-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Weekly Radio Addresses promote State Fair, ballot questions
This week’s Weekly Radio Addresses from Wisconsin’s Capitol promote the Wisconsin State Fair and some items on the ballot. These addresses are available for Wisconsin broadcasters to use as they see fit. Here are the summaries from WisPolitics: — In this week’s , Gov. Tony Evers celebrates the start of the Wisconsin State Fair. The…
-
Longest-tenured Scripps employee remembered for 53 years at Milwaukee station
WTMJ-TV News Operations Manager Sean O’Flaherty died Friday after 53 years at the Milwaukee station. He was 74. While in college at UW-Madison, O’Flaherty reported on the 1970 Sterling Hall bombing for WTMJ-TV and joined the station full-time when he graduated in 1971. Over the following five decades, O’Flaherty held virtually every role in the…
-
Merrill man remembered for commitment to broadcasting
Wayne H. Smith, of Merrill, worked in radio for more than 40 years. He died July 22 at the age of 96. After serving in the Navy during the Korean War, Smith attended broadcasting school in California. He and his wife lived in several different states including California, Tennessee, Louisiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Smith worked…
-
WOZZ Wausau flips to Rock
Midwest Communications radio station WOZZ in Wausau is switching formats from Variety Hits to Rock. “The Beast” has taken over the airwaves at 94.7 and 102.9. The Beast is a mainstream Rock Station that plays the best Rock from artists like: AC/DC, Five Finger Death Punch, Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin, Linkin Park, Metallica, Nirvana, and…
-
Melendez named “YP of the Month”
WISN-TV Sports Director Dario Melendez is the WBA Young Professional of the Month for the month of July. The WBA Young Professional of the Month is a nominee for the WBA Young Professional of the Year Award. The award seeks to recognize young broadcasters who have made a significant impact on their stations and communities.…
-
Mid-West Farm Report adds reporter, intern
The Mid-West Farm Report has added Ben Jarboe from Paxton, Illinois to its team of reporters. Jarboe grew up on a corn and soybean operation. He attended Illinois College in Jacksonville, where he received a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness management. During his time at Illinois College, Jarboe was a four-year member of the baseball team.…
-
Weekly Radio Addresses discuss costal communities, RNC
This week’s Weekly Radio Addresses from Wisconsin’s Capitol discuss grants for coastal communities and the RNC in Milwaukee. These addresses are available for Wisconsin broadcasters to use as they see fit. Here are the summaries from WisPolitics: — In this week’s , Gov. Tony Evers celebrates the awarding of 31 grants into Wisconsin’s coastal communities…
-
Combat Hunger raises more than 65,000 Meals for veterans in need
The radio stations of Woodward Community Media (WCM) and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin recently joined forces to wage an all-out battle against veteran hunger at the 6th Annual “Combat Hunger 2024” event on June 27 in Appleton. From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the stations helped gather non-perishable food items and monetary donations to help…
-
Keeping pace with media industry trends: The role of social media assignments in college courses
As an educator in higher education in the ever-evolving field of media studies, I have the privilege of being entrusted with preparing our students for careers in a rapidly changing broadcast industry. With the advent of social media, the landscape of media production, distribution, and consumption has undergone a major shift, presenting both challenges and…
-
What we do matters and it’s fun!
Freshly home and back to work from an amazing WBA Summer Conference, I’ve had time to reflect on the many conversations that I was able to share with fellow broadcasters from around Wisconsin in just two short days. The resounding theme? What we do as broadcasters matters…in ways we may often take for granted. Summer…
