New Wisconsin radio network aims to serve as counterpoint to conservative talk radio

A new statewide radio network in Wisconsin called Civic Media is seeking to offer a “counterpoint” to conservative talk radio while elevating local and state-level issues. 

The company’s CEO, Sage Weil, is a successful software developer and a major Dem donor in the state. In a recent interview, he highlighted the “ongoing erosion” of local media as an obstacle to be overcome. 

“Civic Media’s mission is to refocus our attention on state and local issues, and we’re doing that by building a network across Wisconsin of hometown radio stations that are bringing as much local and state-based content to the airwaves as we possibly can,” he said. 

Since launching in May of last year, the company has acquired at least a dozen local stations and is on track to have 20 in its network, Weil said. Its programming includes various talk shows on Wisconsin politics, comedy, hunting and fishing and more. Stations also run sports coverage at the high school, college and professional level, as well as local news.

Some of its stations include Mad Radio in Madison, Bull Falls Radio in Wausau, Wiscountry in Wisconsin Rapids, Air Support in Oshkosh, Talk of Green Bay, and Country & Community in Richland Center. 

“It’s often the case that these smaller radio stations are the last sort of local news source standing in a lot of markets, but it’s very difficult to operate a local radio station competitively these days with all the staff and overhead and technology,” he said. “So we’re bringing the efficiency of scale that these larger, consolidated corporate radio groups can provide but keeping the local piece in order to fill that niche.” 

Civic Media got its start with a Madison-area radio station, and shows that originated on that station tend to be left-leaning. But Weil says Civic Media is being “very careful” not to brand itself as a platform for liberal voices. 

“We don’t take sides as far as one political party over the other, except that our core values and mission … are around things like democracy, transparency and so on,” he said. “It’s very difficult to be pro-democracy and not be voting for, you know, Democrats these days.” 

Mike Wagner, a professor in UW-Madison’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, says Civic Media is looking to capitalize on a largely untapped market. 

“There is a lot of conservative talk available, and there is less middle of the road and liberal talk available,” he said in an interview. “So there’s an opportunity for Civic Media to reach a potentially untapped market.” 

But at the same time, he notes that liberal talk radio has “almost never worked” or seen much success. 

“I think Civic Media’s model of being less ideologically extreme and having hosts who are more center, center-left is a novel take on an untapped market,” he said. 

Before launching Civic Media, Weil did some software work for a national group called VoteAmerica in 2020, building tools to help people navigate voting systems. He said he “couldn’t stand on the sidelines as I was watching democracy on the brink” and wanted to break down structural barriers to participation in democracy. 

He’s also made nearly $2.7 million in political contributions since the start of 2018, with nearly $2.6 million of that going to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. 

Weil explained Civic Media radio hosts “have to support our overall values, which are pro-democracy, pro-transparency, pro-people” and can’t be a conduit for misinformation. 

“A lot of this is a recognition that one of the most effective means of disseminating misinformation is right-wing talk radio, and we want to serve as a counterpoint to that by making sure we’re pushing out not only facts, but also not leaning into issues that are deliberately divisive,” he said, though he added “finding that balance is tricky.” 

Still, he noted one of the network’s most successful hosts, Todd Allbaugh, used to be the chief of staff for former GOP Sen. Dale Schultz of Richland Center. And another of its shows, “Raised in Wisco,’’ is hosted by former GOP state Rep. Joel Kleefisch of Oconomowoc, who’s married to GOP politician Rebecca Kleefisch. 

“Each host has their own set of values, and we try to provide our listeners with a variety of choices and different perspectives,” Weil said. 

In the coming year, Weil says he hopes to build trusting relationships with members of the communities served by Civic Media stations, including the business community. He envisions having small businesses advertise on these stations to reach local listeners. 

“We want people to hear ads for local businesses, and we want them to hear news about their local community, so that it sounds like hometown radio,” he said. 

As those efforts continue, Wagner says members of his team at UW-Madison are going to be studying the response to Civic Media’s unique approach by surveying the local communities. 

“Are they successful at developing trust? … Are they entertaining, are they trustworthy, or are they not able to move the needle? Or, are they only able to reach a particular segment of voters and not others?” he said. “These are things that we’re going to try and investigate over the coming year or so.” 

–By Alex Moe