# WMNF

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"WMNF" may also refer to [White Mountain National Forest](/source/White_Mountain_National_Forest).

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Radio station in Tampa, Florida, United States

WMNF Tampa, Florida United States Broadcast area Tampa Bay Frequency 88.5 MHz (HD Radio) Branding WMNF Listener-Sponsored Community Radio Programming Format Community Radio Eclectic Music Progressive Talk Affiliations Pacifica Radio Network NPR Ownership Owner Nathan B. Stubblefield Foundation History First air date September 14, 1979 (1979-09-14) Call sign meaning Member–supported Non–commercial FM Technical information[1] Licensing authority FCC Facility ID 47459 Class C1 ERP 6,650 watts HAAT 469 meters (1,539 ft) Transmitter coordinates 27°49′11.1″N 82°15′38.3″W / 27.819750°N 82.260639°W / 27.819750; -82.260639 Links Public license information Public file LMS Website www.wmnf.org

**WMNF** (88.5 [FM](/source/FM_radio)) is a [non-commercial](/source/Non-commercial_educational_station) radio station licensed to [Tampa, Florida](/source/Tampa%2C_Florida).[2] Owned by the [Nathan B. Stubblefield](/source/Nathan_B._Stubblefield) Foundation, it airs a [community radio](/source/Community_radio) format. WMNF is supported by listener contributions and has studios on East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Tampa.

The station's [transmitter](/source/Transmitter) is off Colonnade Vista Drive in [Riverview, Florida](/source/Riverview%2C_Florida).

## Programs and personnel

Since its inception, WMNF has had a paid staff, but most of the programming is by volunteers. WMNF has aired a wide variety of music shows, including programs featuring [Adult Album Alternative](/source/Adult_Album_Alternative) (AAA), [Blues](/source/Blues), [Bluegrass](/source/Bluegrass_music), [Folk](/source/Folk_music), Alternative Rock, [Rockabilly](/source/Rockabilly), R&B, [Soul music](/source/Soul_music), [Urban Gospel](/source/Urban_Gospel), [Celtic music](/source/Celtic_music), [Jazz](/source/Jazz), [Salsa](/source/Salsa_music) and [Experimental music](/source/Experimental_music).

The early WMNF schedule featured Folk and Acoustic music in the morning; Big Band and Nostalgia midday; Jazz Blues and Reggae in the afternoon; and Bluegrass in afternoon drivetime. Gospel, Soul, Jewish, Sixties, Celtic and New Wave filled evenings and the weekend.

In the nineties the station phased out Big Band and Nostalgia and midday became filled with public affairs and talk shows, anchored by the national show Democracy Now and a daily talk show called Radioactivity hosted by News Director Rob Loeei until 2021. WMNF airs several [progressive talk](/source/Progressive_talk) and news programs focused on [LGBTQ](/source/LGBTQ) issues, animal and environmental preservation and civil right, hosted mostly by volunteers.

Among the long-running music shows are: *The Sixties Show, Gospel Classic Hour, The Soul Party* and *The Freak Show*. Past public affairs programs included *RadioActivity* and *The Women's Show*, touching on [feminist](/source/Feminist) issues that first started running in the 1980s. Current long running PA shows include *Art in Your Ear*, *Talking Animals*, and *True Talk,* which focuses on the Middle East and the global issues Muslims face.

In 1986, WMNF began the first hip hop show in the area, The Kenny K Wax Attack, which aired on Saturdays at midnight.[3] An Arbitron rating showed 42% of radio listeners under 25 were listening to Kenny K.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*][*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*] Saturday late night remains hip hop programming as of May 2024.[4]

In 2014, WMNF added to the schedule, "The Rhythm Revival," hosted by nationally known recording artist/music historian Reverend Billy C. Wirtz. In 2021, Marvelous Marvin, a longtime popular DJ on Tampa Bay commercial radio, joined the show as a cohost. The Friday drive-time high-energy presentation of post WW2 blues, country and gospel is a station highlight.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In 2022, WUSF discontinued evening and overnight jazz programming to the dismay of area jazz fans. WMNF recruited WUSF's longtime former jazz director Bob Seymour to present a Monday evening jazz show on WMNF. Jazz fans have embraced the new show "Jazz in the Night."[5]

## History

Before going on the air the station conducted a door to door campaign to raise startup funds. The station signed on the air on September 14, 1979.[6] It was established by the [Nathan B. Stubblefield](/source/Nathan_B._Stubblefield) Foundation, a non-profit organization started solely for this purpose. The [board of directors](/source/Board_of_directors) comprises programmers, volunteers, staff, and community members. The first WMNF studios were in an old house in south Tampa, moving to a vacated church on Nebraska Avenue in Tampa in 1981.

WMNF was originally powered at 70,000 watts but on a much shorter tower. When its tower tripled in height in 2007, its power was reduced but still with better coverage.

WMNF holds periodic on-air fundraisers and seeks donations and volunteers on its website. Its supporters account for approximately 70% of its funding.[7] There are three [pledge drives](/source/Pledge_drive) each year. The station has paid operations staff, but most of the hosts and pledge drive workers are volunteers.

## Facilities

In 2005, WMNF moved into new state of the art studios and production space financed by listener donations. The facility is located adjacent to the old studio which was demolished and now serves as a parking lot. The new facility is over 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) with three broadcast studios, two production studios and a live performance studio named in memory of Mike Eisenstadt, longtime host of the *Sunday Simcha*, a [Jewish music](/source/Jewish_music) and public affairs show that still airs on Sundays at 2 pm. The music library can store approximately 100,000 CDs, and has about 8,000 record albums.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In 2007, WMNF moved to a higher [antenna tower](/source/Antenna_tower) at 469 meters (1539 feet) in [height above average terrain](/source/Height_above_average_terrain) (HAAT). The signal stretches from [Clearwater](/source/Clearwater%2C_Florida) and [Bradenton](/source/Bradenton) to [Lakeland](/source/Lakeland%2C_Florida) and [Fort Meade](/source/Fort_Meade%2C_Florida).

## Controversies

In 1997, Florida State Senator John Grant zeroed out $104,000 in state funding from the annual budget, citing his displeasure at the lyrics of a song he had heard broadcast ([Iris DeMent](/source/The_Way_I_Should)'s "Wasteland of the Free"). In response to the shortfall, the station staged an emergency fundraiser that took in $122,000 in a day and a half.[8] Then Program Director Randy Wynne indicated his belief that such difficulties arose after WMNF aired several criticisms against State Senator Grant's opposition to Olympic gold medalist diver and outspoken LGBTQ activist [Greg Louganis](/source/Greg_Louganis) attending a speaking engagement at the [University of South Florida](/source/University_of_South_Florida).[9]

On February 18, 2019, WMNF posted that they ended their "long-running relationship with News Director Rob Lorei" and for more information to "contact General Manager Craig Kopp."[10] Rob Lorei filed a grievance with the station's board of directors. There was a "public outcry" with "some supporters canceled donations"[11] and within the first few days comments from listeners and supporters "poured in at station meetings, and online via WMNF's social media bulletin board"[12]

Josh Holton, former WMNF board member and previous supporter of Craig Kopp wrote that he would no longer support him due to "the completely inappropriate manner in which he has handled this monumentally catastrophic decision, which has hurt our budget, our brand and our reputation."[13]

On March 18, 2019, the Board of Directors of WMNF posted a statement which said that they would "reinstate Rob to his role as News & Public Affairs Director at WMNF."[14] David Harbeitner (President of the Board of Directors of WMNF) shared that:

The Board has reached the decision to reinstate Rob to his role as News and Public Affairs director at WMNF. We believe that both Rob and Craig Kopp, the station general manager, can and should play a critical role in the present and future of WMNF. This event, unfortunately, has reinforced the value of WMNF and the impact we have in the local community, particularly in regards to News and Public Affairs. It also has heightened our commitment to support the Tampa Bay community and to give a voice to the under-served."[15]

On April 15, 2019, WMNF's General Manager Craig Kopp resigned and noted the community's reaction to the firing and re-hiring of Rob Lorei as a reason, alone with "anti-Semitic and other 'toxic' comments made"[16]

Craig Kopp wrote: "I love WMNF as a concept and have dedicated myself to setting it up to continue far into the future ... But the reinstatement of Rob Lorei assures that it will remain firmly rooted in the past."[17]

In 2021, 43-year station veteran Rob Lorei was terminated by WMNF. Lorei, the public affairs director and show host said he was not given a reason. He told the *[Tampa Bay Times](/source/Tampa_Bay_Times)* "No community radio station has been as consistently successful as WMNF. You'll have to ask the general manager why he terminated me." The station told the newspaper that Lorei was given the reason by the general manager and a member of the board and that it would be his choice to disclose the reason. Lorei had been the host of *Radioactivity with Rob Lorei*, which aired weekdays at 11 am.[18]

Over three months later WMNF stated in a letter that Rob Lorei used an "ethnic slur towards a listener from a station email account." Rob Lorei denied using 'an ethnic slur' and said he used a 'political term' in a reply to a listener who wrote it to "downplay the dangers of the Proud Boys." Will Greaves, WMNF Board President, disagrees and said the term was not a political term but rather "It was an anti-Semitic racial slur that is highly offensive to any Jewish person."[19]

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reported that opinions on use of the term and its 'hurtfulness' were mixed from the Jewish community. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay wrote that while "most folks agree that it was not the best choice of words ... many in the community do believe that Lorei never meant to use the word in an anti-semitic manner."

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay says they are giving some context by referencing that Rob Lorei, in 1978, snuck into a Ku Klux Klan rally to assess how deep-seated the racism was" and how much of "a threat the KKK was to the Tampa Bay area." and in 1980 Rob Lorei helped "usher in WMNF's first Jewish program ("The Jewish Sound," now known as "The Sunday Simcha")"[20]

## HD channels

WMNF broadcasts four [HD Radio](/source/HD_Radio) channels which are also online streams and accessible on the WMNF app.[21]

- HD-1 simulcasts the main WMNF signal.

- HD-2 The Urban Cafe featuring classic soul, R&B, blues, reggae and rap.

- HD-3 The Source, which airs news, public affairs, and arts programming.

- HD-4 Classic Live featuring new Indie music and music shows featuring new releases.

## See also

- [List of community radio stations in the United States](/source/List_of_community_radio_stations_in_the_United_States)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FCC-LMS-47459_1-0)** ["Facility Technical Data for WMNF"](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityTechDetails.html?facilityId=47459). *Licensing and Management System*. [Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Spata, Christopher (August 3, 2019). ["At 40, WMNF still stickin' it to the man. But does it need to change?"](https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/at-40-wmnf-still-stickin-it-to-the-man-but-does-it-need-to-change-20190802/). *Tampa Bay Times*. Retrieved September 4, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Waves Of The Bay"](https://www.wmnf.org/events/waves-of-the-bay/). *WMNF 88.5 FM*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240512022028/https://www.wmnf.org/events/waves-of-the-bay/) from the original on May 12, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Programming"](https://www.wmnf.org/programming/). *WMNF 88.5 FM*. May 30, 2024. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240530181651/https://www.wmnf.org/programming/) from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Calise, Gabrielle. ["As 'All Night Jazz' ends, WMNF announces a new jazz radio show"](https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/music/music-news/2022/10/31/all-night-jazz-ends-wmnf-announces-new-jazz-radio-show/). *Tampa Bay Times*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240531063246/https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/music/music-news/2022/10/31/all-night-jazz-ends-wmnf-announces-new-jazz-radio-show/) from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** *[Broadcasting & Cable](/source/Broadcasting_%26_Cable) Yearbook 1984* [page B-60](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1984/B-Radio-All-BC-YB-1984.pdf). Retrieved November 24, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Needs Statement"](http://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/profile/1151112/nathan-b-stubblefield-foundation-wmnf.aspx). *The Giving Partner*. GuideStar. Retrieved September 4, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Deggans, Eric. ["30 years later, we're still listening to WMNF"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090912184949/http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/30-years-later-were-still-listening-to-wmnf/1035074). *Tampa Bay Times*. Archived from [the original](http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/30-years-later-were-still-listening-to-wmnf/1035074) on September 12, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Lawmakers Race To Save Money For Adult Education"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19970501&id=7ccPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Uo4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4365,5839). *[Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive)*. [Boca Raton News](/source/Boca_Raton_News)/[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press). Retrieved May 28, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Changes at WMNF - News Director Rob Lorei out"](https://www.wmnf.org/changes-at-wmnf/). February 18, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["WMNF says it fired host Rob Lorei over email containing ethnic slur"](https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2021/07/22/wmnf-says-it-fired-host-rob-lorei-over-email-containing-racial-slur/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Rob Lorei reinstated at Tampa community radio station WMNF 88.5 FM"](https://www.cltampa.com/news/rob-lorei-reinstated-at-tampa-community-radio-station-wmnf-885-fm-12215683).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Rob Lorei reinstated at Tampa community radio station WMNF 88.5 FM"](https://www.cltampa.com/news/rob-lorei-reinstated-at-tampa-community-radio-station-wmnf-885-fm-12215683).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["WMNF Board President on the reinstatement of Rob Lorei"](https://www.wmnf.org/wmnf-board-president-reinstatement-rob-lorei/). March 20, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["WMNF Board President on the reinstatement of Rob Lorei"](https://www.wmnf.org/wmnf-board-president-reinstatement-rob-lorei/). March 20, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["WMNF General Manager Craig Kopp resigns"](https://www.wmnf.org/wmnf-general-manager-craig-kopp-resigns/). April 15, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["WMNF General Manager Craig Kopp resigns"](https://www.wmnf.org/wmnf-general-manager-craig-kopp-resigns/). April 15, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Rob Lorei Fired By Tampa's WMNF. Reason Why Remains a Mystery"](https://www.insideradio.com/free/rob-lorei-fired-by-tampa-s-wmnf-reason-why-remains-a-mystery/article_6cfaba90-9b51-11eb-986f-477323feba88.html). *insideradio.com*. April 12, 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20231124222638/https://www.insideradio.com/free/rob-lorei-fired-by-tampa-s-wmnf-reason-why-remains-a-mystery/article_6cfaba90-9b51-11eb-986f-477323feba88.html) from the original on November 24, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["WMNF says it fired host Rob Lorei over email containing ethnic slur"](https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2021/07/22/wmnf-says-it-fired-host-rob-lorei-over-email-containing-racial-slur/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["WMNF and Rob Lorei at odds over alleged 'slur' that led to his firing"](https://www.cltampa.com/news/wmnf-and-rob-lorei-at-odds-over-alleged-slur-that-led-to-his-firing-12443435).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Streaming WMNF"](https://www.wmnf.org/programming/streaming/). *wmnf.org*.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.wmnf.org/)

- [Facility details for Facility ID 47459 (WMNF)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=47459) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System

- [WMNF](https://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP26&band=fm&callLetter=WMNF) in [Nielsen Audio](/source/Nielsen_Audio)'s FM station database

v t e Radio stations in the Tampa Bay area of Florida This region includes the cities Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. By AM frequency 570 620 680 760 820 860 910 970 1010 1040 1110 1150 1250 1300 1340 1350 1380 1400 1450 1470 1500 1520 1550 1590 16201 By FM frequency 88.5 88.9 89.7 90.5 91.1 91.5 92.5 93.3 94.1 94.9 95.7 96.1 97.1 97.9 98.7 99.5 99.9 100.7 101.5 102.5 103.5 104.7 105.5 106.3 106.5 107.3 LPFM 90.1 96.3 WBPU-LP WSCQ-LP WURK-LP 96.5 WCWR-LP WSPE-LP 96.7 WMTB-LP WZPH-LP 99.1 WUJM-LP WVVD-LP 100.1 WGGF-LP WGPY-LP WVVF-LP 101.1 101.9 102.1 WPBW-LP WWFH-LP 104.1 105.1 106.9 107.9 WPHC-LP WNRH-LP WZWC-LP Translators 90.9 91.9 92.1 92.3 92.9 93.7 W229BM W229DJ 94.5 W233AV W233CV 95.3 96.1 96.7 W244BE W244EG 97.5 98.3 99.1 100.3 100.9 101.1 101.9 W270DH W270DU 102.1 102.9 103.1 103.9 W280DK W280DW 104.3 W282CC W282CI 105.9 106.1 106.9 107.7 NOAA Weather Radio frequency 162.45 162.55 Digital radio by frequency & subchannel 1150 88.5-1 88.5-2 88.5-3 88.5-4 89.7-1 89.7-2 90.5-1 90.5-2 90.5-3 92.5-1 92.5-2 92.9-1 92.9-2 93.3-1 93.3-2 94.1-1 94.9-1 94.9-2 95.7-1 95.7-2 95.7-3 96.1-1 96.1-2 97.1-1 97.1-2 97.9-1 97.9-2 98.7-1 99.5-1 99.5-2 100.7-1 100.7-2 100.7-3 101.5-1 101.5-2 102.5-1 102.5-2 103.5-1 103.5-2 104.7-1 104.7-2 105.5-1 105.5-2 106.5-1 106.5-2 106.5-3 107.3-1 By call sign "Bulls Radio"1 KEC38 KHB32 W215CJ W220EK W221DW W222CI W225CQ HD2 W229BM W229DJ W233AV W233CV W237CW W241DH2 W244BE W244EG W248CA W252DF W256CT W262CP W265BJ W266CW W270DH W270DU W271DL W275AZ W276CX W280DK W280DW W282CC W282CI W290BJ W291CW W295CF W299CI WAMA WBPU-LP WBTP HD2 HD3 WBVM HD2 HD3 WCIE WCWR-LP WDAE WDAE-FM HD2 HD3 WDCF WDUV HD2 WFLA WFLZ HD2 WFUS HD2 WGES WGGF-LP WGHR WGPY-LP WGUL WHBO WHNZ WHOT WHPT HD2 WJBR WKES WKVZ WLCC WLLD WMGG WMNF HD2 HD3 HD4 WMTB-LP WMTX HD2 HD3 WPBW-LP WPHC-LP WPSO WQBN WQTA-LP WQYK-FM HD2 WRBQ-FM HD2 WSCQ-LP WSDX-LP WSPE-LP WSUN HD2 WTAN WTBN WTWD WTBV HD2 WTEC-LP WTIS WTMP WTMP-FM HD2 WUJM-LP WURK-LP WUSF HD2 WVVD-LP WVVF-LP WWBA WWFH-LP WWJB WWMI WWRM HD2 WWZT-LP WXGL WXJB WXPP-LP WXTB HD2 WXYB WYFE WYUU HD2 WZHR WZIG-LP WZPH-LP WZWC-LP WYPW-LP Defunct WFTI-FM (91.7 FM) WGBP "WKID" (96.7 FM)1 WPCQ-LP (96.3 FM) WSUN (620 AM) Radio stations in Central Florida Daytona Beach Lakeland-Winter Haven Melbourne Orlando Tampa Bay Other nearby regions Gainesville/Ocala Sarasota Sebring-Arcadia See also List of radio stations in Florida Notes 1. Part 15 station with notability. 2. Station is silent.

v t e NPR member stations in the state of Florida WFSU stations Tallahassee WFSU-FM Panama City WFSW Tallahassee WFSQ Thomasville WFSL WGCU stations Ft. Myers WGCU-FM Marco Island WMKO WLRN stations Miami WLRN-FM Marathon WKWM WMFE stations Orlando WMFE-FM Cedar Creek/Ocala WMFV WUFT stations Gainesville WUFT-FM Inverness WJUF WUSF stations Tampa WUSF Sarasota WSMR WQCS stations Ft. Pierce WQCS Clewiston WQCP Other stations Jacksonville WJCT-FM Melbourne WFIT Miami WDNA Orlando WUCF-FM Pensacola WUWF Tampa WMNF See also List of NPR stations See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Florida

Authority control databases: Geographic MusicBrainz place

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [WMNF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WMNF) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WMNF?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.