HCGazette909 North Railroad StreetEagle River, WI 54521(715) 479-4451

Volume 8 • Issue 2 • Second Quarter 2017

HCGazette

It’s always a sign that Spring is rightaround the corner when you hearpromo ads on the air and see posters

around town telling folks about the HeartlandAshland and Ironwood Home Shows held inMarch and April.

See Home Show, Page 5

The “Roaring 20s”came alive on May 6,2017 at the Marriott

West Hotel in Middleton nearMadison as over 400 Wiscon-sin broadcasters were “PuttingOn The Ritz” for the Wiscon-sin Broadcaster’s Association2017 Awards Gala. Manywere dressed in “Flapper”dresses or “Great Gatsby”suits and ties to be a part ofthat great American era.

Even the menu featured“actual food served in the20s” according to MichelleVetterkind, President of theWisconsin Broadcaster’s As-sociation. All in attendancewere treated to a CaesarSalad, Roast Turkey and FlatIron Steak, Dauphinoise Po-tato, Baby Carrots and aChocolate Mousse Parfait fea-turing a chocolate WBA logoon top!

Heartland CommunicationsGroup’s WRJO 94.5, EagleRiver, was honored and proudto receive eleven awards atthis year’s Awards Gala.

See Gala, Page 5

Ashland MarketHome Shows

Heartland’s WRJO Receives 11 AwardsVo-Do-Dee-O-Do !!!

Page 2 . . .Pres. Release

Page 3 . . .Ashland News

Page 4 . . .Eagle River News

Jim Coursolle, CRMCPresident and CEO

Wendi Ell, newsletter designer and publisher

In ThisIssue

www.heartlandcomm.com

Pictured  L to R;News Director Bruce

Marcus, Steve Wexler,VP Radio, E.W.

Scripts Company,Mike Wolf, WRJO PD,

Jim Coursolle, Heartland CEO

“One of America’s Finest Small Market Radio Broadcasting Companies”

How do you feel when someonetells you to “Shut up and sitdown?” Not good I would

guess.If for one minute anyone thinks that

what we are experi-encing on collegecampuses like UCBerkley is just a bunchof kids out of control,these extremely naïvepeople need to take asecond guess. Andthis time their guessneeds to be a littlemore “educated.”

What we have beenseeing on college cam-puses at Berkeley,Middlebury, Michigan, and Mizzou isnothing short of an attack — often timesviolent — on the guarantee by the Bill ofRights of Freedom of Speech.

Those that feel that these kids will “getover this and grow up,” are totally un-aware of the reality of these attacks.

These oftentimes violent attacks anddemonstrations glossed over by the main

stream media and campus police depart-ments (there have been little if any arrests)are well thought out demonstrations finan-cially underwritten and organized by so-cialist, left-wing, radical liberals hell-benton curtailing everyone’s right to presenttheir “side of the story.” Freedom ofSpeech was so important to our FoundingFathers that they created a First Amend-ment to the infant Constitution that ab-solutely, and without debate, guaranteeseveryone’s right to express their thoughtsand opinions.

It is amazing and incredible to me thatcollege campuses — so-called institutionsof higher education that at one time enter-

tained diversity of thought — have nowstooped to the level of allowing and con-doning students and (much of the time)outside demonstrators to violently runspeakers who disagree with their left-wingagenda off the campus and out of town.

It is not overreacting to say that if thistype of “teaching” and example is allowedto continue, the days of Freedom ofSpeech and probably all freedoms aregreatly threatened and will eventuallycome to an end in this country.

Make no bones about it, this is a veryserious problem either created by ex-tremely naïve liberal students, but proba-bly by left-wing socialist politicos with anagenda contrary to the laws and mores ofthe United States of America.

No matter what you do as a member ofHeartland’s team, you are in the Freedomof Speech ‘business.’ If you sell ads, youprovide the money to keep our transmitterson the air; if you record ads and broadcastradio shows or newscasts, you provide thevenue for Heartland to exercise its right toFreedom of Speech in the communities weserve.

See Speech, Page 5

May

24th – Bruce Marcus

– Eagle River

June

no employee birthdays

July

7th – Stephanie Griffin – Eagle River

31st – Tammy Hollister – Ashland

HCGazette

Jim CoursollePresident, CEO

Market Managers

John Warren ......................$27,851

Craig Whetstine ....................$7,725

Sales Reps

Tammy Hollister..................$23,071

Rob Zimbler ........................$17,222

Jen Husmann ....................$14,418

Trish Keeley ......................$14,030

April Top Sellers

Pres. ReleasePage 2 Volume 8 • Issue 2 • Second Quarter 2017

Pres. ReleaseHCGazette

Birthday “Broadcasts”

2320 Ellis Avenue. P.O. Box 613, Ashland, Wisconsin 54806

By John Warren, General ManagerWBSZ/WNXR/WJJH/WATW

Our marketing workshopwas held at theAmericInn this year the

1st week of March. Congratula-tion to Tammy Holister and Jen-nifer Husmann on having a verysuccessful week. All in all the at-tendance was great with 62% at-tending and a closing ratio of36%. Again, congratulations tothe entire sales staff.

1st quarter sales were up bynearly 8% in 2017 over 2016.Thank you to Tammy for coveringfor me while I was in Mexico.

The Heartland Communica-tions Home and Recreation Showin Ironwood was held March 24th,25th and 26th and the HeartlandCommunication Home and SportShow in Ashland was held March31st, April 1st and April 2nd.Both Shows went very well.

New in Ashland for this yearwe added a Friday Night Fish Frysponsored by Legendary WatersResort and Casino. We servedfresh Lake Superior whitefishwith potato salad and a dinner rollfor $6.95. It was a huge success.Plans for next year are already inthe works. We plan to add theFish Fry to the Ironwood showand we’re also planning to serve aPrime Rib Sandwich on Saturdayand a Sunday Brunch at bothshows next year.

Heartland Communicationswelcomes to our family, Account

Executive Tricia Benton. Triciawill be working with our clients

from the IronRiver, Duluth,Superior andthe surround-ing communi-ties. Triciawill be doingsome face-to-face calls andtelemarketing.Tricia is partowner ofHome Expres-

sions in Ashland and has a back-ground in telemarketing.

The 8th Annual Bay Area Bat-tle of the Bands will be held Fri-day July 15th. There will be 4regional bands competing forthousands of dollars in prizemoney. The Bay Area Battle ofthe Bands is consistently one ofthe biggest events to hit the Ash-land area. Chequamegon Bay getsRockin’ during the Bay Days Fes-tival with thousands of people at-tending this event! Each year thisevent gets bigger and bigger!Don’t Miss it!!

We are currently under waywith the Bays Days Karaoke Con-test. Qualifying rounds are being

held at Little Nikki’s by the Lakein Cornucopia April 28th, Leg-endary Waters Resort and Casinoin Red Cliff May 12th, Joany’sSide Kicks in Iron Belt June 9th,Otter Bay Resort of Lake OwenJune 16th and Topside Tavern onOndossagon Rd in the Town ofBarksdale June 30th. Each of thequalifiers will be competing forpart of the $2,000.00 in Cash thatwill be awarded at the finals dur-ing Bays Day in Ashland on Sat-urday evening July 15th.

On August16th the 55 PlusHealth Expo will be held at theBay Area Civic Center in Ash-land. If you’re 55 years young ormore, there’ll be a free lunch, freescreening, free bingo, music andapproximately 60 booths with avariety of vendors. We invite youto stop in and check it out.

We’re all looking forward to anexciting summer.

Skip HunterAshland Program Director

John WarrenAshland General Manager

www.wbszfm.com

www.wnxrfm.com

www.wjjhfm.com

Volume 8 • Issue 2 • Second Quarter 2017 Page 3

AshlandAshlandMarketing Workshop.. Two Home Shows

and Sales to Boot!!

Above; The Ashland Home andSport Show was held March 31-April 2. At right; A marketingworkshop was held in March.

Tricia BentonAccount Executive

Mike WolfCorporate Program Director

Craig WhetstineEagle River General Manger

www.wrjo.com

909 N. Railroad Street, P.O. Box 309, Eagle River, Wisconsin 54521

Eagle RiverEagle RiverPage 4 Volume 8 • Issue 2 • Second Quarter 2017

WRJO celebrated it’s 3rd Annual Adult Prom on April 22.  Our Prom

was held at Eagle Waters Resort.  We had over 80 couples attend, in-

cluding Kathy and Aaron, our King & Queen, pictured at left.

Two weeks later, we also celebrated

in Madison at the Wisconsin Broad-

casters Association annual awards

dinner.  WERL and WRJO collected

11 awards, more than any other

radio station north of Wausau.  

Among those attending from

WERL/WRJO were Program Direc-

tor Mike Wolf, News Director Bruce

Marcus and WRJO intern Stevie.

This is Prom and Award season in the Northwoods!

GM Notes...By Craig Whetstine, General Manager WJRO/WERL

Volume 8 • Issue 2 • Second Quarter 2017 Page 5

Speech, from Page 2

If you answer the phones and assist oursponsors and listeners or if you do the ac-counting to send out advertising invoices,you help Heartland remain a viable busi-ness that can continue to provide Freedomof Speech to our listeners. You are an in-credibly valuable asset to our Freedom ofSpeech dissemination tool. Every day,throughout the United States, thousands ofradio stations protect the First Amendment.Every day, thousands of radio stations pro-vide a checks and balances system thatkeeps our government aware of the factthat their sole purpose is to serve the citi-zens and taxpayers of the United Statesand to put America at the top of the gov-ernment employee/servant agenda. You, asa broadcaster, are so important. Be proud.

As broadcasters, our whole existence iscentered upon Freedom of Speech. Ourvery licenses are to a great extent basedupon Freedom of Speech. It appears goingforward that our Freedom of Speech privi-lege is going to be challenged by thosewho want to blurt out and shout in yourface, “Shut Up and Sit Down.” Great painsneed to be taken to make sure that ouropinions and all opinions are given the

right to be heard.So “Stand Up and SPEAK.” That is

what we do at Heartland and in radio sta-tions throughout Wisconsin and this coun-try.

What we have to say to those whothreaten our First Amendment rights isdon’t continue to obstruct, curtail, destruct,act in a violent manner or violate our Free-

dom of Speech rights. Our country is wak-ing up to your venomous and harmful ac-tions and you’ll be very sorry if youcontinue to break the laws of our land andthreaten our right to Freedom of Speech.

Until you want to gainfully contribute,rather than curtail and obstruct, maybe youshould be the ones that need to “Shut Upand Sit Down!”

Home Show, from Page 1

The Heartland IronwoodHome Show was held onMarch 24th, 25th and 26th atthe Pat O’Donnell Civic Cen-ter followed by the HeartlandAshland Home Show held atthe Bay Area Civic Center onMarch 31st, April 1st and2nd.

According to John Warren,General Manager of Heart-

land stations WBSZ, WNXR,WJJH and WATW, “Theshows were well attended andproduced buyers for thebooth sponsors.” There wereover 160 sponsored boothsfeatured between both HomeShows.

Following each show,Heartland sponsored an Ex-hibitors’ Party to express ap-preciation for the twosuccessful Home Shows.

Gala, from Page 1

WRJO received 3 FirstPlace Awards in the SmallMarket category for “BestElection Coverage 2016,”“Best Promotional An-nouncement” and “Best Hu-morous Commercial.”

WRJO also received 5Second Place Awards and 1Third Place Award.

“PD Mike Wolf, News Di-rector Bruce Marcus and GMCraig Whetstine have a lot tobe proud of” said HeartlandCEO Jim Coursolle. “It’s alot of fun working with suchpros and I enjoy being a partof this wonderful station.WRJO continues to be thestation to turn to in the EagleRiver, Minocqua andRhinelander area.”

Pictured L to R;  Jim Coursolle, Heartland CEO, Craig Whet-stine, WRJO GM, Mike Wolf, WRJO PD, Wendi Ell, HCGazetteEditor, Bruce Marcus, News Director.

L to R Air Personalities Mark Miller, Dave Q-Ball Nelson, SkipHunter and Kate.