RACINE — Racine radio station WRJN-AM is being sold to Madison-based Civic Media, an operator of more than a dozen radio stations across Wisconsin.
Magnum Media is selling the Racine station along with radio stations in La Crosse and Chippewa Falls as well as four radio translators in a deal valued at $3.65 million, according to industry newsletter Radio Insight. The Racine sale includes the station’s studios and transmitter, 4201 Victory Ave. Magnum will continue to operate WVTY (92.1 FM) of Racine, a station with a country music format. Magnum purchased the Racine AM and FM stations in 2014.
The sale is pending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval. WRJN broadcasts at 1400 AM and at 99.9 FM in Racine and at 98.1 FM in Kenosha.
Civic Media confirmed the deal in a news release posted on its website. The purchase will give the company a total of 17 AM and FM radio stations throughout the state. Civic Media was established in July 2022 to build a statewide radio network “that broadcasts local news, thoughtful commentary and handpicked music.”
“Acquiring FCC broadcast licenses is only the first step,” Sage Weil, Civic Media’s chief executive officer, said in a news release. “Now comes the hard work of programming and operating these stations in the public interest to provide listeners with local and regional news and commentary that is factual, fair and trusted by the community. We are leaning into hometown radio where other network operators are not, and we look forward to building strong relationships with listeners by providing content that (is) relevant to their local communities.”
WRJN programming
In recent years, WRJN has had an oldies music and news format. It became part of the Green Bay Packers football radio network for the 2022-23 season.
Civic Media plans to retain WRJN’s Packers network affiliation and add a news/talk/sports format, according to the news release.
Weil and his business partner, Mike Crute, a Madison talk radio host and Civic Media’s president, use the tagline “Hometown Radio Refreshed” to describe the media company and its programming. The pair were recently profiled in The Capital Times of Madison.
Crute hosts “The Devil’s Advocates Radio Show” on some Civic Media outlets. Other programming carried on Civic Media stations include “As Goes Wisconsin” and “The Dueling Tangents.”
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