Category: News and Events

On Saturday, August 11, the Sun Prairie Media Center hosted several of its member producers at the first annual Sun Prairie Media Center Volunteer Appreciation Picnic. The private event preceded the public 103.5 FM Summer Bash that featured live music from Madpolecats and the Kelsey Miles Band. The Media Center previously honored an individual producer at the annual Sun Prairie Public Library Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, but SPMC staff thought it was time to branch out. "Being part of the annual library event was great and we were very grateful that Svetha and her staff always made us feel welcome," said SPMC director Jeff Robbins. "But with the numbers of our volunteers growing, we felt it was appropriate to give our members their own ceremony which would allow us to properly…

Sun Prairie City Administrator Aaron Oppenheimer and Managing Editor of the Star Chris Mertes ended their summer on a high note as they marked 100 episodes of their KSUN TV original production “Inside Your City with Aaron and Chris.” Aaron and Chris began their illustrious TV hosting career together in May of 2014. On their first episode, they featured an interview with then-Sun Prairie Public Library director Tracy Herold. Since then they have interviewed dozens of city employees, business leaders, local service group leaders, and others. The featured guest on the 100th episode of “Inside Your City” of Tim Semmann, city of Sun Prairie Planning Director. While Mertes had hosted a KSUN show with Don Hooser for several years prior to 2014, “Inside Your City” was Aaron Oppenheimer’s first regular…

On Saturday, August 11, the Sun Prairie Media Center will host "103.5 Summer Bash," a concert and birthday celebration to commemorate the third anniversary of the broadcast launch of 103.5 The Sun Community Radio. The concert will be held at Sun Prairie’s Wetmore Park at 555 North Street. Festivities are scheduled to begin at 4 PM.   The free event will feature live performances from The Madpolecats and The Kelsey Miles Band. The Sun Prairie Lions Club will host a beer tent, and food and other beverages will be available for purchase from Dickey's Barbecue Pit as well as a hot dog and brat stand hosted by the Sun Prairie Optimist Club.     The Media Center is celebrating not only the third anniversary of the radio station, but also…

Here’s your child’s chance to write and produce their own videos by joining the one-of-a-kind KIDS-4 program! In KIDS-4, students are trained in many areas necessary to create their own television programs: Cameras, lighting, sound, directing, producing, writing, editing, as well as animation. While students work with adult staff, their creativity is unfiltered and their work is entirely their own. By creating their own media messages, students become smarter and more critical consumers of others' media messages. Students enrolled in KIDS-4 work after school once a week in "crews," and their work airs on KIDS-4, a 24-hour public access station as well as on kids4.tv. In 2016, thanks to the launch of 103.5 The Sun, radio production was added to the KIDS-4 curriculum. KIDS-4 is also dedicated to teaching students…

July 24, 2018 marked the one-year anniversary of the unexpected passing of Peter Wright. Peter was, among many other things, one of the earliest and most enthusiastic program producers at 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio.   Peter was a 1992 graduate of Sun Prairie High School and was so excited about the news that Sun Prairie was to be awarded its own radio station that he came to the SPMC several times before the station was even built, so excited was he to get on the air. He went on the air with his first show, "The Americana Hour," in August 2015, and consistently volunteered right up until about three days before he passed. Peter was also a huge advocate and promoter of the station and worked with local…

The Sun Prairie Media Center is happy to announce that it will once again provide live coverage of the Sun Prairie High School Graduation in 2018. This year's ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday, June 8, beginning at 6:30 PM. For the first time, the ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison. Also note the one hour later start time from previous years. The SPMC will be offering DVD and USB copies of the graduation ceremony for sale. DVDs and USBs make great gifts for grads, family members, and anyone else wishing to relive this once-in-a-lifetime event! Click here to order your 2018 Graduation DVD or USB today! Be sure to watch the 2018 Sun Prairie High School Graduation LIVE Friday June 8 at 6:30 PM…

Still figuring out how to keep your child active, engaged, and entertained this summer? Do you have children who love to make movies and videos or maybe get on the radio? Good news: There is still limited space in most of the Sun Prairie Media Center’s summer workshops! These workshops are designed for budding journalists, filmmakers, actors, and DJs who want a fun and creative way to express themselves, learn how to make movies, or star in them. In these workshops students will be introduced to media production in a fun, hands-on learning environment. These courses will inspire kids in a creative atmosphere to learn communication skills they will use for a lifetime. More information, including the registration form and workshop pricing, is available online at kids4.tv. Registration is now…

Coming off a very busy year of covering SPHS Cardinals boys’ and girls’ basketball (over 40 games broadcast including a trip to state), the Sun Prairie Media Center will be broadcasting a select group of SPHS Cardinal baseball and softball games beginning Monday, April 16.   “For the first time last year, we were able to broadcast some SPHS boys’ baseball games, and we received a tremendous response to those broadcasts,” said SPMC director Jeff Robbins. “We were even able to go to Grand Chute to cover the entirety of the Cardinals involvement in the state tournament, which of course ended with a heartbreaking loss to Kimberly in the championship game. We are looking forward to doing radio broadcasts again this year and hopefully following the Cardinals back to the…

“Reel Reviews,” Sun Prairie’s very own informative, fast-paced, insightful, intelligent, and funny weekly 30-minute movie review program, is celebrating two milestones: The taping on February 22 marked the show’s 200th episode and this April marks the show’s fourth anniversary on Sun Prairie’s KSUN TV channel. The show has been produced and hosted by Jamison Rabbitt and Michael Roth since the program’s premiere. To celebrate, the Sun Prairie Media Center is hosting a special screening of the new film “Avengers: Infinity War” at Marcus Theatre’s Palace Cinema at 2830 Hoepker Road on Saturday, May 5, 2018. The afternoon event will begin at 3 PM with the movie itself beginning at 3:30 PM. Tickets will cost $25, with each ticket including a voucher good for a popcorn and soda redeemable at the…

Wisconsin Community Media has announced this year's winners in the radio categories of the 2018 Best of the Midwest Media Fest. The Sun Prairie Media Center is thrilled to announce that no fewer than eleven awards have been won by producers of original shows created for 103.5 FM. All but one of the programs were produced at the 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio studios underwritten by the Bank of Sun Prairie. "Flashpoint" was singled out as "Best in Show" in the radio category. "Flashpoint" is produced by the Sun Prairie Fire Department and features Chief Christopher Garrison and Lieutenant Becky Gruber talking about a myriad of topics related to fire safety and prevention.  About his show, Chief Garrison said, "the number one mission of the Sun Prairie Fire Department…