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Broadcasters collect their WBA Awards for Excellence
Radio and television stations from across Wisconsin came together Saturday to celebrate their award-winning work at the 2026 Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Awards Gala. The awards were handed out at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton with 350 in attendance. Competition for this year’s awards was as strong as ever with 1,322 award entries. A total…
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WBA Foundation announces date for gubernatorial debate
The WBA Foundation Board will continue its 36-year tradition of holding statewide televised debates for Wisconsin’s voters by airing a general election debate in the 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial race. Qualifying gubernatorial candidates will be invited to participate in a debate on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m., hosted by Milwaukee PBS. Radio and television stations from…
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4 to be inducted into WBA Hall of Fame in June
The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Foundation is proud to announce the 2026 WBA Hall of Fame inductees: Dave Magnum has turned a network of radio stations into a second generation legacy in Wisconsin. Kelly Radandt’s broadcasting career reflects a rare blend of strategic leadership, compassion, and unwavering dedication to people and community. Jeff Tyler’s career stands…
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4 to be honored as Local Broadcast Legends
Four Wisconsin broadcasters are 2026 WBA Local Broadcast Legends. Randy Allen, an on-air presence with deep knowledge of country music and unwavering professionalism which has made him a trusted companion to listeners throughout the Green Bay, Appleton, and Oshkosh markets. Dave Luczak, the voice Milwaukee woke up to, becoming one of the most trusted and enduring…
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WBA 75th anniversary Summer Conference agenda released
The preliminary agenda is now available for your WBA’s Summer Conference celebration of the association’s 75th anniversary will be held June 17-18 at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva. Registration is also open. The registration deadline is May 28. The hotel booking deadline is May 25. Speakers for this year’s conference include: Keynote: Curtis…
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Radiothon raises nearly half million dollars for children’s hospital
A radiothon aired by a group of radio stations in Madison raised $498,241 for American Family Children’s Hospital. The eight-station group at Mid-West Family Broadcasting in Madison held the three-day radiothon from Oct. 21-Oct. 23. In previous years, radio hosts would gather in the lobby at the children’s hospital and interview parents and patients who…
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Madison radio group donates more than $900K in advertising to local businesses
Mid-West Family radio stations in Madison aired more than 31,000 free commercials to help hundreds of local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The free spots ran from March 21 through July 31 through a feature called “Now Open.” “Our company was formed in Madison, we’ve been here for 91 years, and our commitment to the…
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Weekly Radio Addresses preview legislative priorities, call for COVID-19 precautions
This week’s Weekly Radio Addresses from Wisconsin’s Capitol discuss upcoming legislative priorities and call for stopping the spread of COVID-19. These addresses are available for Wisconsin broadcasters to use as they see fit. Here are the summaries from WisPolitics: — Speaker Robin Vos in this week’s GOP radio address briefed Wisconsinites on the Legislature’s post-election…
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Engelhart promoted to VP/GM for WKOW-TV
Anna Engelhart, Station Manager at WKOW-TV in Madison, is being promoted to Vice-President and General Manager. Engelhart joined WKOW in 2005 and was involved in both local and corporate sales efforts before being named WKOW’s Business Manager and Station Manager. A Wisconsin native, she has strong ties to the local community. “I am honored to…
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More than 500 kids gather treats from WWIS event
WWIS Radio in Black River Falls found a way to share Halloween spirit in the community by hosting a drive-thru trick-or-treat event. The station helped prepare goodie bags for the WWIS Radio and Hansen’s IGA Drive Thru Trick or Treat Event on Halloween. There were also giveaways including gift certificates and coffee mugs.
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Don’t let awards season creep up on you
Hello broadcast operations, and especially newsrooms, across Wisconsin. As the very bizarre year of 2020 heads into the home stretch I first hope that you, your families and friends, are well and staying safe. Whether it’s a TV station, or radio station with either a music or news/talk format, pretty much every aspect of what…
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Student navigates college as an aspiring broadcast journalist
Be persistent. It’s a simple phrase, but one Gretchen Gerlach lives and breaths right now as she’s wrapping up her senior year at UW-Madison. If worrying about the pandemic isn’t exhausting enough, Gerlach has taken on several experiences to prepare her for her future career as a broadcast journalist. She works as the PR director…
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Prepare for an unprecedented holiday shopping season
Since March, has there been anything in our lives that passes for “normal?” The onslaught of COVID-19 has upended everything – the way we comport ourselves in public, family gatherings, our work lives, the way we educate our kids, and even the way we shop at the grocery store. While Americans have adapted and adjusted,…
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Vetterkind named chair of WSAE
WBA President and CEO Michelle Vetterkind has been named Chair of the Wisconsin Society for Association Executives (WSAE). Vetterkind has been involved with the organization since 1997 and was recognized with the WSAE Association Leadership Award in 2017. She said WSAE was instrumental in helping her earn her CAE credential in 2000 and is invaluable…
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Starting a podcast from scratch
For the last five weeks Noah Manderfeld, Reece Van Haaften, and Matt Infield—the ‘sports guys’ at WSAW-TV have collaborated to do a weekly podcast. There is a lot of freedom with podcasts. They’re basically like an audio blog, right? But if you work in TV, the path to starting a podcast may seem a little…
