8 O'Clock Buzz

Brian Standing, Haywood Simmons & Michelle Naff, Jan Miyasaki, Tony Castaneda, & Jonathan Zarov
  • 4.0 (2)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED DAILY

Listener Sponsored Community Radio in Madison, WI

  1. 2D AGO

    Finding Home on Highway 14: Episode Seven

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Finding Home on Highway 14 : Episode Seven Nicole Gruter (photo courtesy Nicole Gruter) Once a month, we check in with Monday Buzz roving reporter Nicole Gruter, who has been exploring the communities and chatting with people who live along the historic U.S. Route 14.  This month, Nicole finds out that even the dead face the consequences of extreme weather.  Nicole joined the Monday Buzz on May 2, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Finding Home on Highway 14: Episode Seven appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    8 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Digital Voter Suppression Disturbingly Effective

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Digital_Voter_Supression_Ads_Disturbingly_Effective Young Mie Kim (Photo courtesy University of Wisconsin-Madison) Election propaganda has grown more sophisticated with social media.  A recent study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism has shown that microtargeted, anonymously sourced, ads urging potential voters to boycott elections was surprisingly effective at depressing voter turnout.  Young Mie Kim is the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and is the primary author of the report.  Young Mie Kim joined the Monday Buzz on May 2, 2026. An example of voter suppression ads on Facebook: Don’t Go to Vote. This ad later turned out to be part of the Russian Election Interference Campaigns. Also available at the US House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, “Social Media Content” advertisement archive (AD 3026) for “Exposing Russia’s Effort to Sow Discord Online: The Internet Research Agency and Advertisements.” Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Digital Voter Suppression Disturbingly Effective appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    14 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Remembering Daniel Bice

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Remembering Daniel Bice Greg Borowski (Photo courtesy Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and jsonline.com) In 1992, a young journalist from West Virginia considered two job offers from competing Wisconsin newspapers.  One, the Milwaukee Journal, offered him a feature-writing gig.  The other, the Milwaukee Sentinel, offered him a job covering the governor’s office.  The reporter chose the political beat at the Sentinel.  In response, the Editor of the Journal wrote back saying, he had made the worst career decision of his life.  That reporter was Daniel Bice who went on to a 33-year career as Wisconsin’s most celebrated – and most feared –political  reporter.  Daniel Bice died on April 21, 2026 from complications arising from esophageal cancer.  He was 62.  Greg Borowski, Executive Editor of the (now-merged) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on May 4, 2026. Featured image: Daniel Bice, courtesy Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and jsonline.com Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Remembering Daniel Bice appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    15 min

  4. 6D AGO

    In Total Harmony

    The Harmony Bar and Grill on Atwood Avenue is the recipient of a Dane County Climate Champion award for 2025 for their work on decreasing their reliance on fossil fuels and electricity.  The Climate Champions program recognizes local entities that are leading on climate action.  Mike Barrett, owner of The Harmony Bar, has installed technology and infrastructure that captures waste heat from refrigeration compressors, stores it, and then utilizes the captured energy to provide the majority of their energy needs of their hot water heater.  Before implementing these changes, Mike was getting complaints about the room temperature being too warm in the summer months.  Now, customers can relax in comfort while sampling the famous Harmony burger, and enjoying some of the live music on tap, including bands like Chuck Lorenzo. Photo by Niranjan Borah on Unsplash Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post In Total Harmony appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    9 min

  5. APR 27

    “Thirty-Two Words for Field:” Manchán Magan and the Irish...

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · “Thirty-two Words for Field:” Memories of Manchán Magan Wade Davis (Photo courtesy University of British Columbia) Born in Donnybrook, Ireland in 1970, Manchán Magan became a renowned world traveler, documentary filmmaker, broadcaster and author.  In October, 2025, Magan died of prostate cancer at the age of 55.  His last book, “Thirty Two Words for Field,” was published posthumously by Chelsea Green Publishing.  It explores the intricacies of the almost unimaginably ancient Irish language.  Wade Davis, a world traveller, accomplished author and filmmaker in his own right, is a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of British Columbia, and wrote the forward for Magan’s book.  Wade Davis joined Monday Buzz Host Brian Standing on April 27, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post “Thirty-Two Words for Field:” Manchán Magan and the Irish... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    24 min

  6. APR 27

    Veterans Arrested at DC Protest Against Iran War

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Veterans Arrested at DC Protest Against Iran War Mike Prysner in 2013 at a March Forward demonstration in Los Angeles. (Photo by Neon Tommy, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons) On April 20, the United States Capitol Police arrested 66 demonstrators, most of them military veterans, for illegally protesting in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.  Protestors stood in the building rotunda, holding red tulips for Iranians killed in U.S. airstrikes and unfurling a banner reading “End the War in Iran.”  They also conducted a flag-folding ceremony to honor the U.S. troops killed in the Iran conflict.  Among those handcuffed and arrested was U.S. Army Iraq War Veteran Mike Prysner, who now serves as the Executive Director of the Center on Conscience and War.  Mike Prysner joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on April 27, 2026. Featured image: Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. (Architect of the Capitol, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Veterans Arrested at DC Protest Against Iran War appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    13 min

  7. APR 27

    Voter Privacy and More Late Ballots

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Voter Privacy and More Late Ballots Alex Shur (photo by Nicholas Wootton) Once a month, the Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz brings you an update on election news around the state, with Votebeat Wisconsin reporter Alex Shur.  This week, Alex joins us to talk about a case about voter records heading back to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and about how it still isn’t clear what Wisconsin law says about counting ballots that arrive at polling places after the polls close.  Alex Shur joined the Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz on April 27, 2026. Featured image: A poll worker tabulates votes. (Photo by Cullen Granzen for Votebeat) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Voter Privacy and More Late Ballots appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    14 min

  8. APR 20

    Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle and “the People...

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle and the People’s Team A.M. Gittlitz (Photo by David Siffert) Major League Baseball is a multi-billion dollar business, with teams owned by venture capitalist billionaires and star players earning upwards of fifty million dollars a year.  The idea of any major-league team, let alone the New York Mets, being a true “team of the people” seems, on the face of it, absurd.  But baseball, like any other cultural practice, reflects the politics and struggles of the society that produced it.  In his new book, avowed anti-capitalist activist and unabashed New York Mets fan A.M. Gittlitz looks at the history of working class movements through the lens of baseball in New York City. The book is “Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle and the People’s Team” out now from Astra House press.  A.M. Gittlitz joined Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz host Brian Standing on April 20, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle and “the People... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    13 min

  9. APR 20

    Reflecting on Tone Madison’s Legacy

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Reflecting on Tone Madison’s Legacy Grant Phipps (Photo courtesy Tone Madison) Since 2014, Tone Madison carved out an independent alternative slice of Madison’s media landscape, featuring music, film and arts coverage and a no-holds-barred approach to news and political commentary. On March 19, 2026, Tone Madison announced that it was shutting down, citing financial difficulties.  Grant Phipps served as Tone Madison’s film editor and was formerly a DJ on WSUM.  Grant joined the Monday Buzz with Brian Standing on April 20, 2026. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Reflecting on Tone Madison’s Legacy appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    12 min

  10. APR 20

    Dane County Board Axes Flock Camera Funding

    WORT 89.9FM Madison · Dane County Board Axes Flock Camera Funding Heidi Wegleitner (Photo courtesy Dane County Board of Supervisors) Back in March, WORT brought you the story of protestors demanding that the UW Police remove Flock Systems automated surveillance cameras from campus.  Flock Systems’ website boasts it is “shaping the future of safety together” and claims that it has worked with “over 12,000 cities, towns, counties and business partners.”   Meanwhile, the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have criticized the company for its indiscriminate surveillance, capturing people’s comings and goings,whether or not they are suspected of a crime.  On April 16, the Dane County Board of Supervisors voted 32-1 to cut Sheriff’s Department funding to install Flock System license plate readers.  Heidi Wegleitner represents District 2 on the Dane County Board of Supervisors and sponsored the budget amendment.  She joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on April 20, 2026. Featured image: Flock Camera (Aurora, IL) (Photo by LemononoM, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons) Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here The post Dane County Board Axes Flock Camera Funding appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

    14 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Listener Sponsored Community Radio in Madison, WI

Information

  • Creator
    Brian Standing, Haywood Simmons & Michelle Naff, Jan Miyasaki, Tony Castaneda, & Jonathan Zarov
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Back Porch Broadcasting, Inc.
  • Show Website
    8 O'Clock Buzz

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