Apr. 9, 2024 3p
From WGTD General Manager David Cole:
Big changes are coming to WGTD and Wisconsin Public Radio. They're designed to better serve our audience, use resources more efficiently and give listeners more options. The changes--the result of two years of research by WPR-- are rooted in the belief that consistency builds audience.
WPR is redesigning its two basic services that listeners have enjoyed for decades---"The Ideas Network” and the hybrid “NPR News & Classical Music.”
In their places two new formats will be created--an all news and talk network and a music-intensive format.
Read the full announcement and view a video from WPR here.
What does this mean for WGTD?
WGTD--with its signals in Kenosha at 91.1, in Elkhorn at 101.7 and Lake Geneva at 103.3--- currently airs News & Classical. Beginning May 20th, we will become part of WPR's new news/talk network. Classical music listeners will be redirected to WPR's powerful WHAD 90.7 out of Delafield, a new HD3 station that WGTD plans to create at 91.1 and online options.
Many of WGTD's current features will remain. In the morning, WGTD will continue to carry NPR's Morning Edition with Dave McGrath's local and regional news breaks. Greg Berg's Morning Show isn't going anywhere. Neither is All Things Considered, MarketPlace and Fresh Air, although the latter will be moved back an hour.
WGTD's two-hour block of local public affairs programming between 10 and noon on Saturdays will remain. The Saturday evening night of locally-hosted jazz and big band will actually be expanded by an hour.
The Gateway Radio Reading Services won't be affected. Neither will WGTD Sports productions on Facebook or the WGTD Radio Theater.
WGTD is excited to offer a multitude of new programs, many of which currently air on Ideas. They include Garden Talk, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Science Friday, The People's Pharmacy, Zorba Paster, This American Life and The Larry Meiller Show.
Personally, I'm most excited to announce that WGTD will carry a brand-new, news and information program that's being created by WPR. Wisconsin Today will air weekdays from 9a to 10a and will be repeated in the evenings from 7p to 8p. Borrowing the format used by Morning Edition and ATC, the show will be all-Wisconsin-related news, interviews and features. The program will be co-hosted by Kate Archer Kent and Rob Ferrett.
All of the changes will take effect starting Saturday, May 20th. In the coming weeks, we will publish a new program guide here at wgtd.org.
So, in closing, allow me to highlight just a few takeaways.
First, WGTD's commitment to covering local news and information will remain as strong as ever.
Also, be advised that the decision to move WGTD HD1 away from classical music was not an easy one to make. Frankly though, some residents of the Gateway Technical College District who are outside of the reach of WGTD will be actually able to enjoy classical music over the air for the first time via WHAD 90.7. The station has a much more powerful signal than WGTD.
In addition, by repeating WPR's new fine arts station on our HD3, we hope to be able to fill in some gaps in the WHAD signal that we realize occur in the southern reaches of the Gateway district and the northern tier of communities in Lake County.
More information on the format change will be coming in the days ahead. And as always I'm available for a phone chat (262-564-3030). My email is coled@gtc.edu.
Thank you for your support.
