A new radio station has officially launched in Madison that will offer listeners locally produced content on science, music, art, and social justice.

WMUU 102.9 FM is a venture of the First Unitarian Society – a vibrant faith community on Madison’s west side that offers many opportunities for meaningful involvement. First Unitarian Society (FUS) hosts inspiring weekly worship services and a full spectrum of enrichment activities. There are classes and weekend retreats for the spiritually curious, weekly sitting and movement meditation sessions, small sharing groups, film discussions, and presentations by distinguished lecturers.

“The radio station is a little like National Public Radio and a little like WORT,” WMUU Program Manager Elizabeth Delaquess tells Madison365. “We are doing a mix of local programming and also podcasts.”

WMUU broadcasts their FUS Lecture Series which are recordings of people who have come to speak at the First Unitarian Society. Some of the speakers have been pretty dynamic. “We’ve had people like Brandi Grayson from Young Gifted and Black. We’ve had professors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison who have done lectures about human sexuality and evolution,” Delaquess says. “We’ve had people speak on Buddhism. It’s such a variety of people who come to speak both as part of our social justice program and also through our adult education programs at First Unitarian.”

WMUU Program Manager Elizabeth Delaquess works on a podcast.
WMUU Program Manager Elizabeth Delaquess works on a podcast.

First Unitarian has long been a gathering point for Madisonians with an interest in the search for truth and meaning. Their Sunday morning services and public lectures have covered such issues as evolution, racial justice in Madison, and spirituality for the non-religious. The radio station will be an extension of the informative and enriching material the people of Madison have enjoyed since 1879.

“Listeners won’t just hear about the problems our city faces, they will hear how they can contribute to making our city better for everyone,” said FUS Senior Minister Michael Schuler.

The station is now broadcasting from the top of The Fountain on State Street and its listening range stretches between East Towne and West Towne Malls. With online streaming and podcasts, WMUU will also reach audiences far beyond Madison.
“WMUU will reflect the best of Madison – people who are curious, compassionate and committed to creating a more inclusive world,” Schuler said.

FUS has been playing an important role in Madison in the racial justice and social justice movements. This past weekend, they hosted a Black Lives Matter Weekend and soon will be hosting “Let’s Talk: Black Lives Matter” on Oct. 15, the first in an ongoing series of informal conversations about equity issues.

“We just hosted the Black Lives Matter Weekend and one of the things that we did near the end of the service was we had people say the name of people killed by racial violence — including the Charleston church shooting, in prison, and by suicide related to incarceration — and we lit a candle for them,” Delaquess said.

Delaquess said that one of her goals was to get FUS members involved and bringing in their own podcasts. “But we also want to get as many people in the greater Madison area involved as possible,” she says. “We just want to grow. I’m hoping to get more music shows going and by the end of the month we’re hoping to have a live jazz show that will air from The Fountain Restaurant on State Street.

“My hope is that we recruit other people in the Madison area who are heavily involved in social justice to do podcasts,” she adds. “I’m hoping that WMUU becomes another great community resource for people.”

Listen to WMUU by tuning into 102.9FM or streaming here.