A low-power FM station in Ashland, Wis., recently changed frequency, which might not be newsworthy except that it ends the unusual marketing of a station from the other side of Lake Superior in Ashland.
Holy Family Radio Association’s WWMD-LP recently moved from 95.5 to 95.3. On 95.5, the 100-Watt station had to keep its coverage area away from KDAL-FM/95.7 (Duluth), requiring it to keep its transmitter on the eastern edge of town.
The frequency change allowed WWMD-LP to move its transmitter to a more central location, improving signal strength in Ashland. The frequency change, which appears to have happened in March, is not yet reflected on WWMD-LP’s website but is mentioned in its legal ID:
WWMD-LP carries Catholic programming from Relevant Radio.
The change also has the effect of ending cross-lake reception of WFNX/95.3 (Grand Marais, MN, formerly WVVE and WXXZ). A few of the formats that have run on the Grand Marais station included Ashland in their legal ID.
WFNX’s owner reports that a previous format elicited numerous texts and calls from the Ashland and Bayfield areas during a previous format prior to WWMD-LP’s frequency change. The Grand Marais station has been operating at reduced power since earlier this year but should be receivable in Bayfield again once it returns to full power.
The Grand Marais station can also be heard in the Ironwood area and along the Lake Superior shore in much of the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
WFNX relays the Oldies/Classic Hits format of WHRY/1450 (Hurley, WI). A sale of the station received FCC approval earlier this year but has not been consummated. The FCC database reflected the change to WFNX, a heritage Boston-market Alternative callsign, on June 15.