View source for WIBA-FM

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name             = WIBA-FM
| logo             = [[Image:W265CV Madison WI 10-2020.png|250px|W265CV/WIBA-FM-HD2]]
| logo_caption     = HD2 logo
| city             = [[Sauk City, Wisconsin]]
| area             = [[Madison, Wisconsin]]
| branding         = 101.5 WIBA-FM (HD1)<br>U100.9 (HD2)
| frequency        = 101.5 [[Megahertz|MHz]] {{HD Radio}}
| translator       = 100.9 W265CV (Madison, relays HD2)
| airdate          = {{start date|1969|10|31}}
| format           = [[Classic rock]]
| subchannels      = HD2: [[Oldies]]
| erp              = 12,000 [[watt]]s
| haat             = {{convert|309|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class            = B
| facility_id      = 17385
| coordinates      = 43° 03' 21.00" N<br>89° 32' 6.00 " W
| callsign_meaning = "'''''<u>WI</u>'''''sconsin" + "'''''<u>BA</u>'''''dger Broadcasting" (from sister station [[WIBA (AM)|WIBA-AM]])
| former_callsigns =
| affiliations     = [[United Stations Radio Networks]]<br>[[Westwood One]]<br>[[Packers Radio Network]]<br>[[Wisconsin Badgers football]]<br>[[Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball]]
| owner            = [[iHeartMedia]]
| licensee         = iHM Licenses, LLC
| sister_stations  = [[WIBA (AM)]], [[WMAD]], [[WTSO]], [[WXXM]], [[WZEE]]
| webcast          = [http://www.iheart.com/live/1015-wiba-fm-3466/ Listen Live]<br>HD2: [https://www.iheart.com/live/u-1009-7273/ Listen Live HD2]
| website          = [http://wibafm.iheart.com/ wibafm.iheart.com]<br>HD2: [https://iheartumadison.iheart.com/ iheartumadison.iheart.com] 
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}

'''WIBA-FM''' (101.5&nbsp;[[Hertz|MHz]]) is a [[radio station]] licensed to [[Sauk City, Wisconsin]], United States, serving [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] and south central [[Wisconsin]].  The station is owned and operated by [[iHeartMedia]] (formerly Clear Channel Communications) and broadcasts a [[classic rock]] [[radio format|music format]] on its primary [[HD radio]], while its HD2 channel carries an [[oldies]] format that is simulcast to [[Analog transmission|analog]] translator station '''W265CV''' (100.9 FM).

==Station History==
Originally licensed to the city of [[Madison, Wisconsin]] (the station's [[city of license]] would be moved to [[Sauk City, Wisconsin|Sauk City]] in the 2010s), WIBA-FM commenced broadcasting on October 31, 1969, with an automated easy listening format during the daytime, and at night a live-hosted free-form mix of primarily rock, folk, and blues. The  nickname “Radio Free Madison” or “RFM” was coined to distinguish the evening programming from the daytime content.  During the 1970s, WIBA-FM transitioned to a full time freeform format, dropping the AM simulcast, and featuring local artists through such programs as ''Television'', WIBA-FM's simulcast of the [[WMTV]] late-night weekend music program.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EREJ25PAISE ''Television'' on WMTV/WIBA-FM, c. 1981]</ref> In 1981 WIBA-FM overnight switched to its [[classic rock]] format.

[[File:WIBA-FM.jpg|thumb|Previous logo]]

WIBA-FM's current programming includes the [[Premiere Networks]]-syndicated ''[[The Bob & Tom Show|Bob & Tom Show]]'', heard weekdays 6AM-10AM, and ''[[Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx]]'' in the 7PM-12AM weeknight slot.  WIBA-FM also serves as Madison's [[Frequency Modulation|FM]] home of [[Green Bay Packers]] football and [[Wisconsin Badgers football]] and men's [[college basketball|basketball]], in a simulcast with WIBA (AM).

===HD Radio===
[[Image:WIBAHD2.jpg|thumb|100px|left|"Mad Radio" logo for WIBA-FM-HD2 (c. 2007-2013)]]WIBA-FM transmits a multiplexed [[HD Radio]] signal.  The station's HD2 sidechannel launched in the mid-2000s and originally aired an all-[[comedy]] format, until converting to a commercial-free [[alternative rock]] format in 2007, chiefly employing announcers and alt-rock playlists from Clear Channel's national [[iHeartMedia#Format Lab and HD2 Formats|format lab]] but employing the former "Mad Radio" branding that previously used on two other Clear Channel Madison stations (at [[WXXM|92.1 FM]] and [[WMAD|96.3 FM]]).

In Fall 2013, "Mad Radio" would be replaced by a simulcast of "Socially Sound Radio," an [[iHeartRadio]] Top 40/pop channel that emphasizes songs and artists that generate interest among [[social media]] platforms.  After iHeartRadio dropped Socially Sound in Summer 2014, 101.5-HD2 would feature a rotation of various iHeartRadio channels, among them "Roots of Rock" (1960s/1970s progressive/album rock), "My 80s" (80s pop songs), and "re-Covered Radio" (modern [[cover version]]s of iconic songs).<ref>http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=95 HD Radio Guide for Madison, Wisconsin</ref>

In November 2016, WIBA-FM-HD2 would convert to a simulcast of [[sports radio|all-sports]] sister station [[WTSO]] (1070 AM), which already had a presence on FM since 2014 at 100.9 [[Megahertz|MHz]] (W265CV).  The move ensured W265CV's official status as a relay of WIBA-FM, as indicated in the FCC database.  The WTSO simulcast would end on February 1, 2020, when W265CV and WIBA-FM-HD2 would convert to an [[oldies]] format branded as "U100.9".<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/183979/iheartmedia-to-launch-u100-9-1070-the-game-in-madison/ iHeartMedia To Launch U100.9 & 1070 The Game In Madison] Radioinsight - January 30, 2020</ref>

WIBA-FM briefly had an HD3 subchannel in 2012, simulcasting the news/talk format of [[WIBA (AM)|WIBA (1310 kHz)]].

==Translators==
The following analog FM translator rebroadcasts the HD2 subchannel of WIBA-FM.

{{RadioTranslators
| callsign = WIBA-FM HD2
| width    =

| call1    = W265CV
| freq1    = 100.9
| city1    = Madison, Wisconsin
| fid1     = 140503
| watts1   = 250 (Vert.)
| haat1    = 243.1
| class1   = D
| coord1   = {{Coord|43|3|21|N|89|32|6|W|type:landmark_region:US-WI_source:FCC|name=W265CV}}
| notes1   = 
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://wibafm.iheart.com/ WIBA-FM website]
*{{FM station data|17385|WIBA-FM}}
*{{FCC-LMS-Facility|140503|W265CV}}
*{{FXL|W265CV}}

{{Madison Radio}}
{{Classic Rock Radio Stations in Wisconsin}}
{{iHeartMedia}}

{{coord|43.056|N|89.535|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Madison, Wisconsin|IBA-FM]]
[[Category:Classic rock radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:IHeartMedia radio stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1969]]