WNOV AM 860

A commercial AM radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, owned by Courier Communications Corporation and leased to Radio Multi-Media, with studios on W. Capitol Drive. The station airs an urban contemporary format on weekdays, incorporating talk programming, with urban gospel music featured on Sundays. It brands itself as "The Voice" and positions its programming around community empowerment, education, and local resource promotion. Programming is also distributed via FM translator W293CX at 106.5 MHz. The station signed on the air on August 15, 1946, as WFOX, a daytime-only station owned by the Wisconsin Broadcasting System. In the early 1960s, WFOX carried a country music format before becoming WNOV in 1967, redirecting its focus toward Milwaukee's African-American community. Under the WNOV identity, the station built a programming identity around rhythm and blues, urban gospel, hip-hop, and community affairs content. It became known for controversial local talk programming, including shows hosted by former Milwaukee alderman Michael McGee, Sr. In 2008, WNOV shifted to an urban adult contemporary sound before moving toward a broader urban contemporary direction to compete more effectively in the Milwaukee market, eventually earning placement on Mediabase's Urban reporting panel. Due to its position on 860 AM, a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A station CJBC in Toronto, WNOV operates at 250 watts non-directional during daytime hours and reduces to 5 watts at night to prevent interference. The transmitter is located on West Locust Street at West Fond du Lac Avenue.