Wisconsin Radio Veterans John Peterson and Gordy Young Join the Morning Roster at Civic Media’s Flagship Station Mad Radio, WMDX 92.7 FM in Madison

October 25, 2023 4:01 PM CDT

MADISON, Wis. – Civic Media is pleased to announce that long time radio broadcasters John Peterson and Gordy Young will be hosting a new morning show on Mad Radio, WMDX 92.7 FM, Madison. 

“The John & Gordy Show: As We Were Saying” will air weekdays from 6 to 8 a.m. beginning Monday, October 30th. 

“I knew John and Gordy years ago as a fledgling broadcaster myself in the early 90s,” says Civic Media Program Director Kathryn Lake. “When I came back to Madison to program the network – after a 22 year absence from Wisconsin – I was tasked with finding an early morning program for WMDX. My first thought was, ‘I wonder if John and Gordy are still alive?'”

They are very much alive and ready to get back on the capital city airwaves.

“After a short 29 year hiatus – has it really been that long?? – we’re thrilled to be back on-the-air together again,” says Peterson. “We’ve always enjoyed bantering with each other about politics, music, entertainment, sports and whatever. There’s still a lot to talk about, and we have found the perfect platform to do that together again at Civic Media.” 

Young added, “It’s like both of our broadcast careers have come full circle. We’ve been re-energized listening to some of our tapes from back in the day and can’t wait to reconnect with our fans and bring whatever it is we do to a new generation of listeners. We just can’t wait to get started.”

Before teaming up in past career incarnations, Peterson and Young had stints at several regional radio stations in the late 1970s and 80s. Young was on the air with WNNO, Wisconsin Dells and 92FM-WMAD, Peterson with WISM-AM and Q-106. 

The two first paired their talents up in 1986 at WMSN-FOX 47 TV in Madison to host a late night weekly film program called “Night Owl Theater.” At the time Peterson was also a morning DJ at WIBA-FM. 

In 1988 they were paired up as weekday morning hosts at 92FM-WMAD in Madison. During this time, they also hosted a weekly Madison cable access program on WYOU-TV, “John & Gordy’s Media World.” They continued their duo on 105.5 FM TRIPLE-M in Madison through 1994 when Young accepted a job as an on-air TV Meteorologist at WNDU-TV, South Bend, Indiana. He then hosted and produced a local travel and interview show “Experience Michiana” on WNIT-PBS, South Bend, Indiana. Meanwhile, Peterson stayed in the Madison radio market with stints at WTDY-AM and WIBA-AM as well as doing commercial voice work for Abella Audio and other freelance broadcast work.

“We are incredibly proud and excited to be able to bring two radio professionals with such storied careers to Mad Radio,” says Sage Weil, CEO of Civic Media. “The energy and enthusiasm they’ve brought into the preparation efforts for the show’s launch has us buzzing with excitement.”

Catch the debut of their show on Mad Radio, WMDX-FM 92.7 or, if you are outside the Madison area, tune in via the Civic Media App.

Civic Media is dedicated to providing quality broadcast and digital hometown radio with a focus on local, regional, and state issues, covering the stories that are most relevant to the markets we serve. We believe radio plays a crucial role in the practice of democracy in our local communities, so we aim to provide programming that advances the understanding and engagement of its principles within our audience.\