WMFE-FM

WMFE-FM
Orlando, Florida;
Broadcast area	Central Florida
Frequency	90.7 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	Central Florida Public Media
Programming
Format	Public radio
Subchannels	HD2: Classical
Affiliations	NPR, APM, PRX, BBCWS
Ownership
Owner	Community Communications, Inc.
Sister stations	WMFV
History
First air date	July 14, 1980; 44 years ago
Call sign meaning	Mid-Florida Educational
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	12857
Class	C1
ERP	98,000 watts
HAAT	223 m (732 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	28°36′9″N 81°5′36″W / 28.60250°N 81.09333°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live
Website	www.cfpublic.org

WMFE-FM (90.7 MHz) is a listener-supported FM radio station in Orlando, Florida, owned by Community Communications, Inc. WMFE-FM is Central Florida's National Public Radio (NPR) member station, with a format of news and information. Most programming is simulcast on WMFV (89.5 FM) in Cedar Creek, Florida. The radio studios are on East Colonial Drive in Orlando.

WMFE-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for non-grandfathered FM stations. The transmitter is on TV Tower Road in Bithlo, Florida, amid the towers for other Orlando-area FM and TV stations.^[2]

History

On July 14, 1980, the station signed on. In its early years, it played a mix of classical music and jazz, along with news and information from NPR. The jazz music was dropped in 1983. Prior to that year, NPR programming was only available on a part-time basis via University of Central Florida station WUCF-FM (WFTU-FM until 1978), leaving Orlando as the largest radio market in the nation without a full-time public radio station.

Over time, the music shows were replaced with more public radio informational shows. In November 2009, the primary HD1 channel switched to an all-news/talk format with programs from NPR and other public radio sources. The HD2 digital subchannel became the source for classical music, with some weekend specialty music.

In April 2011, Community Communications announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell PBS member sister station WMFE-TV to the Daystar Television Network, due to economic conditions. The organization said it would keep WMFE-FM's radio station and call sign, since its listener contributions were able to meet expenses.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

The sale of WMFE-TV to Daystar was later canceled.^[7] Instead, Community Communications sold the television station in 2012 to the University of Central Florida, which intended to keep the PBS programming. The TV station's call letters switched to WUCF-TV.^[8]

On September 25, 2017, it was announced that WMFE-FM would acquire WKSG in Cedar Creek, Florida, (near Ocala) from Daystar Public Radio, Inc. Upon approval of the deal, WMFE-FM switched the format on WKSG to public radio news/talk. It provides public radio coverage to underserved areas of Central Florida, including portions of Lake and Marion counties. The call sign on WKSG was changed to WMFV, similar to WMFE-FM's call sign.^[9]

On April 3, 2024, WMFE-FM rebranded as "Central Florida Public Media".^[10]

Previous logo

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WMFE-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ Radio-Locator.com/WMFE
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Boedeker, Hal (April 1, 2011). "WMFE selling its Orlando TV station". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ [1] Archived April 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^ "WMFE says deal to sell TV station is off, seeks better offer – the TV Guy – Orlando Sentinel". Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
^ "WMFE to sell Channel 24 license, equipment to UCF – the TV Guy – Orlando Sentinel". Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
^ 90.7 WMFE is getting a sister station 90.7 WMFE, September 26, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^ WMFE Rebrands as Central Florida Public Media Radioinsight - April 4, 2024

External links

Official website
Facility details for Facility ID 12857 (WMFE-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
WMFE-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

[1] "Facility Technical Data for WMFE-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[2] Radio-Locator.com/WMFE

[3] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[4] Boedeker, Hal (April 1, 2011). "WMFE selling its Orlando TV station". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 1, 2017.

[WMFE-Q&A-040411-5] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[6] [1] Archived April 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

[7] "WMFE says deal to sell TV station is off, seeks better offer – the TV Guy – Orlando Sentinel". Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2012.

[8] "WMFE to sell Channel 24 license, equipment to UCF – the TV Guy – Orlando Sentinel". Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.

[9] 90.7 WMFE is getting a sister station 90.7 WMFE, September 26, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.

[10] WMFE Rebrands as Central Florida Public Media Radioinsight - April 4, 2024

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