Civic’s Talk Network Launches in Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Racine

Posted on by Jon Ellis

Civic Media has expanded its News/Talk network to stations in Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Racine following its purchase of the stations from Magnum Media.

The network is now heard on “93.5 The Tap” (W228EP Eau Claire), “The Eagle 1490” (WLCX La Crosse), and WRJN/1400 (Racine), which is rebroadcast on W260CV/99.9 (Racine) and W251BU/98.1 (Kenosha). W228EP’s programming originates on the HD2 signal of WCFW/105.7 (Chippewa Falls), which is the only HD Radio station in the Eau Claire market.

The launch comes simultaneously with WCFW’s debut of a Classic Hits format.

WRJN drops Classic Hits that had previously filled much of its schedule while WLCX retains the “Eagle” slogan from its previous Oldies format and revives a callsign that had been used on 1490 until 1983. W228EP was formerly WCFW translator W256AE/99.1 (Chippewa Falls).

The lineup includes Liberal and general-interest talk along with news, weather, and sports updates produced by longtime Wisconsin journalists.

The daily lineup on the Eau Claire and La Crosse stations starts with “Up North News,” hosted by former Eau Claire TV anchor and state Senator Pat Kreitlow, which already airs on several other Civic Media stations. Kreitlow lives in the Eau Claire area and will host an additional hour just for “The Tap” at 8 a.m.

“It’s time to bring informative and compelling local news talk back to the Chippewa Valley,” Kreitlow said in a news release. “Talk radio got toxic around here a few years back when it lost its way and traded civil, local conversation for the celebration of conflict. It’s time to get back to our roots and give our community a more mainstream, shared voice once again.”

Meanwhile, Civic announced the hiring of market veteran Lou Rugani to host mornings on WRJN starting later this summer. Stuart Wattles remains with the station to anchor hourly newscasts, while Civic has also hired Mike Clemens as the company’s sports director.

Civic also announced that WRJN will keep the Packers and add the Bucks, Badgers, and Brewers, with the Brewers starting next year.

The daytime lineup on the three Talk stations includes “As Goes Wisconsin” with Kristin Brey from 10 to Noon, “Town Call” with William Walter and Luke Mathers from 12:15 to 1, Todd Albaugh from 1 to 3, Matt Flynn from 3 to 4, and “The Devil’s Advocates” with Mike Crute and Dom Salvia from 4 to 6. Extended local and state news is planned for 8 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. on all of the stations.

Crute and Salvia graduated from UW-La Crosse.

“Dom and I, enjoyed ourselves, shall we say,” Crute said in a news release. “From tapping the first half-barrel on campus for Oktoberfest to partying on 3rd Street after Coon Creek, those experiences made me the man I am today. My 6.5 years on campus barely got me a degree in Mass Comm, but they taught me how to argue, and to utilize Google…the truth is out there,” Crute said.

WCFW and WCFW-HD2 will use studios and offices at 220 1/2 N Bridge Street in Chippewa Falls while WLCX is moving in at 600 4th Street in La Crosse. WRJN remains at 4201 Victory Avenue in Racine.

Civic, which began buying stations just last summer, now owns 13 AM stations, four full-power FM stations, and 14 FM translators in Wisconsin. The Madison-based company is headed by CEO Sage Weil, who owns 90% of the company. The other 10% is held by Crute, who is also President and COO.

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