Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television are beginning a yearlong transition from the University of Wisconsin Extension to the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
The process started July 1 and is part of a restructuring of the University of Wisconsin-Extension and Colleges announced by UW System President Ray Cross last fall.
The move is a homecoming for the networks which started on the UW-Madison campus and transitioned to UW-Extension more than 50 years ago. WPR began as station 9XM, the forerunner today’s station WHA, on the Madison campus just over 100 years ago. From there, coverage expanded to cover all of Wisconsin. In 1953, WPT was launched as the “Wisconsin Television Laboratory” on campus. It was one of the first public television stations in the nation.
The administrative relocation will not affect programs on WPR or WPT.
The networks will also be under new leadership starting Aug. 1. Gene Purcell is being named the director of Wisconsin Public Media replacing longtime director Malcolm Brett, who will retire at the end of July.
