WORT FM

01/16/2026

WORT Needs a Skilled Meeting Facilitator

Do you have experience working with non-profit boards? Have you helped facilitate meetings that DON’T suck?

WORT needs you! The station’s Board of Directors is looking for a skilled facilitator to help with upcoming Board training sessions over the next two months. You’ll help us facilitate meetings in a participatory and inclusive way. This is a volunteer position that requires evening availability over the next few months.

TO APPLY: Please use the following link to review the Meeting Facilitator Position Description, and then, fill out our online volunteer application.
https://www.wortfm.org/wort-seeks-skilled-meeting-facilitator/

01/15/2026

Yesterday on Queery, Madison’s own DIY Expert, social media superstar, author and activist Mercury Stardust joined Queery host Vicki Kenyon to talk about her rise from burlesque performer to influencer.

She embarked on a 54 city book tour, has signed over 25,000 copies of her book, and has raised $$millions$$ for Point of Pride through her annual stream-a-thon each March around Trans Day of Remembrance.

Listen to their full conversation on our website:

Madison’s own DIY Expert, social media superstar, author and activist MERCURY STARDUST joins Queery to talk about her rise from burlesque performer to influencer. She embarked on a 54 city […]

01/15/2026

WORT 89.9 FM Community Radio Seeks Development Director

You are creative, independent, energetic, organized, and highly productive, with excellent writing skills. A sense of humor helps. You have a deep respect for community institutions that make Madison special–and you’re skilled at building support for their future.

From directing on-air fundraising drives to engaging with major donors, writing monthly donor newsletters, and promoting our many income streams, you run the show. Your all-volunteer Fundraising Work Group, consisting solely of current or former professional fundraisers, is ready to help you realize your plans.

Your experienced, part-time assistant performs all database duties, including entering donations, creating new donor records, initiating credit card and PayPal transmittals, and personalizing thank-you notes for your signature. She also receives and mails pledge drive thank-you gifts, collates materials for pledge drives, and tracks progress – most of the logistics of on-air fundraising drives.

Follow this link for a detailed position description, complete benefits package, and the application form: https://www.wortfm.org/are-you-our-next-development-director/

Application requirements:
🔸a current resume
🔸a cover letter that details how your qualifications match our needs
🔸a sample end-of-year WORT fundraising letter
🔸a list of three professional references

01/14/2026

On January 9, 2026, hundreds of Madisonians turned out to Capitol Square to hold a vigil for Renee Nicole Good, who was shot dead by I.C.E. agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. This week's Monday 8 O’ Clock Buzz aired the vigil’s featured speakers, including Voces de la Frontera Director Christina Neumann Ortiz, rapid response volunteer Libb, and the Reverend Everett Mitchell.

You can listen to their speeches and more on our website: https://www.wortfm.org/voices-from-madisons-1-9-2026-vigil-for-renee-good/

Last Friday on A Public Affair, host Etsy Dinur spoke with independent journalist Ken Klippenstein about the Trump administration’s responses to the recent ICE shootings, killings and raids. The administration has been blaming the victims and promoting new expansive definitions of “terrorism” to silence dissent.

Dinur and Klippenstein unpack Trump’s recent national security directive which lists new identifiers of “terrorism” including expressing feelings that are anti-Christian, anti-capitalist, or anti-traditional family values. Attorney General Pam Bondi expanded these qualities of “terrorism” to include anti-Ice sentiment.

Klippenstein says we have to understand that federal law enforcement has been instructed to view impeding ICE actions as terrorism, and there’s no precedent in the US for this. Trump and Bondi’s directives create an environment in which ICE agents can view their fellow citizens as combatants.

Listen to their full conversation on our website: https://www.wortfm.org/the-global-war-on-terror-comes-home/

Photographs courtesy of Brian Standing.

01/07/2026

The WORT Local News team is back from their holiday break! Here are some of the top stories the News and Talk Department is covering this week:

Today on WORT Local News at 6PM: The Village of Deforest held a meeting last night regarding the annexation of land in DeForest to build a new data center. DeForest residents created a petition asking the village to require voter approval for large annexations and developments that will cost the public upwards of 10 million dollars. The petition received enough signatures, but the Village Board decided NOT to take action and determined the proposed ordinance to be illegal based on advice from an attorney.

In yesterday’s WORT Local News headlines: Fair Wisconsin advocates testified before the state Senate Committee on Education against bill S-B 120, which would make it illegal for schools to honor students’ chosen names and pronouns by requiring consultation with parents. Opponents argue that this bill would restrict the free expression of transgender identity among minors by prioritizing parental rights and giving parents ownership over the identity of the minor. This controversial bill aligns with performative patterns during election years where parties pass bills that are designed to be vetoed. The aim is to show what kind of legislation the party will pass that the opposing party will not in an attempt to prove their value to voters.

This Friday on The Eight O’Clock Buzz: Host Andy Moore will share an interview with Senator Tammy Baldwin about the recent actions of the U.S. in Venezuela. Senator Baldwin has cosponsored the Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act that would prohibit the use of federal funds for any military use in or against Venezuela without congressional approval. This act requires only a majority vote in the Senate. Senator Baldwin calls for open hearings and discussions about what this administration has planned regarding foreign policy and their national security strategy, discusses how this action makes the US look internationally, and considers how other countries could see this as permission to take similar action.

Tune in to WORT 89.9FM to hear these news stories and more. You can also check out our website, wortfm.org, where these stories will be posted after they air.

Thank you for supporting WORT Community Radio and local news!

01/07/2026

Tune in at 9 am Wednesday for a Country Music history lesson from Bill and Bobbie Malone. Or catch the archive at wortfm.org

12/17/2025

Come to the BEEFUS Xmas Radio Spectacular TOMORROW, December 18th, 8-11PM at The Bur Oak! You can also listen live on WORT 89.9FM or stream it on our website (https://www.wortfm.org/listen-live/) and through the WORT app.

This is the 13th and FINAL BEEFUS Xmas special and WORT’s last event of the year, so you do not want to miss it‼️

Featuring performances by Xposed 4Heads, DJs Bad Sister Heidi and Rev Velveteen Sly from WORT’s Psychoacoustics Radio Show, & performing original music from 2025, BEEFUS!

Doors open at 7PM
Xposed 4Heads LIVE at 8PM
Psychoacoustics DJs spinning between bands
BEEFUS LIVE at 9:45PM

Xposed 4Heads is a high-energy, fun rock band that performs quirky original songs with costumes, props, themes of sci-fi, and a witty sense of humor. Their live show is sure to make you dance and laugh.

Psychoacoustics are live with nocturnal emissions every Thursday, 8-11pm on WORT 89.9FM. Beginning in the early 90s, they have played eclectic and experimental music through the decades.

BEEFUS ("Madison's Merry Pranksters" -- Madison Isthmus) has been bringing their bizarro sounds and stage antics to stages in Madison, WI and the Midwest since 2007. More anti-rock than rock, with smatterings of mutated jazz, peculiar percussion, and anthems to meat, body horror, and eldritch squid, BEEFUS subverts the party paradigm, invokes the Gluttonous Squid, attaches the Pleasure Pad, and makes you wonder if the Brain Drain has already happened…

Tickets are $10 per person, and all proceeds go to WORT Community Radio. Get your tickets here: https://www.eventim.us/event/BEEFUS/660434

12/15/2025

WORT received two statements of recognition from Governor Tony Evers and Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway honoring our 50th anniversary: Governor Tony Evers commended WORT for 50 years of dedicated service to the State of Wisconsin, and Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway proclaimed that December 7, 2025 will forever be known as WORT day in the city of Madison!

We are honored by these recognitions and grateful for all of the hard work and dedication from staff, volunteers, donors, and listeners who advanced the impact of our station over the years.❤️

Celebrating 50 years of WORT Community Radio.

12/12/2025

The BEEFUS Xmas Radio Spectacular is happening on Thursday, December 18th, at The Bur Oak. This is the 13th and LAST EVER BEEFUS Xmas special and the last WORT event of the year, so you do not want to miss it!!

Come to The Bur Oak (2262 Winnebago St.) or listen live on 89.9 WORT FM on December 18th, 8-11PM. Doors open at 7.

Featuring special guests Xposed 4Heads to open up the show, DJing by Bad Sister Heidi and Rev Velveteen Sly from WORT’s Psychoacoustics Radio Show, and BEEFUS performing all original music from 2025.

Tickets are $10 per person, and all proceeds go to WORT Community Radio. Get your tickets here: https://www.eventim.us/event/BEEFUS/660434

Send a message to learn more

12/10/2025

Thank you to all who came out for WORT's 50th Birthday Bash! We have some special shout-outs and thank yous to make...

Shout out to Rockin John McDonald, who received his G.O.A.T. trophy from Aaron Scholz at the Bash. Rockin' John is one of a few hosts who have been on the air since our beginning, and he is the only host who has been on the air (almost) every week for all 50 years of WORT. He's at the station every Saturday from 6-8PM, except for some Badger games, if the MadCity Model Railroad Show is in town, or if he absolutely HAS to see a band play. Thank you, John, for your hard work and dedication to WORT for the last 50 years.♥

WORT music hosts Nate Gibson (Back To The Country), Chris Powers (Mud Acres Bluegrass), Brian Oh Brien (Green Morning Radio), and Art Stevenson (Back To The Country) were also at the celebration! Thank you to all the WORT hosts and listeners for bringing the spirit to the station.

Also pictured are Lou and Peter Berryman, the Tony C Latin Jazz Band, Paul Filipowicz and his blues band, and, keeping the energy going 'till midnight, The German Art Students! Thank you to these bands for making this Birthday Bash so much fun, and to all of the bands who have supported WORT over the years.

Special thanks the WORT Events Committee, who worked this very special event, and to our sponsors, Dane Arts, Madison Gas and Electric, Ayers Painting, and IBEW 2304, who made this event possible.

Cheers to 50 years!🥂🎉

Photos of Rockin' John and Aaron Scholz & Lou and Peter Berryman by Molly Stentz.
Photo of The Tony Castañeda Latin Jazz Band by Echnaton Vedder.
Photos of Paul Filipowicz and his blues band & The German Art Students by Jeff Spitzer-Resnick.

12/07/2025

Another pic from the first Birthday - The original studio in the 2000 blk. of Winnebago - Just a cpl blocks from where the Big Party is TONITE!🎉
The music lineup is Superlative of course - Not.To.Be.Missed ⭐
https://facebook.com/events/s/wort-50th-birthday-bash/836183068858726/

12/07/2025

It's almost here! Thee monumental Big Five-0 Celebration🎉 Tonight's show has an incredible line up of music and begins at 5pm with DJ FRP🎶 And of course B-day cake!
https://facebook.com/events/s/wort-50th-birthday-bash/836183068858726/
*pictured: Lil' WORTies can't wait for cake from WORT's very first party - 1976. And the amazing quilt made of decades of our grooviest T-shirts 😮