The FCC has allowed private local ownership of Low Power Radio Station frequencies through a public filing process. Initially, licenses were granted for a limited broadcasting area and a period of a year, although it is now possible to get one that is annual renewing. The spirit of the plan was to give a voice to the community through local non profit entities in the community who were concerned enough about local issues to start up a grass-roots method of radio coverage.

Media consolidation has created a corporate or national control of what is covered on stations and who is available in a given market. In the LPFM environment, decisions are made by the local people involved in the station’s operation, which would be mostly voluntary involvement. This creates a platform to explore all ideas and report all news available.

Because of the local, grass roots environment, the station can be used as a means of public conversation, and will be loose enough in programming to allow for spontaneous live coverage of some specific events. The programming must be produced within 50 miles of the transmitter, and will thereby involve many members of the community in the generation of the programming.

Madison LPFM, aka Madison Mainstream Radio – WIDE 99.1LPFM, is a non profit entity which exists to administrate the Madison License through a Board of Directors. There are two separate non-profit entities which produce or supply programming for the WIDE, which broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The two entities are known as CITY-WIDE and SOUL-WIDE, and are non-profit and/or religious in nature. There is a broadcast schedule in place between the two groups which is listed on their websites. Please review the schedule to determine what group you were listening to if you wish to correspond with the station regarding programming or involvement.