On Jan. 7, WOKY-AM 920 will sound a bit different, changing format to become a sports talk station. Sports is no stranger to the station, which broadcasts NASCAR races, UW-Milwaukee women’s basketball games and a number of other racing and sporting events throughout the year.

What goes away is Clear Channel’s 920 The Wolf country format.

"We wanted to build on the success we have had in Madison, and broaden our footprint," director of programming Tim Scott said. That success in Madison Scott talked about is The Big 1070, WTSO-AM in Madison.

"We have the best sports talk talent here in Madison and wanted to branch out," Scott said.

The state-originated programming will be anchored by the morning drive team of Mike Lucas and Matt Lepay, who are also heard on the Badgers Radio Network as the play-by-play announcers on Wisconsin football and basketball broadcasts. Brian Posick, the voice of UW-Madison’s hockey program, will host a one-hour daily program called "On Wisconsin" that is focused on university sports and Mike Heller, Jon Arias and Phil Dawson will take care of the afternoon drive time.

Scott says that sports updates specific for Milwaukee will be aired throughout the day from the WOKY studios.

The station is also affiliated with NBC Sports, which has been boosting its radio network and cable TV station since the Summer Games last year. Dan Patrick’s radio show will be broadcast mid mornings, and comic Jay Mohr will bring his conversation-based show bookending the lunch hour.

"We are bringing sports fans in the Milwaukee and Southeastern Region of the State the best local sports talk in Wisconsin," Clear Channel’s Jeff Tyler said in a statement.

"We developed the most popular sports talk package for Madison a decade ago and now we are bringing the same outstanding line-up to Milwaukee. We know that the sports fans want to talk Packers, Badgers, Brewers and Bucks, and we have the expert team that will talk with them."

The Big 920 will be Milwaukee’s exclusive station for Monday, Sunday and Thursday night football games, and will continue its relationship with NASCAR.

WOKY will be the third sports talk station in the Milwaukee market, looking for an audience along with WAUK-AM 540 ESPN and WSSP-AM 1250.

When chatting with Scott, he remarked how all of the sports media in the state is like one big fraternity … "we all know each other. I have tremendous respect for them."

I’ve touched on this before, we here in Wisconsin are really spoiled with riches among our local media. Even through the competition, there’s that sort of "Wisconsin Kindness" that permeates throughout.

It will be interesting to see what The Big 920 brings that is different than the others, and it will be more interesting to see which stations the audience is drawn to.

RECORD BREAKER: WTMJ-AM 620 teamed up with Kapco Metal Stamping for the seventh annual Kids 2 Kids Christmas, bringing in a record-setting amount in donations. With 51 area schools participating, more than 19,000 toys were collected in the drive.

"By all accounts the Kids 2 Kids Christmas toy drive was a tremendous success," said Kapco president Jim Kacmarcik. "Thanks to the many people who helped us touch the lives of kids who are in need of a helping hand."