Wisconsin Public Radio has promoted Lee Rayburn to take over the midday slot on WPR News following the upcoming June 30 retirement of longtime host Larry Meiller. Rayburn has been with WPR since 2019 and has already served as a fill-in host for Meiller. The announcement said the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. show will continue with its current call-in format covering the outdoors, tech, and other lifestyle topics. Executive producer Jill Nadeau will take over as host of the Friday edition of the show, “Garden Talk.”
Morning host Otis Day is no longer with Woodward Media’s “95.9 KISS FM” (WKSZ De Pere-Green Bay), with co-hosts Katie Schurk and Nick Vitrano continuing in the timeslot. News outlets including WBAY-TV report that the move comes after a host at a station where Day used to work filed a restraining order against him.
Townsquare Media’s “Y105” (KYBA/105.3 Stewartville-Rochester) has added the Twin Cities-based “Donna & Steve” in mornings. Michelle Heart, who had previously covered 6 a.m. to noon, is now heard from 10 to 3, with Jessica Williams on air from 3 to 7 p.m.
Townsquare Media’s “Mix 108” (KBMX/107.7 Proctor-Duluth) has swapped its morning and afternoon shows, moving the syndicated Dunken & Carly show to mornings. Nick Cooper is now hosting afternoons.
Mike Wickett has departed Saga’s “Lazer 103.3” (KAZR Pella-Des Moines), where he had hosted mornings, and is joining Westwood One Sports as Saturday and Sunday evening host.
Hearst ABC affiliate WISN-TV/12 (Milwaukee) has hired Jason Dunning as morning meteorologist.
Morning anchor/reporter Cal Larsen has departed Sinclair FOX affiliate WLUK/11 (Green Bay).
Hubbard ABC affiliate KSTP-TV/5 (St. Paul) has hired meteorologist Molly Rosenblatt.
Meteorologist Erika Mrazik has been hired at FOX O&O KMSP/9 (Minneapolis).
iHeartMedia’s “TikTok Radio” is now running on the HD2 signal of KTCZ/97.1 (Minneapolis). KTCZ-HD2 had previously carried “K-Love” before that network moved to KFXN-FM-HD3 last year.
Sports Business Journal reports that Main Street Sports will wind down operations of FanDuel Sports North, FanDuel Sports Wisconsin, and other regional sports networks in early May. The shutdown will leave the Timberwolves, Wild, and Bucks looking for new TV homes. FanDuel Sports North dates back to the 1980s when it launched as CCO II, a cable counterpart to WCCO-TV (Minneapolis). The channel was later known as Midwest Sports Channel, FOX Sports North, and Bally Sports North before adopting its current name.
The Conclave is planning an online celebration to mark its 50th anniversary on Friday, April 17, at 1 p.m. Central. “What started as a small gathering of radio programmers in April of 1976, blossomed into a historic conference that hosted speakers from the entertainment and sports world, industry leaders and more,” the group writes. Registration is at https://communitymarketingrevolution.com/conclave45. The online event will also look ahead to “Conclave 45: The Last Conclave,” scheduled for Sept. 15–17 in Minneapolis.
In case you missed it here:
- Townsquare AM Station in Rochester, Minn., Won’t Return to Air
- Civic Media Flips Upper Peninsula Station from Talk to Oldies
- Update: Connoisseur Requests Waiver to Buy Lincoln Competitor
- FCC Monitor: Green Bay-Market FM Station at Reduced Power
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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.