Civic Media Brings Its News and Talk format to WRJN in Racine and Kenosha, Adds All of Wisconsin’s Professional Teams to Its Lineup

RACINE, Wis. – Civic Media celebrates the addition of WRJN 1400 AM, 99.9 FM Racine and 98.1 FM Kenosha to its family of radio stations. Starting today, the network will bring news, talk and lots of sports back to WRJN.

The station will be serving Racine, Kenosha, and south Milwaukee with the best in sports programming, including all of Wisconsin’s professional sports:

• The Green Bay Packers broadcasts will continue to air during the NFL season starting August 2023, including pregame and postgame shows that reach as far north as Milwaukee. 
• The NBA season of the Milwaukee Bucks will air beginning October 2023 through a new partnership between the team’s radio network and Civic Media. In addition to Racine and Kenosha, the deal will also expand the Bucks Radio Network into several other Wisconsin markets.
• The refreshed WRJN programming will bring Major League Baseball back to the Racine and Kenosha neighborhood. Starting Spring 2024, every Milwaukee Brewers baseball game will air in both AM and FM signals, re-establishing a baseball tradition that was lost when the Braves left for Atlanta.
• WRJN will also become a Badger Radio Network Affiliate and air Wisconsin Badger football, men’s basketball and a limited schedule of men’s hockey and women’s basketball.

“We are incredibly proud and excited to be bringing the Packers, Bucks, Brewers and Badgers broadcasts, all on one radio station, to this part of our state,” said Mike Crute, Civic Media’s President and Chief Operating Officer.

To support this increased sports coverage, Civic Media has hired Mike Clemens from Magnum Media to an expanded role as Civic Media’s Sports Director.

Keeping with its stated mission of advancing listeners’ understanding of local, regional and state issues, the network will also be airing state and local news coverage at 8 a.m., 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Stuart Wattles, also formerly from Magnum Media, joins Civic Media as News Director for WRJN. Wattles will report and anchor local news hourly. 

And finally, Civic Media also announces that it is bringing back The Lou Rugani Show. Lou Rugani is a broadcaster with an illustrious 50+ year career. He will host his Racine/Kenosha-centric talk show, live from 6-8 a.m. Monday through Friday beginning later in the summer of 2023. 

Lou Rugani will also be renewing his cult classic, The Music of the Stars with Lou Rugani, Sunday mornings 7 a.m. to noon.

“We celebrate the addition of the storied WRJN AM/FM to our network and look forward to bringing it back to its roots of serving, informing, and entertaining the local community in Racine and Kenosha,” said Sage Weil, CEO of Civic Media. 

“Our network is also made stronger with the addition of three talented broadcast professionals like Mike Clemens, Stuart Wattles, and Lou Rugani to our team,” Weil said.

WRJN will continue to broadcast locally from its studio and business offices at 4201 Victory Ave., Racine, WI 53405.

Civic Media is a network of 18 radio stations across Wisconsin in 12 distinct news/talk media markets, now including Racine/Kenosha.

WRJN Weekday Line-up

• 6-8 a.m.  “Lou Rugani Show”
• 8 a.m. – State and local news and sports-extended
• 8-10 a.m. – “The Earl Ingram Show”
• 10-noon – “As Goes Wisconsin” with Kristin Brey 
• noon – State and local news, weather, and sports, extended
• 12:15-1 p.m. – “Town Call”, moderated by William Walter and Luke Mathers. A daily Wisconsin, Civic Media town hall from around the state.
• 1-3 p.m. – “The Todd Albaugh Show”
• 3-4 p.m. – “Matt Flynn-Direct”
• 4-6 p.m. – “The Devil’s Advocates” with Dom and Crute
• 5 p.m. – State and local news and sports-extended
• 6-7 p.m. – “The Maggie Daun Show”
• 7-8 p.m. – Weekly rotating programs
• 8-10 p.m. – “The Rick Smith Show”
• 10-11 p.m. – “Native Roots Radio-I’m Awake”

Civic Media is dedicated to providing quality broadcast and digital hometown radio with a focus on local, regional, and state issues, covering the stories that are most relevant to the communities we serve. We believe radio plays a crucial role in our local communities, so we strive to provide programming that advances the understanding and engagement of our audience.