The City of Stevens Point's Low-Power (100 Watt) FM Radio Station reaches all of Stevens Point and much of Portage County, and will broadcast public safety information, audio recordings of City and County meetings, a variety of music, and more.
WSNP-LP, 105.9 FM, is a low-power, non-commercial radio station licensed by the FCC primarily to broadcast Public Safety information. The FCC grants LPFM licenses to government agencies and non-profit organizations only occasionally, and when the licensing window opened in late 2013, the City applied for, and was granted, a construction permit.
City Staff researched and purchased equipment and software, built infrastructure, applied for an available frequency and call letters, became familiar with FCC rules and requirements, and made other preparations throughout 2014. They assembled equipment early this year, and had the antenna installed on July 31. WSNP-LP, 105.9 FM, has been on the air 24 hours a day since then, and is in a program testing phase while the City waits for its final FCC Broadcast License to be issued.
As required by the FCC, the radio station is equipped with an Emergency Alert System that listens for, and rebroadcasts, emergency information announcements and NOAA weather alerts from several external sources. City Staff and Officials will also have the ability to broadcast live or pre-recorded announcements of Public Safety information on the station.
WSNP-LP, 105.9 FM, will also simulcast the audio from City and County Government Meetings and some of the other government-produced programs that are already seen on the City's Community Television Channel (channel 984 on Charter Cable TV). In the future, the City could also simulcast other TV programs or produce unique radio programs as time allows.
Although the radio station's primary mission is to broadcast public safety information whenever necessary, and local government meetings and programs whenever possible, the station will remain on the air 24 hours a day and will broadcast a variety of music throughout that time.
The City's Community Media Manager believes the radio station will evolve just as the City's cable television station, website, and social media outlets have changed and grown over the years. It will be another valuable tool for sharing information, helping the City keep its residents well informed about what their government is doing.