Public Radio Stations in Wisconsin Partner to Create the Wisconsin News Collaborative

Milwaukee – WUWM 89.7 – Milwaukee’s NPR (WUWM), Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) and WXPR announced today that they have entered a partnership to share news content among the three stations.

WUWM, WPR and WXPR will share reporting on issues vital to communities across Wisconsin, with a particular focus on the environment and natural resources.

“We are so excited about this partnership because it speaks directly to our shared public service mission to serve our communities with journalism that is relevant, trusted, and responsive to what people are telling us they need,” WUWM’s general manager David Lee said.

“Our friends and neighbors across Wisconsin want more environmental and climate reporting, and by sharing our reporting and amplifying one another’s work, we can deepen our shared impact and more fully support the communities we serve,” he continued.

The Wisconsin News Collaborative will focus on delivering inspired and engaging news coverage to listeners and readers statewide.

Director of Wisconsin Public Radio Sarah Ashworth said, “This new partnership marks an exciting opportunity for public media to work together to serve all our state’s communities. Together we will more fully meet our mission to provide Wisconsin with high quality journalism and stories that help us understand each other better.”

The loss of federal funding in 2025 to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting prompted leaders at these organizations to think creatively about how to expand awareness of and strengthen public media in the state.

Jessie Dick, CEO and general manager of WXPR in Rhinelander said, “Through the Wisconsin News Collaborative, we’re building a more resilient public media system across Wisconsin. We’re excited to partner in this work and to bring even more high-quality, trusted reporting to the WXPR audience while sharing the voices and stories of the Northwoods with communities across Wisconsin.”

News stories within the collaborative will be produced separately by each organization and distributed to all three stations to reach individuals across the different markets. All stories will be identified as being from the Wisconsin News Collaborative with each local reporter’s byline and listeners can expect to hear these stories on the air and find them on each organization’s website.

About WXPR

Based in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, WXPR is an independent, community-licensed NPR member station founded in 1983 and serving eight counties across northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. WXPR provides a trusted mix of local and national news, volunteer-hosted music shows, and educational programming. The newsroom’s mission is to bring fact-based, local journalism that reflects the culture and issues of rural communities in the Northwoods with a focus on the environment, health, and economy. WXPR broadcasts at 91.7 FM in Rhinelander, 100.9 FM in Ironwood, and 91.9 FM in Wausau. www.wxpr.org.

About Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR)

Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) and PBS Wisconsin are services of UW-Madison’s Wisconsin Public Media division and the Educational Communications Board. Together, they serve communities statewide through trusted journalism and Wisconsin storytelling, music, cultural programming, lifelong learning and educational resources – on air, online, and in person through live events, freely accessible to all and powered by community support. wpr.org

About WUWM

WUWM 89.7 Milwaukee’s NPR is southeastern Wisconsin’s premier public radio source for fact-based, independent news and entertainment programming. As a listener-funded radio station, WUWM serves the public by offering high-quality, in-depth local reporting that informs, inspires, and connects the community. Beyond local programs like Lake Effect and Bubbler Talk, listeners can hear the best national offerings from the affiliate networks National Public Radio, PRX Productions, and American Public Media. Founded in 1964, WUWM 89.7 has been a staple in the Milwaukee community for 60 years. www.wuwm.com.

WUWM is licensed to the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and operated by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Letters and Science.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.