Historic TV news anchor, WBA Hall of Famer, and former Wisconsin State Senator Walter John Chilsen has died.

Chilsen was a news broadcaster in Wausau and served six terms in the Wisconsin State Senate. He died on Christmas Day at the age of 95.

Chilsen began his career in 1949 at WLIN radio in Merrill. After three years he moved on to pursue a career in acting, first at Northwestern University and then in California. He returned to radio broadcasting with WLIN in early 1954 and then moved to WSAU radio in Wausau later that year.  … Read More

WBA Hall of Famer Nathan Goetz is being remembered for his contributions to radio in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

Goetz died Wednesday. He was 92.

The Monroe native built the Goetz Broadcasting Corporation from a single station, KMAQ, Maquoketa, Iowa, in 1956-58 to 12 stations in 1990 in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan, including WFAW-WSJY, Fort Atkinson, WDLB-WLJY, Marshfield, WRDB-WNFM, Reedsburg, WQJY-FM, La Crosse. When he sold the company in 1999, he had 14 stations in seven markets and seven news, sports, and farming networks serving 140 radio stations.

Goetz served as treasurer of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association from 1968-86,  … Read More

Bernie Strachota is being remembered for his contributions during his 19-year career in Milwaukee radio. The WBA Hall of Fame broadcaster died Sunday. He was 96.

Strachota started his career in 1959 at what was then WRIT AM/FM and worked there until 1978. In 1962, he turned WRIT-AM, Milwaukee’s top “Top 40 Hits” station, into one of the first fully-automated radio stations in the country. He was also one of the first broadcasters in the country to grasp the concept of niche programming in radio. He designed the first “For Women Only” format for his FM station,  … Read More

I am pleased to have the honor of serving as Chair of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Foundation (WBAF). Foundation President and CEO, Michelle Vetterkind, provides outstanding leadership for the WBAF. I am happy to report that your Foundation is well positioned to be a strong partner with the WBA during 2019.

Communication with the WBA membership and the WBA board remain consistent and effective through Foundation reports in the WBA newsletter and WBAF reports presented at WBA Board and Executive Committee meetings. As Foundation Chair, my attendance at these meetings provides an excellent opportunity for WBA board members to provide direct feedback and guidance regarding the Foundation’s core activities of fundraising,  … Read More

The WBA Foundation is getting thank yous for it recent awarding of Educational Support Grants. Two letters are below:

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Hello Michelle,

I hope all is well with you and the WBA!

I would like to sincerely thank you and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Foundation for the Educational Support Grant grant of $2,500 for the purchase of production equipment that will serve the needs of our Stage & Screen Arts students now and into the future!

As with many institutions of higher education, we are tasked with being as resourceful as humanly possible while providing the best education and experience for our students who we are preparing to become productive leaders.  … Read More

The WBA Foundation held two statewide political debates in October highlighting the major party candidates in the race for Governor and the U.S. Senate. The Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities sponsored the debates.

U.S. Senate candidates Sen. Tammy Baldwin and State Senator Leah Vukmir debated Oct. 13 in Wausau. Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates Gov. Scott Walker and State Superintendent of Public Schools Tony Evers debated Oct. 19 in Madison. Both debates were moderated by Jill Geisler, longtime Wisconsin news professional, WBA Hall of Fame member, author, and Bill Plante Chair in Leadership and Media Integrity at Loyola University,  … Read More

A man who helped to form and guide thousands of students during his 55 year academic and broadcast career has died.

Henry Lippold died Saturday at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. He was 89.

Lippold started his career in 1947 and maintained academic and professional careers at UW-Oshkosh, UW-Madison, Northwestern University, and WOSH-AM, Oshkosh, WIB-AM, Poynette, WHA-AM, Madison, and WLS-AM, Chicago. He spent five years in broadcast news at WMT-AM and TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before embarking on a 43-year academic career in 1959 at the University of Illinois where he taught television news and broadcast writing and was also the news and public affairs director for UI’s WILL-TV in Urbana.  … Read More