Wisconsin Watch
From the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
About the show
The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that reports on government accountability and quality of life issues, like education, the economy and the environment. It’s more important to us to get the story right than it is to be first and we believe in collaborating, not competing, with other news outlets. Not only can you find our stories on WisconsinWatch.org, but we give all of our reports away for free to hundreds of other news organizations.
We are excited to start sharing our reports in audio form and you can find them wherever you get your podcasts!
Wisconsin Watch on social media
Episodes
-
Wisconsin’s Medicaid postpartum protection lags most of the country
March 26th, 2024 | 18 mins 27 secs
health care, medicaid, news, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Wisconsin doctors say the state could help save lives by extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year, as many states offer. But the Legislature again blocked an extension.
-
In fight over voter rolls, Wisconsin’s top judges can’t agree on sensitive data
March 11th, 2024 | 17 mins 30 secs
election, news, statehouse, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
An unusual split in two Court of Appeals districts highlights growing partisan division in the judiciary.
-
10 guards, 900 inmates: Wisconsin prisons see dire results of ignored warnings
February 12th, 2024 | 15 mins 55 secs
news, prison, waupun correctional institution, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
An extreme shortage of guards at Wisconsin’s prisons slowed basic operations to a crawl. Inmates escaped, prisons locked down and conditions deteriorated.
-
A Grand Chute police recruit alleged she was sexually assaulted. Days later she lost her job.
November 9th, 2023 | 24 mins 52 secs
grand chute, marsy's law, new news lab, news, sheboygan, sheboygan police department, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
The department didn’t seek outside investigation for case involving its own employee, yet invoked “victim rights” laws to resist disclosing details of the incident involving two other police recruits
-
Sheboygan recruit accused of sex assault had potential red flag
November 9th, 2023 | 6 mins 29 secs
grand chute, marsy's law, new news lab, news, sheboygan, sheboygan police department, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Members of civilian oversight board that approved hiring later said senior officers had withheld key information from police commission
-
PayPal shielded donors who gave to Wisconsin-based health misinformation outlet
November 1st, 2023 | 10 mins 9 secs
misinformation, news, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Joining the nation’s largest investment firms, PayPal Charitable Giving Fund funneled anonymous donations to Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance as well as other anti-vaccine and hate groups.
-
Oshkosh police cite ‘Marsy’s Law’ to withhold names of officers who shot suspects
October 4th, 2023 | 22 mins 6 secs
marsy's law, news, oshkosh, police, statehouse, victims' rights, winnebago county, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Some police agencies across the country have used the voter-approved constitutional amendment that broadens victim privacy to shield officers who use force.
-
Wisconsin’s ‘death grip with alcohol’ is killing more residents
October 4th, 2023 | 15 mins 58 secs
alcohol, news, unhealthy wisconsin, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Excessive alcohol use is taking a heavy toll in a state that celebrates its drinking culture.
-
How alcoholism derailed former Wisconsin running back Montee Ball’s football career
October 4th, 2023 | 6 mins 18 secs
alcohol, news, unhealthy wisconsin, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
The former Badger offers a cautionary tale to University of Wisconsin-Madison students about the dangers of booze.
-
Hot pursuit: Milwaukee police chases now top 1,000 per year. Some prove deadly.
September 14th, 2023 | 17 mins 24 secs
milwaukee police department, news, news414 / noticias414, police, transportation, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Milwaukee sees a surge in police pursuits in years since loosening policy to target reckless drivers. Critics say the trend makes streets more dangerous.
-
AI is starting to affect our elections. Wisconsin has yet to take action.
September 14th, 2023 | 13 mins 35 secs
2024 election, artificial intelligence, democracy, elections, news, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Heading into the 2024 election, Wisconsin faces a new challenge state lawmakers here have so far failed to address: generative artificial intelligence. The state of Washington required political ads to disclose if they use artificial intelligence while others banned deepfake technology in the runup to an election.
-
JusticePoint offers incarceration alternatives in Milwaukee. Two judges tried to cancel its contract.
August 30th, 2023 | 16 mins 24 secs
milwaukee, milwaukee municipal court, milwaukee neighborhood news service, news, news414 / noticias414, the appeal, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Municipal Court officials refuse to comment on efforts to cancel JusticePoint’s contract without lining up an alternative provider. A legal ruling allows the services to continue — for now.
-
Misinformation, Disinformation: A guide to sorting fiction from reality
August 30th, 2023 | 16 mins 1 sec
disinformation, misinformation, news, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Social media and deceptive actors are allowing falsehood to spread even faster than the truth, but there are ways to inoculate yourself from information disorder.
-
Walmart pulls Milwaukee Tool gloves allegedly made by Chinese prisoners
August 30th, 2023 | 13 mins 8 secs
amazon, home depot, milwaukee tool, news, walmart, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Walmart is no longer selling Milwaukee Tool-branded gloves on its online marketplace — responding to allegations that a subcontractor for the Brookfield, Wisconsin-based tool company relied on forced Chinese prison labor to manufacture certain models of gloves.
-
Wisconsin billionaires quietly bankroll effort to shrink state’s social safety net
August 28th, 2023 | 16 mins 18 secs
insurance, medicaid, news, statehouse, voting, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
A group funded by deep-pocketed GOP donors is pushing to make it harder to vote and to receive unemployment insurance and Medicaid
-
Republican lawmakers reject proposal to help Wisconsin communities access federal grant programs
August 25th, 2023 | 8 mins 16 secs
grants, news, statehouse, tony evers, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Gov. Tony Evers signs a budget that excludes his plan to help staff-strapped local governments track and apply for federal infrastructure dollars.