Trempealeau County and the City of Watertown have full-time media production openings

ACT FAST if you're interested because the application deadlines are coming up this week!

Watertown TV is seeking a Media Productions Manager, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of this public, education, and government access television station and its related platforms. This position reports to the Media and Communications Director. Watertown TV is saying good bye to Jourdan Westenberg, who is moving to North Carolina where he has accepted a new position with Union County in Monroe. "I will be their new Multimedia Specialist covering board meetings, promoting the county, and growing their government access channel." The city will begin reviewing applications on July 14 at 4 pm.

Trempealeau County is seeking a Media Production Coordinator for WTCO, the county's HD cable television channel. This position will have responsibilities related to all facets of media production and report to the Digital Media Director. Applications are due July 16 no later than 11:59 PM Central Time.

Both positions come with a robust benefits package.

To learn more about these positions and to learn how to apply, go to WORK IN MEDIA.

Rice Lake's LPFM radio station goes online

WYRL’s broadcast (and now streaming) booth.

Rice Lake Community Media’s low-power FM radio station recently began streaming their signal online. RLCM Executive Director James Wyngaard says it’s been a bit of a process to get it going. “After a lot of research and getting advice from other stations who have done this type of set up, it finally came together in June.”

WYRL-LP first got off the ground when the FCC opened the airwaves to more low power radio stations during the last round of licensing in 2015. “We promoted WYRL-LP on the community media website at ricelaketv.com/wyrl by posting the schedule and telling listeners how to tune in,” said Wyngaard. But until June, the station was not online. This proved to be an obstacle. When the chair of the Rice Lake Cable Commission, Al Arnold, started contacting service clubs and other groups around Rice Lake asking if they would be interested in having a show on the station, he found most wanted to know if it was streaming online. When they learned that it was in the works, they all wanted to wait until it was set up so their shows would reach a larger audience than just the on-air coverage range of the station.

To prepare for streaming, WYRL changed its automation software at the beginning of the year and then staff worked with a partner of DJB Software, Cirrus Streaming out of Florida, on the set-up process.  Wyngaard said, “Working with Cirrus was a very easy process and as we go on as a customer of theirs, they will be setting us up with mobile apps and Alexa skills in the next couple of months.”

Wyngaard wanted to thank Stoughton’s Derek Westby for technical assistance in getting the new website set up and helping with some other behind the scenes programming.

The radio station stream can be found at wyrlradio.com.

Monona's community radio station is named "Station of the Year" by Wisconsin Broadcasters Association

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association has named WVMO 98.7 FM, Monona Community Media’s low-power FM radio station, this year’s Station of the Year in the Large Market Music Radio division. The award was announced at the 2023 WBA Awards Gala on May 6.

The City of Monona trumpeted the award on its website and took the opportunity to talk about what WVMO is all about:

COMMUNITY OWNED : The goal of the station is to give Monona and other neighboring community members a place to share stories and interests while giving the City a way to reach its residents. WVMO has become the "coolest little station in the nation" with a broad local listener base as well as a large online following.

LOCALLY PROGRAMMED : WVMO's mission is to be the 24-hour Voice of Monona. The station provides broadcast space for diverse, creative, hyper-locally focused programming. Community members host shows, playing everything from jazz to progressive rock, complemented by a base of Americana music curated and scheduled in Monona.

VOLUNTEER DRIVEN : Why do we volunteer? Because we love radio and our community! The City of Monona's Director of Community Media is the only paid member of the WVMO team.

HISTORY OF WVMO: The City of Monona worked to apply for and create a low-power FM radio station beginning in 2007. With the help of top notch equipment maintained by top notch volunteers, we went on air for the first time in August of 2015.

Congratulations to Will Nimmow, Director of Monona Community Media, and everyone who makes WVMO great!