WORT FM

WORT FM Listener-sponsored, volunteer-powered community radio broadcasting to Madison and beyond.
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We are a nonprofit and noncommercial community radio station based in Madison,
and broadcasting to south-central Wisconsin. Founded in 1975, the station is driven by
hundreds of on-air and off-air volunteers, a small staff collective, a Board of Directors, and
many listeners and listener-sponsors. At the core of the WORT mission is the facilitation of community expression. We strive to challenge t

he cultural and intellectual assumptions of our listeners through unique and diverse local programming, and include audiences and programmers underrepresented in other media. Almost all our 24/7 programming is produced by volunteer members of the community. Our
deejays share music across all genres, our reporters cover local news impacting our community,
our talk shows provide a forum for the discussion of public issues, and our public access
programming allows individuals in the community a chance to host a radio show of their own. For more information about WORT, and to listen to our programming, visit our website at
wortfm.org or tune into 89.9 FM. Find the many ways to listen here: https://www.wortfm.org/how-to-listen-to-wort/

Volunteer for WORT by following this link: https://www.wortfm.org/become-volunteer/

Come see The Funny Boys at the WORT Outreach Booth this Saturday at the Northside Festival from 11:00AM - 12:30PM at the...
09/09/2026

Come see The Funny Boys at the WORT Outreach Booth this Saturday at the Northside Festival from 11:00AM - 12:30PM at the Mallards Duck Pond on Sherman Ave. They’ll also be at the W***y Street Fair Saturday Sep. 19 from 3:00-6:00PM!

Drumroll please!! The 2026 The W***y Street Fair line-up is here! Free to attend, as always!! 🌈🍻💫💃🍞
09/03/2026

Drumroll please!! The 2026 The W***y Street Fair line-up is here!
Free to attend, as always!! 🌈🍻💫💃🍞

September is here!🍂 From candid conversations to communal support, here’s what’s coming up at the station this month:Tod...
09/03/2026

September is here!🍂 From candid conversations to communal support, here’s what’s coming up at the station this month:

Today, the Thursday 8 O'Clock Buzz airs David Crowley's interview with Tony Castaneda, who has recently returned to his Thursday Buzz spot after his own political campaign.

On September 5th at 7:30PM, The Barrymore Theatre will show the screening of Steal This Story, Please!, a documentary film about Amy Goodman and Democracy Now!. Be sure to check out Esty Dinur's interview with Goodman and the co-director of the film, Tia Lessin, on WORT's A Public Affair: https://www.wortfm.org/independent-media-gives-voice-to-the-silenced-majority/

You can find the WORT Outreach Booth at three festivals in September:

Labor Fest
Presented by the South Central Federation of Labor
🗓 Sept. 7
⏰ 12:00 - 5:30PM
📍 Madison Labor Temple (1602 S. Park St.)
Live music, food carts, kid activities, community gathering, and more!

Northside Festival
Presented by Northside Planning Council & W***y Street Co-op
🗓 Sept. 12
⏰ 11:00AM - 3:00PM
📍 Night Mares Stadium (2920 N. Sherman Ave.)
Join for good food, music and fun!

The W***y Street Fair
Presented by Common Wealth Development & Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center
🗓 Sept. 19-20
⏰ 1:00PM - 10:00PM on Saturday
⏰ 11:00AM - 6:30PM on Sunday
📍 W***y Street

And to wrap up the month…

The WORT-FM Fall Pledge Drive!!!🍁📻
🗓 Sep. 24 - Oct. 4

Wanna be a part of the action? Copy and paste the following link into your browser to sign up to answer phones and take pledges during the drive: https://www.wortfm.org/cgi-bin/longsignup

No experience necessary. Sign up with a friend, enjoy some snacks, and help keep your community radio on the air!
📻🎙☎️

3 stories from your local news team to keep you informed:August 25, 2026🔹🔸🔸The city of Madison has been roiled the past ...
08/31/2026

3 stories from your local news team to keep you informed:

August 25, 2026
🔹🔸🔸
The city of Madison has been roiled the past month, since police shot and killed Corey Ruiz in the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin streets. The decision to remove the encampment was highly criticized by the local community as it continues to mourn the loss of Corey Ruiz. Questions remain about planning, ex*****on, and decision making surrounding the removal. On Monday night last week, Madison’s Common Council held a special session to ask city staff questions.

Discussion was mainly limited to actions by the city staff between the time of the shooting and the removal of the memorial. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway was a primary subject of the conversation. When questioned about the timing of the removal, she said that it was clear to her early on that removal was going to be required. “In some ways the decision was made to clear it as soon as it was blocked,” she said.

Learn more about the city’s reasoning behind the removal of the encampment: https://www.wortfm.org/alders-question-city-staff-about-corey-ruiz-shooting-and-protests-that-followed/

August 26, 2026
🔸🔹🔸
In 2021, attorney generals in nearly every state and territory sued Meta for knowingly implementing addictive features for children on Facebook and Instagram and minimizing the psychological harm of these features. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul also said these companies collected data from young users without parental consent, and targeted them as “valuable but untapped.”

In addition to the payout to 47 states and territories, Meta will establish new restrictions designed to limit the addictive nature of its platform.

Learn more about these new restrictions and settlement requirements: https://www.wortfm.org/kids-on-meta-platforms-will-see-some-big-changes-soon/

August 27, 2026
🔸🔸🔹
1 in 8 people in Wisconsin and 1 in 5 children are food insecure. Kris Tazelaar from Second Harvest Foodbank sat down with WORT to discuss how food insecurity is affecting southwestern Wisconsin, and how they are working to address it.

Listen to the full conversation: https://www.wortfm.org/food-insecurity-in-wisconsin-continues-to-rise/

Header image courtesy of Corey Coyle/Creative Commons.

Tune in tomorrow at 10pm for a special edition of Saturday Night Style with guest host Mr Dime on WORT 89.9 FM📻🌟Mr. Dime...
08/28/2026

Tune in tomorrow at 10pm for a special edition of Saturday Night Style with guest host Mr Dime on WORT 89.9 FM📻🌟

Mr. Dime has been a music curator in various subcultural movements in and around Johannesburg, South Africa. He has worked with brands such as MTV Motorola Alert, Nokia Defend Your Street, Soweto-Power Park, The Blues Room, Kospotong, Club Ozone and various other nightspots in the city.

“Bespoke-ness is an ever evolving organism. I believe the show has the power to change the way we think and do things in an organic and authentic manner, affording the listener the freedom to be whoever they want to be, without feeling inadequate within their respective social circles. Different is good.”

08/27/2026

Tune in to A Public Affair this Friday at noon!

Summer isn't over yet, but fall is coming around the bend.🍃🍂🍁That means that the WORT Fall Pledge Drive is coming! That'...
08/24/2026

Summer isn't over yet, but fall is coming around the bend.
🍃🍂🍁

That means that the WORT Fall Pledge Drive is coming! That's right, September 24th through October 4th, we'll be at it again, and we can't have a successful pledge drive without phone answerers.

Don't forget:
✔No experience is necessary.
✔Free snacks and drinks.
✔Great radio

Sign up now to reserve a spot to help out your favorite WORT show!🧡

Copy and paste the following link into your browser: https://www.wortfm.org/cgi-bin/longsignup

On Monday's A Public Affair, host Douglas Haynes will be joined by Robin Wall Kimmerer to talk about her new movement Pl...
08/21/2026

On Monday's A Public Affair, host Douglas Haynes will be joined by Robin Wall Kimmerer to talk about her new movement Plant Baby Plant.🌱

The Mission of Plant Baby Plant is to build a grassroots movement of people taking meaningful, regenerative action to care for the Earth.

Tune in from 12-1pm Central on Monday, August 24 at 89.9FM or wortfm.org.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, so give us a call at 608-256-2001.

UPDATE - The show is posted on our website!!
Listen to the full show here: https://www.wortfm.org/raise-a-garden-raise-a-ruckus-with-robin-wall-kimmerer/

Thank you to everyone who came out to Eken Park Festival and Magic Pride last weekend and to all the wonderful volunteer...
08/19/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to Eken Park Festival and Magic Pride last weekend and to all the wonderful volunteers who make these events possible!🧡

Have you had a chance to visit the WORT Outreach Booth this year? If not, be sure to visit us at the following summer events:
🔸Orton Park Festival (Aug. 29-30)
🔸Labor Fest (Sept. 7)
🔸Northside Festival (Sept. 12)
🔸W***y Street Fair (Sept. 19-20)

The finale of the Madison summer festival season is the W***y Street Fair, and WORT is presenting the Underground Stage! Stay tuned for details.🌀

Be sure to stop by and say hi to our remarkable volunteers!☺️👋

08/17/2026

Do you have an insatiable curiosity about the world? Do you find yourself provoking conversations with your friends and coworkers? Are you a strong listener?

Then you should consider applying to become the next host of A Public Affair, WORT’s daily hour long call-in talk program. We’re looking to fill TWO host positions starting in the Fall.

You could be the next voice of the Monday or Thursday program and join a stellar lineup of folks who engage listeners in conversations on social, cultural, and political issues of importance every day of the week. We’re looking for folks who are curious and well informed, comfortable speaking on air, can think on their feet, and have at least five hours a week to prepare and host the show.

To find out more information about this volunteer position or to apply by August 27, go to wortfm.org/talkhost

Address

118 S Bedford Street
Madison, WI
53703

Telephone

+16082562001

Website

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