Michiguide.com: Michigan's Guide to Radio and Television Broadcasting

WHNE-LD Flint, a digital low power TV station, recently started regular operations from a broadcast tower near Holly, providing over-the-air service to television viewers in northern Oakland County and in the Flint area.

The station is now on the air 24/7 on channel 26 with directional lobes toward Flint and the south and southeast toward the Metro Detroit area. WHNE-LD would likely have better coverage in metro Detroit if not for a low powered TV station that is currently operating on Channel 26 in Windsor, ON. The station has applied to move to Channel 20 and change its broadcast location to Oak Park - if approved and constructed, WHNE-LD would then enjoy greatly improved reception across much of the metro Detroit area for viewers with antennas.

WHNE-LD currently offers 4 digital subchannels, with plans for a 5th: Retro TV (RTV) on 26.1; Jewelry TV 26.2; America One TV 26.3; Tuff TV 26.4; with Classic TV planned for 26.5.

WJR and Salvation Army set February 24th as date for annual Radiothon

The 25th Annual Salvation Army Bed & Bread Club Radiothon will take place on Friday February 24th from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. from Oakland Mall in Troy. Newstalk WJR AM 760 will broadcast the event for the second year - and welcome back longtime host Dick Purtan who retired several months after the 2010 event.

Purtan is scheduled to join WJR hosts Paul W. Smith, Frank Beckmann, and Mitch Albom to help raise money in support of the Salvation Army's Bed and Bread program that serves nearly 5,000 meals to children, adults, and seniors and shelters 570 people every day and night of the year.

Last year's Radiothon tallied $1,546,584 in pledges.

MLive.com:

President Barack Obama says the recovery of Detroit automakers proves that America has the talent and wherewithal to remain an international leader in manufacturing. Obama, who is scheduled to speak later this morning at the University of Michigan, appeared as a guest this morning on WJR-AM 760, where he discussed rising college costs and the auto industry with host Paul W. Smith.

Full story: President Barack Obama talks auto recovery, tuition costs, UM-MSU rivalry on Detroit radio (Fri, 1/27)

Gov. Rick Snyder met with a crowd of Wayne State University students and faculty on Thursday during a taping of "Leaders on Leadership" at Detroit Public Television.

Full story: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder quizzed by WSU students during show taping (Fri, 1/27)

Grand Rapids Press:

Doug Wentworth's smooth and reassuring voice heightened for a moment, saying, "It's a swisheroo for two by Barry Capel." That's all I needed to hear. Finally, the restlessness buzzing through my fevered 8-year-old body eased. I exhaled and sighed in relief.

Full story: Legendary football, basketball radio announcer Doug Wentworth hanging up mic after 50 years, maybe (Thu, 1/26)

Central Michigan Life:

After Michigan State University merged its public broadcasting services with the College of Communication Arts and Sciences last summer, some broadcasting professors have expressed concerns about competition in the mid-Michigan area. The merger, which happened last July, has given many competitive advantages to MSU, including the capability of paying their employees at broadcast stations WKAR-TV and Radio.

Some members of the CMU school of broadcast and cinematic arts believe they could be at a disadvantage from a recruiting standpoint, as more MSU students now have access to better facilities and opportunities.

Full story: Broadcasting department expresses concern after MSU merges broadcast, radio (Thu, 1/26)

Detroit News:

When J.J. Johnson and Lynne Woodison were let go from their morning show at WCSX (94.7-FM), one of their pet projects was abandoned.

Full story: Radio station revives Stone Soup charity effort (Thu, 1/26)

MLive.com:

President Barack Obama, who is expected to spend tonight in Metro Detroit before a morning speech at the University of Michigan, is scheduled to appear tomorrow as a guest on WJR-AM 760.

Full story: President Barack Obama scheduled to appear on WJR-AM 760 tomorrow morning in Detroit (Thu, 1/26)

WXYZ-TV Ch. 7 adds awards to its Detroit 2020 campaign

WXYZ-TV is has announced the inaugural Detroit 2020 Awards as part of the station's ongoing Detroit 2020 campaign. The awards will honor those that exemplify Detroit 2020's motto of "Unify. Inspire. Act."

Viewers are encouraged to nominate people or organizations by going to Detroit2020.com before the March 2nd deadline.

The station plans to give out three awards: A "Unify" award, which will honor an individual or organization that has worked to bring the community and people closer together in 2011; An "Inspire" award, which will honor an individual or organization that worked to motivate the community to accomplish great things in 2011; An "Act" award, which will honor an individual or organization that has made a demonstrable impact and made a difference in 2011.

"WXYZ is excited to recognize the work of those making a profound difference in our community," said Ed Fernandez, WXYZ-TV Vice President and General Manager. "With the inaugural Detroit 2020 Awards, we will honor three people and/or organizations that share our goals to unify, inspire and act."

The Detroit 2020 Awards ceremony will be held in the spring of 2012 with winners being provided cash awards to help further their efforts.

WYCD-FM 99.5 Detroit picks up two Academy of Country Music Broadcast Award nominations

CBS Radio country WYCD-FM 99.5 has been recognized by the Academy of Country Music with nominations in two categories: Major Market Station of the Year and Major Market On-Air Personality Of The Year for the station's afternoon drivers, Chuck Edwards and Linda Lee.

The ACM Awards show is scheduled to be broadcast live on CBS Television on Sunday April 1st at 8 p.m. Eastern from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Radio-Info.com:

Paul Longuski joins country WSSL Greenville, S.C., for afternoons effective Feb. 14, when he will be given a new on-air name. He arrives from Cumulus/Grand Rapids, Mich., where his primary job was the lead on WTNR (Thunder Country 94.5's) morning show.

Full story: New P.M. Driver For WSSL Greenville (Wed, 1/25)

Broadcasting & Cable:

Eight Young Broadcasting stations have agreed to affiliate with ABC's Live Well Network, with the rollout starting Jan. 30. WKRN Nashville, WRIC Richmond, WTEN Albany, WATE Knoxville, WBAY Green Bay, KELO Sioux Falls, WLNS Lansing and KLFY Lafayette (La.) bring the Live Well Network's overall market clearance to more than 58% of U.S. television households.

Full story: Young Broadcasting Stations Look to Live Well (Tue, 1/24)

Grand Rapids' Christian WCSG-FM 91.3 gains Lansing-area coverage

Educational Media Foundation FM translator W237BY 95.3 Mason/Lansing is reported as having switched from rebroadcasting that company's "Air One" contemporary Christian format to a rebroadcast of Cornerstone University's mainstream Christian WCSG-FM 91.3.

Michigan broadcast student award winners announced

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) has revealed the names of its 2012 student broadcasting award winners. A complete list of the 2012 honorees can be found on the MAB web site.

Muskegon Chronicle:

WBLV-FM (90.3) radio host Foley Schuler will present a free, three-part lecture series, "Cities of the Imagination," on the last Tuesdays of January (the 31st), February (28th) and March (27th) at the Nuveen Community Center for the Arts, 8697 Ferry, Montague.

Full story: WBLV radio host Foley Schuler to speak on 'Cities of the Imagination' (Wed, 1/25)

WTVS Ch. 56 Detroit to re-air award-winning documentary

Detroit Public Television, WTVS-TV Ch. 56 Detroit, is scheduled to rebroadcast its documentary movie "Beyond the Light Switch" in two parts. The first half will air tonight at 10 p.m. with the second half scheduled for next Wednesday, February 1st, also at 10 p.m.

The program explores the controversy of the status of the current infrastructure used to create and distribute electricity across the United States. The film won the Alfred I. DuPont/Columbia University Award last year and has aired nationally on PBS affiliates.

In an interesting marketing move, ABC affiliate WOTV-TV Channel 41 Battle Creek has decided to heavily target itself at women, branding itself as "WOTV 4 Women".

The Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek television market is relatively unique in that it features two full-powered ABC over-the-air affiliates, one that essentially serves the northern and western portions in WZZM-TV Channel 13 and another that serves the southern tier of counties in WOTV (which calls itself Channel 4 due its dial position on many of the areas cable systems). WOTV is co-owned by LIN Media with the market's NBC affiliate, WOOD-TV Channel 8.

From the station's announcement:
 
 
 

WOTV 4 Women is a new ABC station for West Michigan woman by West Michigan Women. Now you can catch all of your favorite ABC shows like, "The Bachelor", "The Chew, "Modern Family" and "The Revolution" while getting great information from women just like you!

There is no other local television station like it! WOTV 4 Women features great on-air tips from West Michigan women in a variety of categories. From food to finance and family, WOTV 4 Women has information every West Michigan woman needs to know.

Want to find out how to make a power smoothie that will give you the energy you need to get through your day? Looking for information on how to relax and find your zen after a long day of work and family? WOTV 4 Women is a station dedicated to getting you quick and easy tips to make your life a little bit easier.

WOTV 4 Women launches on Monday January 30th, 2012. Be sure to come back and check out our new website that will feature great tips from our experts, celebrity interviews with your favorite ABC stars and so much more!

With the vast majority of television viewers receiving local broadcast stations via cable or satellite, the difference in on-air coverage area between WOTV and WZZM isn't nearly as large of a factor as it once used to be in terms of potential audience reach. WOTV's new approach of targeting only women is an interesting attempt at differentiating itself from WZZM and possibly trying to change viewing habits. WOTV will have an advantage over WZZM during this marketing change as it can advertise on a "rival" network, also catching NBC viewers on sister station WOOD-TV.

Detroit News:

It seems to me like we've had a mild winter, but that's a relative term. It's not that balmy when your house doesn't have heat. That's where THAW comes in, where American Coney Island comes in, and where I show up, too, at 11 a.m. today. THAW, the Heat and Warmth Fund, helped keep the furnace burning for 12,000 Michigan households in 2010-11. CEO Susan Sherer expects that number to jump this year, even as temperatures do the same.

Full story: Buy a coney, help THAW (Tue, 1/24)

WDIV-TV Ch. 4 Detroit:

Radio station 94.7 will raise money for the Children's Miracle Network by bringing back the Stone Soup Project to Detroit. The project, named after the childhood fable which tells the story of a community coming together to each add something to a soup pot, relies on the efforts of local business and listeners to help rebuild a classic car from the ground up.

Full story: Detroit-area radio station 94.7 rebuilds classic car for charity (Mon, 1/23)

Green Bay Press-Gazette:

Jim Irwin, 77, who was the radio voice of the Green Bay Packers from 1969 to 1998, died Sunday. His wife Gloria picked up the phone, unprompted, and called the Green Bay Press-Gazette on Monday. "Green Bay was such an important part of our lives, I just kind of wanted to make it a more personal story for the readers," she said, her voice quivering. The last 24 hours left Gloria drained after watching Jim succumb to metastatic cancer in hospice.

Full story: Former Packers radio announcer Jim Irwin dies at 77 (Mon, 1/23)

AllAccess.com:

MACDONALD BROADCASTING Country WKCQ (98KCQ)/SAGINAW, MI weekend overnight personality MARTIN ANTHONY has resigned to pursue part-time opportunities closer to home (metro DETROIT) or full-time positions anywhere in MICHIGAN.

Full story: Martin Anthony Leaves WKCQ (Mon, 1/23)

TVNewsCheck:

Meredith Corp. (owner of CBS affiliate WNEM-TV Ch. 5 Bay City) today reported that fiscal 2012 second quarter Local Media Group operating profit was $27 million, compared to $39 million in the year-ago period. Total revenues were $84 million, compared to $97 million, a 13.5% drop.

Full story: Meredith local media revenue down 13.5% (Tue, 1/24)

Detroit News:

Don't be surprised if around 6 Monday night on WXYT 97.1, you hear a big, bellowing "Happy NEW YEAR!" A little late, sure. But it's never stopped him before. Bob Wojnowski, AKA Wojo, is set to return to Metro Detroit radio. The two-hour, drive-time show will be co-hosted by Jamie Samuelson.

Full story: He's back! Wojo returns to Detroit radio tonight (Mon, 1/23)

Saginaw News:

The phone rang, and after a slow, easy exchange of greetings, the very familiar voice on the other end of the line said, "This is Garrison Keillor." After more than three decades of "A Prairie Home Companion," minus a short intermission in the late 1980s when the folksy storyteller thought there were better things to pursue, the introduction was hardly necessary.

Full story: Garrison Keillor makes a welcome return (Mon, 1/23)