Sun Prairie unveils a new cable TV channel called KSUN Life for original community programming

The Sun Prairie Media Center (SPMC) unveiled a new video channel on TDS and on all SPMC’s streaming platforms on September 1, 2023. The channel, called KSUN Life, will focus on original programming created by SPMC’s diverse stable of community producers. Programs featured on the new channel will include Talk of the Town, Reel Reviews, Weekly Chat, Marc Carstens Sports, Roundabout Sun Prairie, and many others.

Although sports will not be the sole focus of the new channel, the origin of KSUN Life began way back when it was revealed that the Sun Prairie Area School District would have a new high school and new high school athletic teams. “The immediate concern was how we were going to air two live football games happening simultaneously,” remembered SPMC Director Jeff Robbins. “That’s when talk of adding a second channel began.”  Most weeks during the 2022-2023 school year, the SPMC aired the home team’s game on KSUN and the away football game on KIDS-4. SPMC staff knew that wasn’t a long-term solution. “We really don’t like using KIDS-4 to show non-KIDS-4 programming,” said Robbins. “KIDS-4 is a unique channel devoted to programming created by kids and we don’t like to compromise why that channel was created over forty years ago.” 

Now when there are competing football games, typically the Sun Prairie game at home will be on KSUN Now while the Sun Prairie team on the road will be featured on KSUN Life.

The name of the current KSUN channel has been changed to KSUN Now and its focus will shift to live programming (and reruns of live shows) and episodic news and information programs that are non-opinionated in nature like Sun Prairie News and Inside Your City. KSUN Now will carry sports, city meetings, and school board meetings. Coverage of church services, which is very popular on KSUN, will stay put as a Sunday staple on the same channel it has always been on, even though the name of the KSUN channel is now KSUN Now.

The new additional channel, KSUN Life, will be viewable in HD on TDS cable channel 985 and as an HD stream on sunprariemediacenter.com, and on SPMC Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV channels.

Access to on-demand programming will not change and will continue to be available online, on the app, and on all SPMC’s streaming platforms.  KSUN Life will also be available on the SPMC’s mobile app.  The app is in the process of being upgraded and will launch any day now.

Jimmie Duncan editing an original program at the Sun Prairie media Center.

“We are very excited about the launch of this new channel,” said Robbins. “This growth reflects the growth of Sun Prairie and its school district and reflects the large amount of original programming created at and for the Sun Prairie Media Center.”

Anyone interested in supporting the Sun Prairie Media Center financially or by producing original programming is encouraged to contact the SPMC at staff@sunprairiemediacenter.com or by calling 608-837-4193.

Wisconsin Broadcasters Association recognizes excellence at Sun Prairie's “The Sun” Community Radio

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association has recognized Sun Prairie’s 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio station with four broadcasting awards, including the heavily coveted Station of the Year trophy.

Entering in the Large Market Radio category specializing in a music format, this was the first year that 103.5 FM (WLSP-LP) won for Station of the Year.

“This was completely unexpected, but of course completely deserved,” joked Sun Prairie Media Center director Jeff Robbins. “I think that what we have to offer on 103.5 FM, with community-produced programming, high school sports coverage, and loads of news and information specifically tailored to Sun Prairie residents, is something really unique and special. We thank the WBA for acknowledging that with this award. And of course I want to thank all of our wonderful producers, our staff, our Media Center Commission, our Friends group, and our elected officials for all of their support. We couldn’t do what we do without everyone pitching in.”

Besides the Station of the Year award (which The Sun shared in a tie with WLUM-FM out of Milwaukee), Greg Bump won Best Radio Show for “Greg’s List,” Dan Presser won Best Newscast for “Sun Prairie News,” and Sara Milewski and Sandy Xiong won Best Significant Community Impact Programming for their “Multicultural Fair Radio Reboot.”

 Also recognized were Mark Gonwa’s “Song Archaeology,” which took second place in “Best Radio Show,” Christine Bright’s “Parenting Game,” which took third place in “Best Specialty Programming,” and 103.5 FM’s coverage of last year’s WIAA Division 1 Championship Football Game between Sun Prairie and Franklin, which finished third in “Best Sports Coverage.” Calling that game were Mike Powers, Jamison Rabbitt, and Bill Baker.

 SPMC director Jeff Robbins clarified one additional point about the WBA awards: “Our TV stations are not considered broadcast because cable is the main means of distributing them. So we don’t enter in the television side of the WBA awards. But our radio station is considered broadcast, so we are eligible in WBA’s radio categories.”

Want to be part of this award-winning team? The Sun Prairie Media Center is currently looking for radio and podcast producers to take advantage of its awesome studio facilities and excellent staff. Anyone interested should call 608-837-4193, email 103.5 FM Production Manager Colin Lessig at clessig@cityofsunprairie.com, or check out sunprairiemediacenter.com, where program ideas can be submitted directly to SPMC staff.

Episodes of 103.5 FM’s award-winning programs can be accessed for on-demand listening by downloading the Sun Prairie Media Center app, available for free from the App Store or Google Play.

Sun Prairie Media Center collaborates with an anti-bullying group on a year-long educational series

Christine Bright and Juanona Brewster on the set of KSUN’s “The Parenting Game” discussing the Anti-Bullying Collaborative.

Sun Prairie Mayor Paul Esser has proclaimed October anti-bullying month in the city of Sun Prairie and in response, the Sun Prairie Media Center is collaborating with the Anti-Bullying Collaborative (ABC) of Sun Prairie to produce and broadcast a yearlong educational series that addresses a wide range of issues associated with bullying.

The ABC of Sun Prairie believes that bullying knows no bounds and can be experienced in every phase of life and in every environment. Bullying can be physically, emotionally, and developmentally damaging for individuals and entire communities, including people of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, and abilities. The new series will explore a wide range of issues associated with bullying.

New episodes in the series will be broadcast every Wednesday at 10:30 AM and Saturdays at 2 PM on KSUN with repeats throughout the week. Shows can also be viewed on demand at sunprairiemediacenter.com/ksun-on-demand.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with the ABC of Sun Prairie,” said SPMC director Jeff Robbins. “We already have a great relationship with many of the members of the group through other work they do at the Media Center, so it was an easy transition for us to add this program as well. And of course, we support the important work the ABC group is doing and are more than happy to help get that message out to the public.”

For information about the Anti-Bullying Collaborative of Sun Prairie, to sponsor or donate to ABC of SP, or to volunteer please e-mail info@abcofsp.com or visit abcofsp.com.

Madison's NBC15 recently stopped by the Media Center to talk to Ginger Murray and Juanona Brewster from the ABC of SP. Those clips are available to watch at https://www.nbc15.com/2021/10/13/sun-prairie-organization-works-fight-bullying-area/

KSUN is available on Charter Spectrum cable systems on channel 983 as well as on TDS cable systems on channels 13 and 1013. KSUN and KSUN on demand programming is also available via the KSUN channels available on Roku and Apple TV and on the Sun Prairie Media Center app, available to download for free from the App Store or Google Play.