About Us

Discover Wisconsin is a weekly non-fictional television program which encourages tourism in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and features profiles of cities, events and tourist attractions throughout the state. The program is billed as the longest running tourism TV show in the United States, winning 20 National Telly Awards, and 9 Emmy nominations, with an Emmy win in 2012 for the 25th Anniversary Special. 

Created by Dick Rose in 1986 and premiering its first episode in 1987, the show has expanded over the years and has been on the forefront of adapting to new technology and viewership platforms (see the timeline for more details). Discover Wisconsin reaches more than 900,000 viewers through a combination of network, cable and satellite stations, and through its digital presence across various platforms including Roku, AppleTV, FireTV, and YouTube.

TIMELINE

1986

Northwoods fishing guide Dick Rose, hotelier Chuck Thompson and future governor of Wisconsin Tommy Thompson were fishing the lakes of Vilas County when the trio imagined a TV show that would showcase Wisconsin’s many great vacation treasures.

1987

The first episode of Discover Wisconsin is filmed in Vilas County.

1988

Pilot episode of Discover Wisconsin premieres with Dick Rose and Susan Shannon as hosts. Discover Wisconsin is born!

1992

Discover Wisconsin Radio launches with Peter Dake as host.

1993

Stephanie Klett joins as co-host alongside Dick Rose.

1994

Dick Rose’s last episode—featuring the Apostle Islands—premieres before his passing on August 14, 1994. Second generation of Rose Family takes the helm, establishes annual “Celebrate Life Day” on August 14.

1995

Rick Rose joins Discover Wisconsin as co-host.

1996

First edition of Discover Wisconsin Magazine goes to print.

1996

DW goes digital: www.discoverwisconsin.com launches.

2003

Discover Wisconsin’s parent company becomes Discover Mediaworks.

2004

Discover Mediaworks moves its production facility to Madison.

2009

Discover Wisconsin joins Facebook.

2011

Emmy Fink begins hosting.

2012

Discover Wisconsin wins a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award.

2013

Mariah Haberman joins as co-host and brand manager alongside Eric Paulsen and Collin Geraghty as co-hosts.

2014

Jake Zimmermann joins as a co-host.

2016

Official e-commerce line is unveiled. Discover Wisconsin hits 100k followers on Facebook.

2017

The show joins world of online streaming with debut on Roku. Marie Justice joins as a co-host. Crew officially films in its 72nd county of Wisconsin: Pepin County.

2018

Discover Wisconsin premieres its 500th episode—featuring Platteville. The show expands its presence on streaming services with addition of AppleTV, Smart TV, Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire.

2019

Jack Taylor joins as a co-host.

2020

The Cabin Podcast launches. Discover Wisconsin hits 100k followers on Instagram.

THE IMAGE GALLERY

ANNIVERSARY YEARS

30th Season Video

25th Season Video

25th Anniversary Limited Edition Book

For 25 years, Discover Wisconsin has introduced television viewers to odd, interesting, delicious and delightful destinations and attractions throughout the Badger State. And now, to celebrate the first quarter-century of what has become the nation's longest running tourism TV program, the team of storytellers at Discover Mediaworks has recreated the show in book form.

What makes Wisconsin - Wisconsin? That's the question this book was designed to answer. Doing so takes readers to every corner of the state to discover the places, flavors, and people that make up this hard to describe, yet impossible to forget, gem of a destination
This book is currently out of stock.

20th Season special episode

Dick Rose’s Classic Shore Lunch Recipe

Ingredients:

  • One pound of thick-cut bacon (per person)
  • A loaf or two of homestyle white bread
  • At least one pound of butter
  • An egg or two
  • A box of corn meal
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Lemon wedges
  • A great melting cheese like Monterey Jack (or a nice Wisconsin Pepper Jack if you can handle it)
  • Fresh filets from the fish you just caught (any species will do)

Directions:

 

Place the biggest, thickest-bottomed cast iron pan you can find over an open fire. Heat the pan well and cook all the bacon you’ve got to make well-buttered white bread and bacon sandwiches. After all, it’s going to take a while to cook the fish, and what’s better than bacon for a little pre-lunch munch? Some like to toast the buttered white bread in the bacon fat, some like it without. You make the call.

 

After removing the bacon for the sandwiches, add a stick or two of butter to get a nice level of fat and butter in the pan for frying the fish. Beat the eggs, dip the prepared fish filets in the egg wash, then roll/coat them with a mixture of corn meal, salt and pepper (and any other spices you care to add).

 

Place the fish into the pan and cook until one side is a crispy golden brown. Turn the fish and give the same treatment to the other side. For a little extra Wisconsin goodness, top with cheese and let it melt. To finish, squeeze a little fresh lemon to taste.

 

How many does it serve? Depends on the number of fish you caught. But don’t worry about getting skunked, this recipe’s bacon sandwiches are an entire meal in their own right. Wash it all down with your favorite Wisconsin brew – and never, ever tell your wife you ate this.

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