Weekly Log: More Changes at Civic’s News/Talk Network

Posted on by Jon Ellis

There’s more change coming to Civic Media‘s Wisconsin network: Morning host Pat Kreitlow, who airs on Civic’s News/Talk stations in northern and central Wisconsin, announced that Dec. 19 will be his last live show, with repeats airing through Jan. 2. Kreitlow will continue was editor of Courier Newsroom’s Up North News. (Hear his announcement at 15 minutes into the first hour of the Dec. 15 show.) Meanwhile, following the Dec. 12 retirement of Jane Matenaer, her former co-host Greg Bach has continued in the 9 to 11 a.m. timeslot. The changes come a month after Civic parted ways with two afternoon hosts.

Reporter Meghan MacPherson announced she’s leaving Tegna ABC affiliate WOI-DT/5 (Ames-Des Moines) to join Tegna NBC affiliate KARE/11 (Minneapolis) as morning reporter.

Meteorologist Dana Oleksuk has joined Hubbard ABC affiliate KSTP-TV/5 (St. Paul). Oleksuk has previously worked at Hubbard’s Duluth station.

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association notes the death of “Mr. Radio,” Tommy Lee Bychinski, who worked at stations in Medford, Marshfield, and Reedsburg in his 44-year career. Bychinski was inducted into the WBA Hall of Fame in 2009, the year after he retired. He was 79.

Minnesota Public Radio has hired Darius Walker as managing editor and Curtis Gilbert as deputy managing editor of investigations.

Minnesota Public Radio is also hosting a pop-up store at the Mall of America through Dec. 30.

The Public Media Bridge Fund recently announced its initial round of grants to 74 organizations, including WNMU/13 (Marquette, Mich.), Lakeland Public Television (KAWE/9 Bemidji and KAWB/22 Brainerd, Minn.), Pioneer Public Television (KWCM/10 Appleton and KSMN/20 Worthington, Minn.), and KSRQ/90.1 (Thief River Falls, Minn.)

CFRW/1290 (Winnipeg) has been heard on the air testing after its sale to Akash Broadcasting. CFRW, which had been silent since 2023, has been running a test loop as “Connect AM 1290,” matching the branding used by Akash stations in western Canada.

Twin Cities HD Radio updates:

  • Programming for Hmong Radio Broadcast LLC’s K294AM/106.7 (West St. Paul) is now originating on iHeartMedia’s 107.9 KQQL-HD4. It had previously aired on iHeart’s 102.1 KEEY-HD3.
  • KEEY and iHeart’s KTCZ/97.1 no longer have any subchannels following the move of K294AM’s programming and the move of two signals from KTCZ to KFXN-FM/100.3 earlier this year.
  • 101.3 KDWB-HD3, which normally airs “State Fair Radio,” has been carrying the regular “Kool 108” format while KQQL is in All-Christmas mode.
  • 93.7 KXXR-HD2 is again carrying “Love 105” after having been off the dial earlier this year.

All-Christmas Update: There has been one more addition to the list, as “Wave 100.5” (WAVL Rothschild-Wausau) completed its annual transition to the seasonal playlist around Dec. 12. That brings the preliminary tabulation of this year’s All-Christmas flips to 157 stations in the Upper Midwest and Manitoba. The number may change if new information becomes available. (As always, the list does not include stations that switch less than a week to Christmas.) See the full list of flips on the 2025 All-Christmas Stations list.

KGAN-TV reported on “DJ Tori,” an AI-generated personality who’s “hosted” overnights and weekends on NRG Media’s “Rock 108” (KFMW/107.9 Waterloo-Cedar Rapids) for the past two years.

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