The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association has named its Local Broadcast Legends and Hall of Fame inductees for 2026. Legends include Green Bay/Fox Cities radio personality Randy Allen, longtime WKLH (Milwaukee) morning host Dave Luczak, Richland Center and Madison radio veteran Rod Perry, and longtime WISC-TV (Madison) anchor Susan Siman. New Hall of Fame members include radio group owner Dave Magnum and radio managers Kelly Radandt, Jeff Tyler, and Steve Wexler. The eight will be honored June 18 at the WBA’s 2026 Summer Conference in Lake Geneva.
Maureen McCollum has moved from Wisconsin Public Radio to WUWM/89.7 (Milwaukee) as vice president of content.
Rick McNeal, former longtime morning host at WAPL/105.7 (Appleton), has died at 67. The Green Bay Press Gazette reports McNeal retired in 2024 after nearly 40 years with the station.
Jim Waterbury, former general manager at KWWL/7 (Waterloo), has died at 78 after a short battle with metastatic melanoma. Waterbury wrote his own obituary though Rick Gevers notes that he humbly forgot to mention that he served as president of the NBC Affiliates Board. KWWL reports he also served on a number of boards in the Cedar Valley.
RadioInsight reports that radio veteran Orion Samuelson has died at 91. Though best known for his 60 years of farm reporting at WGN/720 (Chicago), Samuelson worked at WKLJ (Sparta, Wis.), WHBY (Appleton), and WBAY and WBAY-TV (Green Bay) before moving to WGN.
Meteorologist Matt Serwe announced plans to depart Hubbard ABC affiliate KSTP-TV/5 (St. Paul) at the end of March.
Anchor Ava Hedges announced her departure from Tegna/Nexstar ABC affiliate WQAD/8 (Moline-Quad Cities) for a new job in Ohio.
With Major League Baseball’s season beginning next week, there’s been a smattering of announcements about “select” games again airing on broadcast TV stations this summer. Announcements say the Twins, Brewers, Cardinals, andRoyals will all have ten games broadcast regionally, with some stations carrying two or three teams. Broadcast partners include FOX’s O&O stations in Minneapolis and Milwaukee, Morgan Murphy Media, and Gray Media.
In case you missed it here:
- Nexstar-Tegna Approved: New Owner for KARE, New Duopolies in Iowa
- Midwest Seeks Waivers to Buy NRG Stations in North-Central Wisconsin
- SW Minnesota Radio Station Flips to Rock Following Sale
- Nebraska Station Flipping to Sports Talk/Rock Hybrid
- FCC Monitor: Iowa AM Station Seeks Night Service after KAAY Downgrade
- Dream DX: 178 FM Stations from 20 States in 90 Minutes
News tips? Press releases? If you don’t see yours here, I probably didn’t receive it! Please send them to jonellis@northpine.com!
Disclosure: Jon Ellis is an employee of Gray Media Group. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.