WQLN-FM (91.3 FM) is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. Co-owned with PBS station WQLN, the station carries a mixed public radio format of talk, classical and jazz. The studios and transmitter are in Summit Township, south of the Erie city limits (but with an Erie mailing address), adjacent to WJET-TV and WFXP off Peach Street (U.S. Route 19); WQLN’s address is on Sesame Street, named for the popular PBS children’s show.[2]
WQLN-FM’s signal covers Northwest Pennsylvania and small parts of New York State, Northeast Ohio and the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario. In addition, WQLN-FM programming is heard on a network of FM translators around the region.
History
WQLN-FM signed on the air in 1973. It is the sister station to Northwest Pennsylvania’s PBS member station WQLN. A group of volunteers seeking to establish a non-commercial public television station had been working on securing a construction permit and funding since the 1950s. WQLN-TV 54 finally hit the airwaves on August 13, 1967.[3]
The same organization, Public Broadcasting of Northwest Pennsylvania, decided to pair the TV station with a public radio station as well. A frequency was sought and WQLN-FM made its first official broadcast on January 7, 1973.[4] At first, most of its programming was classical music. But over time, WQLN-FM has added more news shows from NPR and other public networks, as well as jazz and other genres of music.
In 2024, WQLN-FM received a grant of $87,059 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to replace aging equipment and upgrade monitoring of its signal to help its translators retransmit programming.[5]
Programming
During weekday mornings and late afternoons, WQLN-FM carries popular news and information programs from NPR and other public networks including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Fresh Air, Marketplace and On Point. In middays and overnights, WQLN-FM plays classical music, while evenings feature jazz.
Repeaters
WQLN-FM also broadcasts from the following five translators:
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W207AF | 106.1 FM | Meadville, Pennsylvania | 4 | ||
| W211AE | 90.1 FM | Mayville, New York | 53718 | 3 | LMS |
| W218AP | 91.5 FM | Titusville, Pennsylvania | 53721 | 13 | LMS |
| W220BA | 91.9 FM | Oil City, Pennsylvania | 53732 | 10 | LMS |
| W255AE | 98.9 FM | Warren, Pennsylvania | 53719 | 50 | LMS |
References
- ^ “Facility Technical Data for WQLN-FM”. Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ FCCdata.org/WQLN-FM
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1970 page A-54. Retrieved Jan. 11, 2026.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-177. Retrieved Jan. 11, 2026.
- ^ InsideRadio.com “CPB Awards Funds for Three Public Radio Stations for NGWS Upgrades” Nov. 13, 2024. Retrieved Jan. 11, 2026.
See also
External links
- WQLN website
- Facility details for Facility ID 53716 (WQLN) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WQLN in Nielsen Audio‘s FM station database
42°02′31″N 80°03′58″W / 42.042°N 80.066°W