcast tower is in Milwaukee's North Side at Lincoln Park.
The station is owned by the family of Willie Davis, a famous former player for the Green Bay Packers. His company, All-Pro Broadcasting, has owned the station since 1979. WLUM works together with other stations, WZTI and WLDB, as part of a group called the Milwaukee Radio Alliance.
Contents
- The History of WLUM-FM Radio
The History of WLUM-FM Radio
Early Days: Showtunes (1960-1964)
The station first started broadcasting in September 1960. Back then, it was called WMKE and played mostly songs from Broadway shows. Its studios were on North Avenue in Milwaukee. The owners were proud to say it was the first "all-tape radio station" in the country. This meant all their music came from special tapes, not phonograph records. They believed tapes offered better sound quality.
New Sound: Gospel and R&B (1964-1979)
In 1964, the station was sold and changed its name to WAWA-FM. The new owners decided to play black gospel music. It also shared its broadcast with a sister station, WAWA (1590 AM), playing rhythm and blues music. This continued through the 1960s and most of the 1970s.
Disco Era: WLUM is Born (1979-1982)
On February 14, 1979, Willie Davis bought the station. He changed WAWA-FM to WLUM. The letters WLUM stand for "We Love YoU Milwaukee!" The station started playing disco music. WLUM was the second station in Milwaukee to play disco.
Rhythmic Music Takes Over (1982-1991)
Since 1979, WLUM has changed its music style many times. It has always kept the WLUM call sign (its official name). After disco, WLUM began adding more Urban music in 1982. By 1983, it became a Rhythmic Contemporary Hits station. It played a mix of dance music, like Freestyle and House, along with popular Top 40 hits.
During this time, the station used different slogans like "WLUM Power 102 FM" and "Hot 102 WLUM." They even had popular shows like "Casey's Top 40" and "American Dance Traxx."
Top 40 Hits (1991-1994)
By late 1991, WLUM became a regular CHR station, playing all the popular songs. They added more hip-hop music in 1992 to compete with another station, V100.7. In late 1993, they started leaning back towards dance music. They called themselves "Hot 102 WLUM, Milwaukee's Party Station." This lasted until the summer of 1994, when they went back to playing mainstream Top 40 hits.
Switch to Alternative (1994-1998)
In 1994, WLUM started changing its sound again. They slowly stopped playing hip-hop and added more modern rock. The station's owner wanted to move away from some of the rap and hip-hop music. Listeners really liked the modern rock. So, in October of that year, the station fully switched to modern rock. They called themselves "New Rock 102ONE."
Adult Alternative and Hard Rock (1998-2002)
The station kept trying different music styles. On June 23, 1998, they tried an adult album alternative format. This included artists like Rolling Stones, Nirvana, and Led Zeppelin. This change did not work out well.
In December 1998, WLUM switched to hard rock music. They played a lot of hard rock, but they were still less popular than another station, WLZR. After the September 11 attacks, many rock stations changed their music. WLUM also changed its aggressive style.
Return to Alternative (2002-Present)
In March 2002, WLUM made more big changes. They stopped playing most of the hard rock music. Modern rock music came back to the station. By September, they were officially an alternative rock station again.
On July 10, 2006, WLUM did something funny. They started playing only five-second song clips, one after another. They even made fun of their own past mistakes on air. The next day, at 5:00 p.m., the modern rock format was relaunched. They promised to be "independent" and listen more to their listeners. The first song they played after the relaunch was "Guerrilla Radio" by Rage Against the Machine. They also changed their name to "FM 102.1" with the slogan, 'Independent. Alternative. Radio.'
Later, the station helped create a new alternative rock festival called the "Verge Music Festival." It took place at the Summerfest grounds in June 2010. The station also changed its slogan to 'Sounds Different.'
Today, FM 102/1 has special shows like "FM 102/1 Retro Brunch" on Sunday mornings, playing classic alternative songs. "Indie Soundcheck" plays on Sunday nights, and "Neighborhood Watch" features local Milwaukee music.
Big Snow Shows: A Music Festival
Since 2006, FM 102/1 has hosted an annual music event called the "Big Snow Show." These shows bring popular alternative bands to Milwaukee. The first show in 2006 featured bands like My Chemical Romance and Rise Against. Over the years, many famous bands have played at the Big Snow Show, including Death Cab For Cutie, Cage The Elephant, Weezer, Of Monsters and Men, Panic at the Disco, The Head and the Heart, Bastille, and Paramore. These concerts are a big event for fans of alternative music in the area.
