WMQA-FM, "KOOL 95.9," is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 FM radio station

Radio station

Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...

 broadcasting an oldies

Oldies

Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....

 format. Licensed to Minocqua, Wisconsin

Minocqua, Wisconsin

Minocqua is a town in north-western Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,385 at the 2010 census. The census-designated place of Minocqua is located in the town. The unincorporated community of Rantz is also located in the town. Minocqua is commonly referred to as "The...

, the station began broadcasting in 1975.

The station features news from FOX Radio

Fox Radio

Fox Radio may refer to:* Fox News Radio, an American radio network programmed by Fox News Channel* Fox Sports Radio, an international radio network, a service of Premiere Radio Networks* CKFX-FM, also known as 102 FM The Fox, a Canadian radio station...

 Networks and programming Dial Global

Dial Global

Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....

. WMQA-FM uses Dial Global's Kool Gold

Kool Gold

Kool Gold is a 24-hour music format produced by Dial Global. Its playlist is composed of oldies music from the mid 1960s to mid 1980s, from artists such as Billy Joel, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Rod Stewart and dozens more artists mainly targeted at listeners 45-54...

 format outside of the live and local morning show.

With a 25,000-watt signal, the station covers a portion of northwestern Wisconsin and some of the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including the Wisconsin cities of Minocqua, Rhinelander

Rhinelander, Wisconsin

Rhinelander is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 7,735 at the 2000 census.-Claim to fame:...

, Lac du Flambeau

Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin

Lac du Flambeau is a town in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,004 at the 2000 census. The land base of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is located within the town and also consists of a large portion of the town. The Lac du Flambeau census-designated...

, Tomahawk

Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Tomahawk is a city in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,346 at the 2010 census. The city is located to the northeast of the Town of Tomahawk and is not contiguous with it.-History:...

, and Eagle River

Eagle River, Wisconsin

Eagle River is a city in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,443 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Vilas County. The city is known for being a popular "Northwoods" vacation town...

.

From its sign-on in 1975 until 1992, the station operated under the calls WWMH (We're Woodruff

Woodruff, Wisconsin

Woodruff is a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,055 at the 2010 census. The census-designated place of Woodruff is located in the town.-Points of interest:...

, Minocqua [and] Hazelhurst

Hazelhurst, Wisconsin

Hazelhurst is a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,267 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Hazelhurst is located in the town.Hazelhurst describes itself as the "Quiet side of the North Woods."-Geography:...

), with a mixture of easy listening

Easy listening

Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...

 and country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

. An AM sister station, 1570 WFBZ (later WMYM and WMQA-AM, now WLKD

WLKD

WLKD is a radio station in Minocqua, Wisconsin featuring programming from the Music of Your Life network. The station is owned by Fulcrum Radio LLC through Raven License Sub, LLC.-History:...

) was added in 1981. 1992 brought a change in calls to the current WMQA-FM and a power increase from 5,000 to 25,000 watts.

WMQA-FM was formerly a Soft Adult Contemporary music station, also satellite-fed from Jones (except for the morning show), using the brand names "Soft Rock 96", followed by Northern Lites 96 WMQA. On August 29, 2008, the station dropped the AC format and "Northern Lites" name to become "Oldies 95.9." The station's competition in the Oldies format is WRJO

WRJO

WRJO is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies music format. Licensed to Eagle River, Wisconsin, USA. The station is currently owned by Heartland Comm. License, LLC and features programing from ABC Radio.-History:...

-FM in Eagle River. WRJO (when local and not airing Citadel Media's Classic Hits programming) is more 50's and 60's oriented and WMQA's Dial Global programming leans more toward 60's and 70's (and some early '80s) with a more upbeat and personality presentation.

External links

• Oldies 95.9, The Northwoods' Greatest Hits
• Mention of the format change to Kool 95.9 and audio of the format flip