| Broadcast area | Madison |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1240kHz |
| Branding | Relevant Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | Catholic radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 1925 (1925) |
Former call signs | WIBU (1925–2001) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 54617 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000watts unlimited |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°21′38″N89°24′8″W / 43.36056°N 89.40222°W /43.36056; -89.40222 |
| Repeater(s) | 97.3 W247CI (Middleton) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | relevantradio.com |
WHFA (1240AM) is aradio station licensed toPoynette, Wisconsin, United States. The station serves theMadison area. It broadcasts aCatholic format. The station is owned by Relevant Radio, Inc., and is an affiliate ofRelevant Radio.
The station was first licensed on July 8, 1925, as WIBU, to William C. Forrest's The Electric Farm in Poynette.[2] Forrest was an early pioneer of Wisconsin broadcasting. The call letters were randomly assigned from a roster of available call signs, and were adopted to mean "Wind Is Being Used" or "Wind Is Behind Us", as Forrest utilized windmills to generate the farm's electricity.
Following the establishment of theFederal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927.[3] In addition, they were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard.[4] On May 25, 1928, the FRC issuedGeneral Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WIBU, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it."[5] However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.
On November 11, 1928, the FRC made a major reallocation of station transmitting frequencies, as part of a reorganization resulting from its implementation ofGeneral Order 40. WIBU was assigned to 1310 kHz,[6] which was changed to 1210 kHz in 1931. On March 29, 1941, the station moved to 1240 kHz, its location ever since, as part of the implementation of theNorth American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.
Studios were housed in a streamlined art-modern style building located on N2349 WIBU Road in Poynette.VeteranWisconsin Public Radio announcerJim Packard, announcer ofWhad’Ya Know?, was among WIBU alums.
In the spring of 1988, WIBU gained national notoriety in national media as it adopted an allpolka format, which lasted until 1991. In 1999 the format changed toMusic of Your Life.
WIBU was sold to Starboard Broadcasting in 2001 and became WHFA, carrying Starboard's Catholic religious format, branded Relevant Radio.
