Central Wisconsin Station Switches Off the AC for Classic Country

A recently-sold central Wisconsin radio station has dropped an Adult Contemporary format in favor of Classic Country.

The former “Y105.5” (WLJY Nekoosa-Wisconsin Rapids) is now Classic Country as WIRI, “Country Legends 24/7.” The format features hourly interviews with Country artists with a playlist dating back to the 1970s.

Wisconsin Rapids is under the umbrella of larger Wausau-Stevens Point stations, including Midwest’s WDEZ/101.9 (Wausau) and NRG’s “Y106.5” (WYTE Marshfield-Wausau). WIRI’s 6kW signal rimshots Wisconsin Rapids from the west.

The change follows Heart of Wisconsin Media’s purchase of WLJY and WFHR/1320 (Wisconsin Rapids) from Seehafer Broadcasting. The deal also included future WFHR translator W248DE/97.5, which originally faced a June 8 construction deadline but was granted an extension until December.

Heart of Wisconsin Media, owned by Marcus C. Jaeger, also owns WCWI/106.1 (Adams).

WLJY is a heritage callsign that was originally used on 106.5 starting in 1979. It later moved to 96.7 (Whiting), which used it until 2012.105.5 picked up the callsign in 2013.