Today, as we celebrate 19 years of Radio Milwaukee, we’re introducing you to RM20 — a year-long initiative preparing for the station’s 20th anniversary. More than an initiative, it’s an invitation for listeners, artists, partners and neighbors to join a deep, reflective conversation about the organization’s past, present and future.
Since first signing on the air in 2007 as 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, the station has pursued a simple yet ambitious mission: to serve Milwaukee with music, storytelling and community engagement that reflect the city's diversity and creativity. Over the past two decades, we’ve grown into a multimedia platform that connects listeners to music discovery, supports local artists, champions inclusive storytelling, and fosters community dialogue and cultural exchange.
“Radio Milwaukee exists because this community believed in a different way of doing radio — one that centers people, place and shared experience,” Radio Milwaukee executive director Jordan Lee said. “As we approach our 20th anniversary, we’re not just celebrating what we’ve done; we’re taking a deep look at our direction and listening to what the community thinks we should become.”
At the heart of this initiative is your voice. We’ve established a dedicated feedback channel — 20@radiomilwaukee.org — where listeners and community members can submit ideas, memories, suggestions and perspectives that will inform the next chapter of our evolution. In addition, you’ll see RM20 unfold across four areas.
- Celebrations & Events — Taking a cue from Milwaukee’s rich cultural calendar and community spirit, we’ll produce a series of celebratory events throughout the 20th anniversary year.
- Cultural Storytelling — We’ll revisit our own narrative by documenting foundational moments, archival stories and community voices that shaped our mission. This storytelling effort will offer insights into the station’s history and purpose, allowing us to take a deeper look at our mission and impact.
- Strategic Insight — Understanding sustainability and opportunity requires clear analysis, which is why we’re creating an analytic framework to guide leadership and board decision-making with transparency and rigor.
- Media Landscape — RM20 will include research into national media trends and the Milwaukee media ecosystems to assess and strengthen the station’s position within a rapidly evolving landscape.
Radio Milwaukee’s 20th anniversary is not just a reflection on two decades of music, community stories and cultural connection; it’s also a moment to ask bold questions about public media’s role in this city, and how Radio Milwaukee can serve its community with even greater purpose and impact in the decades ahead.
“We’re grateful to the listeners, artists, contributors, and partners who have helped shape Radio Milwaukee’s story,” Lee concluded. “Now, we invite our community to help design what comes next.”