Select Page

russellhire_fullsize_story1University of Wisconsin Oshkosh alumnus Doug Russell’s ’95, day starts at 3:30 a.m., when he arrives at the WTMJ station in Milwaukee. By 5 a.m., the 1995 graduate has a morning sports show planned out with his coworkers in which he does two or three sports updates and a full segment. After the show is finished at 8:30 a.m., he still writes and puts stories together for the afternoon show.

Russell, a radio-TV-film major , said his passion for journalism and radio led him to become a sports anchor for Milwaukee’s “premier radio station.”

“It’s been a station I’ve admired for a long time,” Russell said. “It’s the only place I truly feel home and really want to work at.”

During his years in radio broadcasting, he has covered live events like the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby, Final Four games and more.

“For me, watching the Packers and being a witness to their Super Bowl win is pretty special,” Russell said.

During his college years at UW Oshkosh, Russell fell in love with radio when he walked into the University’s radio station, WRST. He attributes his success to having wonderful mentors, professors and friends.

Russell is a founding father of Beta Theta Pi at UWO. He also had the opportunity to tour major news studios and learn about what goes on behind the scenes of broadcast journalism as a member of the scholastic honor society Alpha Epsilon Rho.

“I wouldn’t have traded those years for anything,” Russell said. “It was a wonderful time of my life.

Russell encourages journalism students to focus on writing and learning about both print and broadcast.

“Writing is so important and critical,” he said.

Russell added that recent graduates who have started their jobs in broadcasting may feel discouraged by the edits on their first draft, but he advises them to keep going.

“If there’s something you want to do, go for it,” Russell said.

Learn more: