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WSAU (550 kHz) is an AM radio station broadcasting a conservative talk format serving Wausau, Wisconsin, United States, area, and simulcast on WSAU-FM (99.9) in Stevens Point (licensed to Rudolph). The station is owned by Wausau-based Midwest Communications, with studios on Scott Street. The WSAU transmitter is located along County Highway X in Kronenwetter, Wisconsin.

The station today bearing the WSAU name started as WLIN in Merrill, Wisconsin, in 1948, preceded the year before by an FM station (now WIFC). It was owned by United States Representative Alvin E. O'Konski. It moved to Wausau in 1952 as that city's second radio station. WSAU, then at 1400 AM, acquired the frequency in 1958 in a facility upgrade. Midwest has owned WSAU since 1996.

History

Establishment in Merrill as WLIN

Alvin E. O'Konski applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on February 3, 1947, to build a new radio station at Merrill, Wisconsin. At the time, O'Konski was a sitting United States representative; another member of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation, Joseph McCarthy, introduced a bill months later proposing to bar members of Congress or their spouses from owning radio stations. McCarthy claimed not to have knowledge of the O'Konski applications for AM and FM stations at Merrill, while O'Konski told a reporter that it was "honorable and legal" for a lawmaker to own a station. The application was amended that November to switch from a 500-watt station with unlimited time on 1230 kHz to a 1,000-watt, daytime-only station at 730 kHz, and it was granted on June 16, 1948; construction was quickly completed, and the station was reported on air by August 8. The FM application had already been granted and went on the air as WLIN-FM 100.7 on a limited basis. However, its operation was pockmarked with technical difficulties; equipment that was shipped to Merrill arrived damaged and several sections of transmission line needed replacement.

O'Konski applied in 1949 to change frequencies to 550 kHz and add nighttime operation; the FCC approved on March 13, 1950. By this time, O'Konski was expanding his broadcasting holdings. He applied for a station in Menominee, Michigan, but another group also applied for the frequency. Further, troubles were mounting. A syndicated column by Drew Pearson noted that one man on O'Konski's congressional payroll actually worked at WLIN, while O'Konski was sued for $17,700 in unpaid transcribed programs used by WLIN; this legal action was settled.

Move to Wausau as WOSA

In 1951, O'Konski applied for a second increase to 5,000 watts, and he amended this application in February 1952 to move the station from Merrill to Wausau. Doubts were raised at the time over whether this would be approved. Wausau already had one station, WSAU (1400 AM), and a construction permit had been issued to build another, WHVF. However, the FCC granted the construction permit to make the move on December 4, 1952; the call sign was changed from WLIN to WOSA on December 15. O'Konski announced program production would be split between Wausau and Merrill. The Merrill studio at this time also served as O'Konski's congressional office: Congress paid O'Konski $900 a year in rent for the space, something he asserted to be a common practice.

The Wausau transmitter site was phased into use in May 1953; the station retained its affiliation with the Mutual Broadcasting System. O'Konski also began exploratory work on a possible television station application, filing for VHF channel 7 at the start of April. WSAU radio, a consortium of newspapers known as the Wisconsin Valley Television Corporation, and WOSA were the three groups seeking the channel. However, seeking to avoid a lengthy comparative hearing, O'Konski amended his application to UHF channel 16, which was granted in February 1954. However, ten months later, O'Konski abandoned the permit for WOSA-TV and returned it to the FCC.

WOSA would not have studios in Wausau until February 1955, when it opened a facility in the Thorp Finance Building at Fourth and Scott streets. O'Konski also announced he would open a station at Stevens Point.

O'Konski made a second attempt to obtain WOSA-TV in 1957. He requested channel 9 be moved to Wausau from Iron Mountain, Michigan, a proposal accepted by the FCC.

WSAU moves to 550

In January 1958, O'Konski reached an agreement with the Wisconsin Valley Television Company (which had merged with WSAU radio in 1953) to sell WOSA and WLIN for $225,000. Wisconsin Valley would retain the WOSA facility and move WSAU onto it, selling off the 250-watt station at 1400 kHz. A buyer was found in May: Duey Wright, the owner of a music store and school of music in Wausau, who would take over the 1400 frequency using the call sign WRIG and set up studios above the music store.

On August 1, 1958, the realignment of radio frequencies portended by the sale became reality. WSAU and its programming moved from 1400 to 550 kHz, incorporating selected WOSA programs, and WRIG debuted at 1400. WLIN became WSAU-FM and then WIFC in 1969. Wausau-based Wisconsin Valley continued to operate under that name until December 1966, when it renamed itself Forward Communications in view of its ownership of KCAU-TV in Sioux City, Iowa.

Forward sold off WSAU and WIFC radio in 1980 to Mid-West Media, a company owned by the stations' general manager, Dave "Raven" Ewaskowitz, and two members of a local insurance company; by this time, WSAU was a full-service adult contemporary and information station. In announcing the sale, Forward noted policies that discouraged cross-ownership of radio and television stations. The radio station retained the WSAU call sign, and the television station became WSAW-TV. The sale closed in April 1981. The radio stations remained in the same building with WSAW-TV until relocating in 1983.

Journal and Midwest ownership

In 1985, Ewaskowitz opted to sell Mid-West Media for approximately $3.5 million to Journal Broadcast Group, the media subsidiary of The Milwaukee Journal. The Journal had owned WSAU on 1400 kHz from 1947 to 1951.

Journal sold the pair for $3.5 million in 1996 to Midwest Communications, owned by the Wright family—which had started in radio by buying the former WSAU frequency 38 years prior. At the time, WSAU broadcast a mix of news/talk programming and oldies.

In 2009, Midwest began simulcasting the station in the Stevens Point area on WSAU-FM 99.9, the former WIZD. It acquired a translator licensed to Marshfield in 2014 to provide an FM signal in the immediate Wausau area.

Programming

The station airs a local morning newscast, WSAU Wisconsin Morning News, on weekdays and also is the home of the Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers on radio in the region. The remainder of its schedule consists of syndicated conservative talk shows, including The Sean Hannity Show and The Dan Bongino Show.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WSAU". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. ^ ‹ The template below (FCC letter) is being considered for deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. ›

   FCC History Cards for WSAU

3. "McCarthy Asks Ban On Lawmakers' Radio". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. May 19, 1947. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "O'Konski Defends Radio Station Plans". The Rhinelander Daily News. Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Associated Press. May 20, 1947. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Honest Ed (August 13, 1948). "This and That". Iron County News. Hurley, Wisconsin. p. 1, 4. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Richard Hemp Buys MINER; Employees Lease Business". Montreal River Miner. Hurley, Wisconsin. April 30, 1948. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "O'Konski Runs Into Troubles In Launching New FM Station". The La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wisconsin. November 28, 1948. p. 14. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "O'Konski Seeks To Build Third Radio Station". The La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wisconsin. Associated Press. May 25, 1949. p. 16. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Van Wagoner Trufty, Esther (April 24, 1950). "O'Konski, Seeking 2nd Radio Station, Runs Into Opposition". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Pearson, Drew (November 4, 1950). "Merry Go Round: O'Konski's Activities". The San Bernardino County Sun. San Bernardino, California. p. 24. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "O'Konski Is Sued by Radio Program Corp". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. Associated Press. October 5, 1950. p. 13. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Firm Drops Suit Against O'Konski". The Rhinelander Daily News. Rhinelander, Wisconsin. February 24, 1951. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Seeks to Move Station to City". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. February 14, 1952. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Advised FCC Of Construction On Station, O'Konski". The Oshkosh Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Associated Press. January 5, 1953. p. 3. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Dear, Joseph (July 14, 1953). "U. S. Pays Rent For O'Konski's Office In His Radio Station". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "City to Have 3 Radio Stations". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. May 9, 1953. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "O'Konski May Apply for TV Station Here". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. January 16, 1953. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Delay Is Expected in Region's TV Hearing". The Daily Tribune. Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. April 10, 1953. p. 1, 11. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Changes Local TV Application To UHF Channel". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. February 4, 1954. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Wausau TV Channel Approved For O'Konski". Stevens Point Daily Journal. Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Associated Press. February 11, 1954. p. 15. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "O'Konski Turns Back Wausau TV Permit". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press. October 13, 1954. p. 2:7. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "WOSA Studio Opens Tuesday". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. January 28, 1955. p. 1, 6. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
23. "O'Konski Seeks Shift in TV Channel 9". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press. March 16, 1957. p. 5. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Transfer TV Channel to City". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. September 21, 1957. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "WOSA Sold to WSAU Owners; Need FCC OK". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. January 14, 1958. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Wright Family To Buy WSAU Radio Facilities". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. May 22, 1958. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
27. "OK Sale of WSAU-Radio". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. June 19, 1958. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "Stations Are Realigned in Wausau Area". Marshfield News-Herald. Marshfield, Wisconsin. Associated Press. August 1, 1958. p. 12. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Call Letters Are Changed". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. August 1, 1969. p. 19. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
30. "TV Corporation Has New Name". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. January 9, 1967. p. 7. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "FCC approval pending: Forward sells two local radio stations". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. November 22, 1980. p. 3. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
32. "Sale of WSAU radio stations is approved". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. April 7, 1981. p. 18. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
33. "WSAU and WIFC move to new locations". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. October 12, 1983. p. 30. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
34. "Takeover means few changes". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. June 28, 1985. p. 3. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. (The article incorrectly states that the Journal had owned WIFC. It never did, though WSAU had a short-lived FM station at the time.)
35. "Stations sold". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. April 20, 1996. p. 3. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
36. "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records. May 17, 1996. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 6, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
37. "WSAU expands to 99.9 FM". Stevens Point Journal. Stevens Point, Wisconsin. September 3, 2009. p. 3. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
38. Venta, Lance (June 3, 2014). "FCC Applications 5/28". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
39. "Program Schedule". WSAU News/Talk 550 AM · 99.9 FM. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2022.

External links

• WSAU News Talk Facebook
• Facility details for Facility ID 41902 (WSAU) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WSAU in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
• Facility details for Facility ID 155964 (W236CO) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• W236CO at FCCdata.org

• Radio stations in Wisconsin
• News and talk radio stations in the United States
• Radio stations established in 1948
• 1948 establishments in Wisconsin
• Midwest Communications radio stations