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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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WBA Student Award competition opens Dec. 10
The 2019 WBA Student Awards competition will open for entries on Dec. 10 with a deadline of Jan. 18, 2020. The competition is open to high school and college students throughout Wisconsin. Awards categories include: audio storytelling, news writing, sports play-by-play, general entertainment program, website, newscast, features, promotional announcements, podcast, social media and many more.…
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Broadcasters to reach out to lawmakers on body cameras bill
I’m proud to say that Wisconsin’s broadcasters are part of a legislative effort that exemplifies an ideal model of making public policy. Let’s see to it that it gets put to a vote. In the last legislative session, broadcasters and law enforcement were at odds over a proposed bill that would have set rules for…
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WITI-TV sold to Fox
Milwaukee TV station Fox 6 (WITI-TV) is being sold to Fox after it was recently acquired by Nexstar through the purchase of Tribune Media. Fox is also buying a Nexstar station in Seattle and Nextsar is buying two stations in Charlotte. “Acquiring stations in these high-performing NFC markets enhances our already strong nationwide footprint and…
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Debate over holiday music on the radio gets underway
Merry Halloween? The never-ending debate of when to begin showing Christmas cheer has begun again. Stations in Madison and Green Bay started playing all Christmas music early this year–one even before Halloween. While some audience members will decry “Too early!” others can’t get enough. Heather Storm, Woodward Radio Group, Appleton
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WPT rebrands to PBS Wisconsin
Wisconsin Public Television has changed its name to PBS Wisconsin. The announcement was made Monday. “We are excited by this new opportunity to better connect our essential local programs, in-school education work, and community engagement with the well-known and well-trusted brand of PBS, a strong partner of our work here in Wisconsin for 50 years.” WHA-TV signed on…
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Sanks, Jorstad retiring from WBA Foundation Board
Please join me in giving a heartfelt thank you to WBA Foundation Board Chair David Sanks and Vice Chair Laurin Jorstad for their outstanding service on the board. David has been an active member of the WBA for more than 33 years. There’s no doubt that his leadership has left an indelible mark on…
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Wisconsin Broadcaster available now
The November/December issue of the Wisconsin Broadcaster is now available. You can download it here [PDF]. Highlights from his issue: WBA Chair Steve Lavin writes about a legislative push to get a vote on police body camera legislation. WBA President and CEO Michelle Vetterkind highlights the retirement of two Foundation Board members and other…
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Third radio station makes holiday changeover
A third Wisconsin radio station has switched to a holiday music format. On Friday morning Cumulus Media’s “Nash FM 104.9” in Green Bay became “Christmas 104.9.” The station went all-Christmas for the first time in 2018 when it also switched over on Nov. 1 Two other Wisconsin radio stations made the switch last week. Is…
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Nominations sought for Local Broadcast Legends
The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association is now requesting and accepting nominations for the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Local Broadcast Legends Award. The Local Broadcast Legends Award nomination process is open and will run through Feb. 15, 2020. Submissions should be made on the official nomination form and sent to the WBA office. Selected nominees will receive the…
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WBA Awards program, disqualification video released
Don’t Get DisqualifiedThe 2019 WBA Awards for Excellence brochure is out and it includes some changes. Copies are in the mail, but you can also download it here. Here’s a message from your WBA Awards Committee: Salut Fellow Broadcasters, The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Awards for Excellence 2019, “An Evening in Paris,” will be Saturday, May…
