Larry Meiller, perhaps the longest-running daily voice on Wisconsin airwaves, has announced plans to retire from Wisconsin Public Radio.
Meiller made the announcement on his Dec. 1 program, saying he will continue to host his longtime midday show through the end of June 2026. He cited a desire to spend more time with his children, who live in other states, as well as demands from serving on numerous boards and committees.
He said the decision has nothing to do with “all of the travails” at the national or local levels.
Meiller first joined the network in 1967, initially hosting a half-hour farm program. He made the switch to a call-in talk show in 1978. Meiller says it was WPR’s first call-in show, a format which would become a staple of the network in later decades.
Meiller’s show now airs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and focuses on lifestyle issues. It was the only WPR talk show retained when WPR ended the Ideas Network and launched WPR News in May 2024.
WPR’s announcement said it will continue a midday call-in show after Meiller’s retirement.