(Beaver Dam) Broadcasting legend and beloved member of the Beaver Dam community Uncle Bill McCollum has passed away. The news was announced by WBEV/Good Karma Brands Founder and Chief Executive Officer Craig Karmazin during the Barn Show on September 5th, 2024. Karmazin says, “Bill was more than just a voice heard on the radio for the last 61 years; he was a pillar of the Dodge County community, a cherished friend, and played a foundational role in what Good Karma Brands has come to represent, both in his humbleness and in how he loved and cared for fans, partners and teammates.”
Uncle Bill began his radio career in Beaver Dam in July of 1963. Ten years later, he joined the late John Moser on the WBEV Morning Show and the pair’s friendship quickly grew both on-air and off. They co-hosted the program together until 2016 when McCollum stepped away for health reasons.
In 1974, the Barn Show with Uncle Bill hit the airwaves and became a staple for polka-enthusiasts far and wide, playing polka music and entertaining fans across Dodge County. Uncle Bill hosted the Barn Show until his passing in September 2024, making the Barn Show the longest running program in Beaver Dam’s radio history. McCollum was also the top biller in the sales department of the radio station for 50 years, growing close relationships and lasting friendships with his partners.
WBEV and 1430 ESPN Station Manager Sheri Sackett says there are no words to describe the impact Bill made on all of us here at Good Karma Brands – and in the community, adding that he constantly worked for what was best for his fans, partners and teammates. Sackett says Uncle Bill’s legacy is truly special and we could not be more grateful for having him with us for over 60 years here at WBEV. She notes that we will be spending a lot of time celebrating Bill in the coming days.
Beyond his talents as a radio announcer and marketing consultant, Uncle Bill had a gift of making each listener feel like a close friend. His audience would welcome him into their homes by tuning their radio dials to either 95.3 or 1430 and listened as Uncle Bill informed, entertained, and brightened their days. During his last broadcast on the Morning Show in 2016, fans called in for 90 minutes to wish him well and tell him about the positive impact his show had on their lives.
Both Uncle Bill and John Moser were inducted as 2020 WBA Local Broadcast Legends. The award was established in 2015 as a way to honor individuals who work behind the scenes, exemplify localism, and fulfill the commitment broadcasters have to serve their communities. Uncle Bill’s incredible career was also celebrated in 2017 when Stoddart Street, which runs for about two blocks in front of the radio station, was renamed Bill McCollum Way.
Click here to take a look back on Uncle Bill’s career.
