By Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist Published Aug 19, 2013 at 3:06 PM

For the past 13 years, Wendy Strong brought the Business Journal to television viewers, serving as a multi-media reporter and appearing on WITI-TV Fox 6. Now it is time for her to move on.

"I got the chance to work for two very good companies," Strong said. "While I worked for the Business Journal … Fox 6 treated me like one of their own."

As part of a partnership, Strong at first spent most of her time at the station, and she told me that in those early days of learning new skills, that the floor crew at WITI would run through the teleprompter during the breaks, so she could get in some practice before going on the air.

"When I was at Channel 4 (before going to the Business Journal), I was a producer and mostly behind the scenes," she said. "I’ve done cut-ins before, but much of this was new."

Through the years, a camera was placed in the Business Journal newsroom, and through this most recent change, her position was eliminated.

"She did a great job for us and got us out there," said Business Journal publisher Mark Sabljak. "This business is changing rapidly. Our reporters are prepped, and have been coached to go on. … We still have a strong partnership with Fox 6."

Sabljak said that different reporters have been rotating every day while participating in the newscasts on WITI. That way, if there is a follow-up question, they are able to rely on what they’ve learned while working their beat. They can show their expertise for the area they are reporting on.

"I was hired 13 years ago to be their TV reporter," Strong said. "And that has evolved over the years."

Strong said that she did more writing in recent years, as the focus of the business changed, and she was proud of the fact that she was able to grow from that spot as the Business Journal refreshed its presence in the community.

"It’s bittersweet. As hard as it is, I’m really excited to reinvent Wendy," she said.

Strong said that her favorite stories to cover involved small businesses in the area.

"Those were amazing stories that need to be told. Here they come up with an idea and are tirelessly working to make something great … and I got to write those stories," she said.

"I made so many friends, and they make me a better person."

Strong doesn’t have any immediate plans to leave the area, but it depends on what she finds.

"It was an opportunity to do a lot of different things, to learn different skills. I’ve become a great writer, and a better public speaker. I’m looking forward to doing something new with those new skills," she said.

LOCAL PROGRAMMING: WMSE-FM 91.7 announced today that it is expanding its mid-day offerings with more local programs around the arts and culture scene in and around Milwaukee.

"We found ourselves believing that the Milwaukee arts and culture community needed a new forum for discussion, a new voice," said station manager Tom Crawford.

"(We wanted) a voice that taps into the arts community, but with an editorial platform to expand individual voices into something collectively greater for the city. Who better to put that voice on the radio than us?"

The new expanded shows include:

Monday, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: "The Wild Wild Midwest Variety Show" with hosts Ella Dwyer and Makeal Flammini.

"The Wild Wild Midwest Variety Show" is an hour-long program that discusses the arts with a grain of salt and a sense of humor.

Tuesday, noon-12:30 p.m.: "No Revisions" with hosts from the Milwaukee Magazine staff.

What happens when you over caffeinate a few city magazine editors and replace their delete keys with microphones? The voices of Milwaukee Magazine come off the pages and onto the airwaves, reflecting and dissecting the personalities, stories and issues of the city we call home.

Wednesday, noon-12:30 p.m.: "The Disclaimer" with hosts Ryan Schleicher, Evan Rytlewski (Shepherd Express), Matt Wild (AV Club).

"The Disclaimer," featuring three guys employed by three independent Milwaukee media institutions, has aired since the summer of 2012 and is one of the driving forces behind WMSE’s expanded mid-day programming.

Thursday, noon-12:30 p.m.: "The Tiny Film Invasion" with hosts Angela Catalano and Blyth Meier.

"The Tiny Film Invasion" is your weekly dose of American & International independent film talk.

Friday, noon–12:30 p.m.: "Art City" with hosts Mary Louse Schumacher, Stacy Williams-Ng.

"Art City" on WMSE will tap into candid dialogue that will both celebrate and question the ways in which Milwaukee aspires to be an "art city."

BUSINESS AND TAXES: Fox Business Network’s Rich Edson will interview Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, and Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., on Tuesday at 10 a.m. about tax reform and what’s ahead for the economy.

Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist

Media is bombarding us everywhere.

Instead of sheltering his brain from the onslaught, Steve embraces the news stories, entertainment, billboards, blogs, talk shows and everything in between.

The former writer, editor and producer in TV, radio, Web and newspapers, will be talking about what media does in our community and how it shapes who we are and what we do.