As public radio navigates its way through the loss of federal funding, Milwaukee’s NPR (WUWM), Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), and Rhinelander’s WXPR have formed a new statewide partnership to expand public service journalism across Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin News Collaborative will focus on environmental and natural resource coverage while strengthening news sharing among the three public radio organizations. Each station will produce its own reporting, which will then be distributed across all participating markets to deepen statewide coverage and audience reach.
The alliance mirrors the recent growth of regional newsrooms in the public radio space.
WUWM’s General Manager David Lee said, “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. 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.”
Wisconsin Public Radio Director 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.”
WXPR Rhinelander CEO and General Manager Jessie Dick 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.”
