Civic Media Continues Buying Spree with NE Wis. Stations

Two AM stations in northeastern Wisconsin and their FM translators are the latest to be purchased by fast-growing radio broadcaster Civic Media.

The latest deal includes WGBW/1590 (Denmark-Green Bay), W250CV/97.9 (Green Bay), WLAK/1520 (New Holstein), and W230DA/93.9 (New Holstein). Civic Media will pay Mark Heller’s WTRW Inc. and Metro North Communications $937,000 for the stations.

The four stations currently carry a True Oldies format.

WGBW broadcasts with 10kW day and 500 Watts night from a tower near Denmark, reaching 300,000 people, while W250CV transmits with 250W from Scray’s Hill antenna farm in the DePere area, reaching 200,000. WLAK broadcasts with 550 Watts daytime, rimshotting Appleton and Oshkosh.

Heller has owned WGBW, formerly WTRW (Two Rivers), for nearly 40 years.

Civic Media has bought, or is awaiting FCC approval for the purchase of, 14 other stations around Wisconsin in five separate transactions announced since July. Some of the stations program a Liberal Talk lineup programmed, while others have continued to run music formats.

Civic Media’s majority owner and CEO is Sage Weil, while Mike Crute serves as president and has a minority interest. Crute hosts the “Devil’s Advocates Radio Show” heard on many of the stations.

Previous coverage:

• Civic Media Buys Northern Wisconsin Duo (6/7/23)
• Civic’s Talk Network Launches in Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Racine (6/5/23)
• Civic Media Launches Classic Hits Format on Revived WCFW (6/5/23)
• Civic Media Buys 7 Wis. Radio Signals from Magnum (2/17/23)
• Civic Media Buys Baraboo Stations, Licenses “Max FM” Branding (1/29/23)
• Civic Media Adds Green Bay Signal to Liberal Talk Network (1/18/23)
• Civic Media Buys Madison-Market Station (12/5/22)
• Civic Media Buys Milwaukee-Market Liberal Talker (11/2/22)
• Oshkosh is Latest City to Get Wisconsin Liberal Talk Format (10/6/22)
• Civic Media Continues Buying Spree with NE Wis. Stations (9/23/22)
• Liberal Talk Lineup Launches in Richland Center, Wis. (9/16/22)
• Civic Media Adds Several NW Wis. Stations for Liberal Talk Network (9/13/22)
• FM Station Also Included in Civic Media’s Wisconsin Rapids Purchase (8/2/22)
• Update: Liberal Talk Lineups Launch in Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids (8/1/22)
• New Company Buys More Wisconsin Radio Stations (7/27/22)
• New Radio Company Buys Several Wisconsin Stations (7/13/22)