October 2007 Archives

WXYT-FM/AM “Detroit’s Sports Powerhouse” to carry live programming and sports coverage 24 hours/day including broadcasts of Lions football, Red Wings hockey, Tigers baseball and University of Michigan sports

CBS Radio/Detroit today ended the hot talk format on what was WKRK-FM 97.1 and announced the launch of a new sports formatted radio station that the company says will feature a diverse mix of personalities and offer a unique perspective on Detroit sports. FM 97.1 will take on the new call sign WXYT-FM and will likely launch a new web site at detroitsportspowerhouse.com in the coming days.

Programming highlights of the station, to be simulcast on WXYT-AM 1270, includes coverage of the Detroit Lions, Red Wings, Tigers, and University of Michigan sports, as well as contributions from local experts and commentators. U-M football will remain on sister station Oldies WOMC-FM 104.3.

The switch was made during what used the be the time slot for Deminski and Doyle on 97.1 at 3:00 p.m. and kicked-off its new programming with 'Sports Inferno' personalities Mike Valenti and Terry Foster.

Deminski and Doyle will move from afternoon drive and make their debut in mornings beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 6-10 a.m. The duo has enjoyed great success on the Detroit afternoon drive airwaves for the past eight years and survive the format change, putting an end to rumors that the pair were leaving the station.

“We are extremely excited about the transformation our station is presently undergoing and excitedly predict continued success for Deminski & Doyle in their new timeslot,” said Kevin Murphy, vice president and general manager of the two stations. “The new WXYT-FM will bring a fresh, innovative and exciting sound to sports radio in Detroit, this year’s No. 1-rated sports market in the country by Sporting News Magazine.”

WXYT-FM/AM will continue to offer The Big Show featuring Scott “The Gator” Anderson and co-host Doug Karsch weekdays 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m, followed by The Sports Inferno.

“Our line-up is a dream team of radio talent. We have the best sports personalities in Mike Valenti, Terry Foster, Doug Karsch, and Scott Anderson, combined with the exceptional talent of Deminski and Doyle in the morning. Add in the Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings and you have a powerhouse station like no other in Detroit,” said Dan Zampillo, program director of the new WXYT-FM/AM.

WXYT’s New Weekday Schedule (all times ET):
-- Deminski & Doyle (6-10 a.m.) with Jeff Deminski & Bill Doyle
-- The Big Show (10 a.m - 2 p.m.) with Scott Anderson & Doug Karsch
-- The Sports Inferno (2-6 p.m.) with Mike Valenti & Terry Foster
-- The Book on Sports (6 - 10 p.m.) with Pat Caputo
-- Dennis Fithian (10 p.m. - 2 a.m.)

WXYT’s Featured Experts include former Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman, former Pistons coach Chuck Daly, former Lions player Chris Spielman, ESPN basketball insider Steve Phillips and Pistons insider A. Sherrod Blakely.

There are many shows that will no longer be heard on 97.1 and 1270 with today's consolidation of programming including the syndicated Opie and Anthony morning program previously heard on FM 97.1 as well as ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike which had been in morning drive on AM 1270. Also off the air are the staff of Motor City Middays which included Jay Towers, Bill McAllister and Shila, and mid-morning host Johnny D along with a number of other syndicated shows formerly heard late nights and weekends on FM 97.1.

Kevin Murphy told Crain's Detroit Business that former WKRK-FM program director Craig Schwalb remains with the company but is no longer overseeing 97.1.

Future uncertain for new WXYT-FM morning hosts

During today's broadcast, new WXYT-FM 97.1 morning hosts Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle revealed that they have not signed a new contract with CBS Radio/Detroit and that they are still negotiating for a new agreement. Their current contract with the company runs through the end of 2007.

Deminski and Doyle had been the afternoon drive hosts for what was hot talk WKRK-FM on 97.1 for eight years prior to the station changing to sports yesterday. The duo found out about their move to mornings on Friday after management announced that they would not be going on the air that day and instead aired a 'best of' program. The show that aired this morning was a 'normal' D&D program, not at all focused on sports which is the direction the station has taken with yesterday's changes.

AllAccess.com:

WYCD Promotes Mike Scott To APD/MD
CBS RADIO Country WYCD/DETROIT has promoted long-time midday personality MIKE SCOTT to APD/MD. In addition to his new duties, MIKE will continue hosting his midday shift. The appointment will take effect immediately. SCOTT has been with WYCD for eight years. (Mon, 10/1)

Detroit News:

The demise of CBS Radio's "Free FM" talk format continued with Monday's announcement that WKRK-FM (97.1) was dumping Free FM to become "Detroit's Sports Powerhouse," simulcasting WXYT-AM (1270) sports programming. WXYT-FM will carry the Detroit Lions, as well as the Red Wings, Tigers and University of Michigan sports (except for U-M football, which will continue to air on CBS-owned WOMC-FM, 104.3) to be simulcast on the AM station. The WKRK call letters are history and the station is now known as WXYT-FM... New WXYT-FM goes to all-sports programming (Tue, 10/2)

Grace Gilchrist, who has guided WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) as the station's vice president and general manager for more than a decade, plans to retire by the end of the year. Gilchrist's retirement, which she announced to the staff late last week, will cap a long and successful career in television station management and advertising sales. The Detroit native has served as WXYZ's vice president and general manager for 13 years, earning the distinction as the station's longest-serving chief executive... WXYZ-TV general manager to retire (Tue, 10/2)

Detroit Free Press:

Two CBS-owned radio stations merged Monday, simulcasting sports talk. WXYT-AM (1270) and WKRK-FM (97.1) became WXYT-AM and FM at 3 p.m. There will be one basic exception to the otherwise all-sports lineup. The new morning show on both stations will be WKRK's successful non-sports talk afternoon drive show with Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle. The other WKRK voices -- syndicated morning show Opie & Anthony, talker Johnny D., longtime Detroit radio voice Jay Towers, Lila and Bill McAllister billed as "Motor City Middays" and syndicated pundit Bill O'Reilly -- were not retained. The station's vice-president and general manager Kevin Murphy said he could not be specific about their fates because it was a personnel matter. Some could be placed with other CBS stations... WKRK and WXYT merge to simulcast sports talk (Tue, 10/2)

The Oakland Press:

Local talk radio station to amp up sports content

By Art Vuolo

As more sports programming and play-by-play action swings from AM radio over to the FM band, CBS Radio has done exactly that with changes that kicked off this week when talk radio WKRK-FM (97.1) became “Detroit’s Sports Powerhouse” ... Insiders reported that popular afternoon duo Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle — D&D — already had cleaned out their office when they reportedly could not come to terms over money and their contract with the station. Yet, in last minute talks, something was agreed upon in the eleventh hour as on Monday morning, D&D showed up, replacing the syndicated Opie & Anthony Show from New York.

Mid-Michigan rocks

Active Rock WWBN-FM 101.5 Flint and Rock WJXQ-FM 106.1 Jackson/Lansing each won Station of the Year awards from Radio and Records during the magazine's convention last week.

Both Banana 101.5 and Q106 won for markets 101+ in their respective categories.

The Van takes an alternate route

WYVN-FM 92.7 Holland has adjusted its format from classic hits to oldies, repositioning from "Holland's Classic Hits" to "Holland's Greatest Hits". The station is owned by Midwest Communications.

Grand Rapids Press:

Mario Impemba and Rod Allen bristle at the notion that the Detroit Tigers' season was a disappointment. The FSN Detroit broadcast partners say the Tigers might have been victims of high expectations established after their memorable run to the World Series in 2006. While the Tigers may have finished eight games behind the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central Division this season, there is no reason to deem Detroit a failure... Tigers broadcast tandem call it a season (Mon, 10/1)

Muskegon Fury and Synergy Broadcast Group complete three-year radio deal

Set to embark on a new frontier with the second coming of the International Hockey League for the rapidly-approaching 2007-08 season, the Muskegon Fury will set sail on their IHL maiden voyage with a new partner alongside them with the forging of a brand new, all-new radio agreement. Through this new arrangement, the Fury will have a new radio place to call home for all of their game broadcasts as well as a daily update report. The Muskegon Fury and Synergy Broadcast Group have announced the completion of a three-year contract deal that will make West Michigan’s WWKR-FM 94.1 the new radio flagship home for all of the Fury’s live play-by-play broadcasts. Moreover, also included in the new contractual agreement, the daily “Fury Daily Update” will be heard on WWKR-FM 94.1 Monday through Friday at 5:20 pm while the “Fury Hotline Radio Show” will remain on 94 K-Rock as that program commences for an unprecedented 13th consecutive year and second straight year on WWKR-FM 94.1... Furyhockey.com Press Release

What's the buzz? There's a bit less of it on AM at night

There are numerous reports that Citadel Broadcasting has stopped operating all of its AM stations in high-definition (HD) during nighttime hours, at least temporarily, to work out concerns with increased interference. The reports state that iBiquity, the company behind the implementation of In-Band-On-Channel HD radio in the United States, has been summoned to help develop a way to reduce adjacent-channel interference that has caused concern about the coverage area of stations like WJR (760) locally and other powerhouses like WABC New York (770) and WSB Atlanta (750).

Detroit Free Press:

A contest by WKQI-FM (95.5) radio DJ Big Boy offering a $1,000 prize for guessing when Britney Spears will commit suicide after she temporarily loses custody of her children today was taken down late Wednesday morning. Big Boy's 95.5 personal page had asked, "When will Britney end it?" ... DJs on the station's "Mojo in the Morning" show apologized on Big Boy's behalf placing the blame on program director Dom Theodore for the poll's idea... 95.5 stops Britney suicide watch stunt (Wed, 10/3)

Starting: On the air weeknights from 6-10 p.m. and Saturdays from 2-6 p.m., Big Greg on urban WHTD-FM (102.7) effective today. He joins the Radio One-owned outlet from a Radio One station in Cincinnati. Current nighttime personality Keith Jones will move to 2-6 a.m. weekdays. That slot was left open when DJ Zap moved to Radio One Detroit sister station WDMK-FM (105.9)... Names and Faces (Wed, 10/3)

• Talk WPIQ-FM Mansitique has been granted a construction permit to change frequency from 99.9 to 92.7. The station's effective radiated power will remain basically unchanged (6,000 watts @ 157 feet).

• WCUZ-FM Bear Lake has applied to change frequency from 100.1 to 100.7 and increase its effective radiated power from its currently licensed 3,000 watts @ 328 feet (Class A) to 25,000 watts @ 328 feet directional (Class C3) from a location near Thompsonville in Benzie County. The 100.7 frequency in northwest Michigan was previously occupied by WSRJ-FM; that station recently moved to FM 105.5.

• Classic Rock WGFM-FM 105.1 Cheboygan has been granted a construction permit to change its effective radiated power from 100,000 watts @ 610 feet to 43,000 watts @ 968 feet and relocate its transmitter from central Cheboygan county to the southeast part of Charlevoix county. The changes will effectively shift the station's coverage area southwest.

• A license was granted to the following new FM translator: W225AV 92.9 Bessemer (WRVM, Inc).

• Northern Radio has switched the feed for its translator on 95.3 FM (W237DA) licensed to Boyne City from classic hits WFDX-FM 92.5 Atlanta to soft rock WSRT-FM 106.7 Gaylord.

WLUC-TV:

The 2007 TV6 Canathon marks a milestone for the event as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary. The TV6 Canathon has had an enormous impact on the community since the event began back in 1982. At that time the Marquette County Food pantries found an increased need for assistance due to lay-offs in the local mining industry. It was proposed by former TV6 News Director Ed Kearney that TV6 organize a local food drive asking residents in the area to donate non-perishable food items. That first effort resulted in 700 pounds of food being donated to the first TV6 Canathon. The annual donations have grown considerably since that first event with the 2006 TV6 Canathon collecting over 144,000 pounds of food ... The 2007 TV6 Canathon officially kicks-off on Monday, November 12, with collection continuing across Upper Michigan through Thursday, December 6. The month-long collection effort wraps up with a one-hour commercial-free special program "live" from TV6 starting at 7:00 p.m./6:00 CT on Thursday, December 6... TV6 Canathon: help feed a hungry neighbor

Leelanau Enterprise:

Television is an integral part of most daily lives today. But it wasn’t always so. In Leelanau, TV isn’t much more than 50 years old. A few area people, did, however, have television sets before the Cadillac station went on the air, followed by Channel 7, which broadcast from the top of “TV Hill” on the county’s southernmost edge. Radio pioneer Les Biederman was the prime mover for the Traverse City station, which subsequently underwent changes in ownership. Before the advent of TV stations 9/10 and 7/4, a tall antenna might be needed to pick up distant stations, and, even then, one might get good sound and a poor picture, or vice versa. Then, on the other hand, if atmospheric conditions were favorable, one might clearly receive the station at Green Bay, Wis., with even a modest antenna. Following the establishment of Cadillac and Traverse City stations, ownership of television sets in the area mushroomed and large advertisements appeared in the Enterprise to entice buyers... TV's county roots date to 1957 (Wed, 10,3)

Detroit News:

Radio stations love edgy stunts and the publicity that ensues, but WKQI-FM, better known as Channel 95.5, might have crossed the line with listeners when its DJ Big Boy announced a "Britney Suicide Watch" contest Tuesday night. "If you can guess the exact day that Britney dies, whether it's from drugs or however she dies, if you're right, we'll give you a thousand bucks," said Big Boy on his 7--11 p.m. show. The troubled pop star lost custody of her two young sons on Monday. After swift and negative reaction, the station pulled the Web page for the Britney stunt by mid-morning Wednesday. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, 95.5 aired a statement by Dom Theodore, operations manager, in which he apologized if anyone was offended by the "content" of Big Boy's show... Britney death watch contest draws fire (Thu, 10/4)

At first, it sounded like an April Fool's joke or piece of radio shtick. WDFN mid-morning host Sean Baligian, along with update reporter Rob Otto, are trying to find alternate names for the station's Lions postgame show. According to the wacky radio guys, the Lions told the station to stop using the words "Detroit Lions." Callers chimed in, coming up with crazy names involving losing and other Lions running jokes. Some might have lost the truth of the situation: The Lions really did tell WDFN to stop using their trademarked brand name for its show. Lions representative Matt Barnhart confirmed the organization told WDFN to stop using their trademarks. Only the flagship station (WXYT 97.1, 1270) can be the team's official postgame show and use the "Detroit Lions" name... WDFN plays as 'Lions' take back name (Thu, 10/4)

Detroit Free Press:

A weeknight disc jockey on WKQI-FM (95.5) starts up a Britney Spears death pool on the station’s Web site. Pick the day the troubled singer commits suicide and win $1,000. Outrageous, right? Not quite. WKQI boss Dom Theodore loves creating a buzz and getting electrons or ink by staging seemingly over-the-top, contrived stunts. Usually they’re banal ---things like posting Web pages that hint of a nonexistent format change. No harm, no foul — usually. Tuesday, nighttime personality Big Boy started the tasteless Spears contest and Wednesday morning, the station’s highly rated "Mojo in the Morning" show keeps the spin machine moving, blaming their boss (Theodore, not Big Boy) for the stunt... Britney death pool? You're being manipulated (Wed, 10/3)

Flint Journal:

Detroit's Free FM (WKRK, 97.1) is now "Detroit's Sports Powerhouse." Owner CBS Radio dropped its talk format for 24-hour sports programming, completing a transition that really started when the FM began broadcasting Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and University of Michigan games a few years back. The station's call letters have changed to WXYT, same as its AM sister (1270). The stations began simulcasting on Monday, with a revamped lineup, including popular afternoon drive hosts Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle moving to mornings, on Tuesday... Another sports radio source can be heard on FM (Fri, 10/5)

Shannyn Caldwell to join WMUZ's Jon Culbert

Christian WMUZ-FM 103.5 has announced that Sannyn Caldwell will join Jon Culbert on Monday morning, Oct. 8th, for the debut of the Culbert and Caldwell Show. The show will air weekdays from 6 - 10 a.m.

"I'm very excited to begin this new chapter of the show," says host Jon Culbert, who's been manning the show solo since the passing of his partner Rhonda Hart, adding "Shannyn brings a lot to the table, I can't wait to get started."

Shannyn Caldwell arrives at the Crawford Broadcasting outlet from Greater Media Detroit where she had served as a member of the air staff at Magic 105.1 and WCSX for the past five years. Her other resume credits include working at WOMC where she held the titles of music director, assistant program director, as well as doing some on-air work. In addition Caldwell was a producer for WLQV AM 1500.

DetroitTigers.com:

And you thought Curtis Granderson's offseason started this week. Instead, his postseason is just beginning. While Tigers fans won't be able to see their team in October, they should be able to see plenty of their talented young center fielder during the playoffs over the next couple weeks. The catch is that he'll be on the other side of the coverage, taking his first plunge into broadcasting as an analyst, starting with Friday's coverage of the American League Division Series on TBS and continuing with League Championship Series coverage on ESPN. Actually, Granderson was already at it on Thursday. He arrived in Atlanta a day early to take a tour of the TBS Sports studios and ended up doing a guest spot on the set of TBS Hot Corner, the online partner to the TBS broadcast coverage. He finished up watching the TBS television crew of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., slugger Frank Thomas and host Ernie Johnson do their work to get an idea of the process... Granderson to join broadcast booth (Fri, 10/5)

Detroit News:

Now that WJBK-TV (Channel 2), WDIV-TV (Channel 4) and WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) have entered the electronic age, it's easier and more fun to hop on the Internet and catch up on Metro Detroit's hottest stories. Of all the local TV sites, WXYZ.com arguably had the best Web coverage of MGM Grand Detroit's casino and hotel opening this week... WXYZ.com beats the competition (Fri, 10/5)

Ann Arbor News:

If you've been wondering where WEMU music director / morning jazz show host Linda Yohn has gone, she's off the air recovering from recent surgery for colon cancer.

She reports that the prognosis is excellent; however, she will be off all this month and most of November recuperating ... On this Saturday's edition of Veteran's Radio, hear Vietnam helicopter pilots tell some of their stories on "Young and Fearless.'' Listen live at 9 a.m. on WDEO (990 A.M.)... On the air: Yohn recovers from surgery (Sun, 10/7)

Detroit Free Press:

Ken Burns' PBS documentary "The War" proved war is hell -- except when it comes to the ratings. WTVS-TV (Channel 56) chief Dan Alpert notes that Detroiters really took to the series with heavenly ratings over the last two weeks. "Detroit Public Television had the second-highest average household rating -- a 4.8 -- among the Nielsen Top 10 people-meter markets," Alpert said. That represents an average of nearly 100,000 homes and 150,000 people watching at any given minute in metro Detroit. Only KQED San Francisco had a higher rating. Detroit was 26% above the 10-market average of 3.8... Detroit 2nd in Nielsen 'War' ranks (Sat, 10/6)

Grand Rapids Press:

What are local television stations doing to take advantage of high-definition TV? It depends who you ask. Janet Mason, president and general manager of WZZM-TV (Channel 13), said the station bought eight HD cameras this year, and eight more will arrive in early 2008. "We are letting viewers vote for the 13th game we shoot for '13 On Your Sidelines,' our Friday night high school football show," she said. "This game is shot in high definition. To vote, viewers need to go to wzzm13.com. We had about 12,000 votes for last Friday's game." TV-13 also will use HD for a couple of news stories in the November ratings period, and is planning a second HD prime-time special in 2008... How goes move to HDTV? (Sun, 10/7)

On Monday, listeners in St. Cloud, Minn., were treated to their first serving of "Free Beer and Hot Wings." The popular morning show was added when KKSR- FM flipped the station to Active Rock. The show is based in Grand Rapids at WGRD-FM (97.9)... Show spreads its 'Wings' (Sun, 10/7)

Bill Press, nationally syndicated talk radio and television personality, visits Grand Rapids on Thursday and Friday as a guest of Grand Rapids station WTKG-AM (1230.) Many may recognize Press from his work as co-host of CNN's "Crossfire" and MSNBC's "Buchanan and Press." Press will visit West Michigan as part of a national radio tour. He will broadcast his show in front of an audience. On Thursday, there will be a VIP meet-and-greet at McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon, 58 Ionia Ave. SW, in downtown Grand Rapids... Bill Press to visit Grand Rapids (Sun, 10/7)

By: Art Vuolo

A little over a week ago, the lines at the Secretary of State offices were long as people feared a state government shutdown. But those lines were not as long as the unemployment line outside of what used to be hot talk WKRK-FM (97.1).

Vice President/ General Manager Kevin Murphy was brought to Detroit by CBS Radio because he’s very good at “adjusting the bottom line” which often requires displacing of personnel. Business can be very cold, but this past week, despite our unseasonably warm weather, generated a considerable chill in the air. With the somewhat unexpected shift of sports WXYT-AM (1270) over to the 97.1 frequency several free FM staffers were let go.

Names you may know with uncertain futures include, Johnny D, Jay Towers, Bill McAllister, Shila Nathan and producer Jon Klaft. The AM side of the new combo billed as “Detroit’s Sports Powerhouse,” lost the Mike and Mike Show, and the FM side waved goodbye to New York City-based Opie and Anthony. You can still hear and see Mike and Mike on ESPN 2 via cable TV, and Opie and Anthony continue to be carried on XM Satellite Radio channel 202.

McAllister had been with the station as a key part of several midday shows for the past seven years, stretching back to just after Ed Tyll left town.

Johnny D, in contrast, was only with the station for about six months. He left a morning show at Toledo/Monroe top 40 WTWR-FM (98.3) to come here. He continues to pull the afternoon shift down in Lima, Ohio, at Wild 93.9 FM. As a huge University of Michigan fan, perhaps an opportunity may present itself with the new sports FM.

A well-known name, Jay Towers, who weekends on Fox 2 WJBK-TV, is exploring new opportunities since sports is not his arena of expertise. This is his second time to be displaced by an abrupt format change. The last time was when top 40 WDRQ-FM (93.1) suddenly became “Doug-FM.” Stay tuned for his next move.

Crain's Detroit Business:

It could be at least a year before the full ratings and revenue effects of WKRK 97.1 FM's format switch to sports is felt in Detroit, radio insiders said. The CBS Radio-owned station began simulcasting sports programming Monday afternoon from its sister station WXYT 1270 AM. WKRK began calling itself WXYT 97.1 FM and using the slogan “Detroit's Sports Powerhouse.” The station retained its popular “Deminski and Doyle” afternoon drive-time talk show and moved it to mornings. Other shows were dropped and staff cut. Some local media buyers are split on what the format change will mean. “The (talk) format as it was, was not real strong. In my mind, (the format change) makes it a better station to purchase (advertising),” said Micci Lasser, senior media buyer at Brogan & Partners Convergence Marketing in Birmingham. “The signal is stronger. There's not an awful lot of FM sports stations”... Sports now on FM in Detroit (Mon, 10/8)

Grand Rapids Press:

WXSP likes to bill itself as, "The TV station with game." Thanks to the Detroit Pistons, the sister station of local NBC affiliate WOOD-TV still has a little game left. WXSP will broadcast two preseason and 38 regular-season games this season, the eighth consecutive year the Pistons will appear on "The X." Its first telecast is Thursday night, when the Pistons face LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Pistons also will have three preseason and 37 regular-season games broadcast on FSN Detroit, three on ABC and four on TNT. In the past, WXSP was the home to a bevy of other sports, including the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings and Big Ten Conference football and men's basketball. But as professional sports continue to air exclusively on cable, and the Big Ten Network snatches up any leftover college games, local outlets are increasingly left out in the cold. This past season, for example, WWMT-TV outbid WXSP for the right to air 17 Tigers games. WXSP had served as the secondary source for Tigers broadcasts the previous three seasons... WXSP to remain in Pistons' plans (Mon, 10/8)

5th annual WDVD “Call-to-Care” Radiothon set for Thursday

Last year, the WDVD FM 96.3 annual “Call-to-Care” radiothon raised over $45,000 for breast cancer programs at the Karmano’s Cancer Institute and this year the station has set an aggressive goal of raising $75,000 during the event scheduled for Thursday, October 11 from 5:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m at Gordon Chevrolet, 31850 Ford Road in Garden City.

The fundraiser includes an auction, a list of items can be viewed at 963WDVD.com and include: autographed merchandise from Maroon 5, Goo Goo Dolls lead singer Johnny Reznik, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriquez, and a Detroit Lions “Jet-Away” package to fly on the team jet to an away game during the 2008-2009 season.

96.3 WDVD morning show hosts Blaine and Lisa with Allyson, mid day host Jake Edwards, and afternoon host Jesse will all be taking part in this year's radiothon.

AllAccess.com:

WDTW Raises Thousands For Detroit Area Children
Congrats top CLEAR CHANNEL Country WDTW (106.7 THE FOX)/DETROIT for raising $81,868.63 for the SALVATION ARMY with the "One Child Now" RADIOTHON. "One Child Now" provides thousands of children in the area with new coats, backpacks, back-to-school supplies, access to summer camps and many other worthy things. KRISTIAN BUSH from MERCURY group SUGARLAND chipped in to help during the event. (Mon, 10/8)

Detroit Free Press:

Reflect upon the following, if you will. Syndicated radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh (noon-3 p.m. weekdays, WJR-AM, 760) makes $2 million to $3 million -- a month. Trade Web site Inside Radio reports that revelation is according to monthly filings Limbaugh has been required to fill out for the Florida Department of Corrections. Now in his final weeks of probation for prescription drug abuse, agents say Limbaugh hasn't broken any rules in the 18 months since he's been under watch under a plea deal. Limbaugh tells the Palm Beach Post: "This whole thing has made me a better person." Reflect upon the following, if you will. Syndicated radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh (noon-3 p.m. weekdays, WJR-AM, 760) makes $2 million to $3 million -- a month. Trade Web site Inside Radio reports that revelation is according to monthly filings Limbaugh has been required to fill out for the Florida Department of Corrections... Radio is very good to Limbaugh (Tue, 10/9)

Broadcasting and Cable:

Retro Television Network will partner with Barrington Broadcasting Group to launch RTN on the digital streams of WNWO Toledo, Ohio; KXRM Colorado Springs; and WPBN Traverse City, Mich. RTN is replacing music channel The Tube, which “ceased its national broadcast,” according to its Web site. Owned by Equity Media Holdings, RTN offers affiliates a customized feed made up mostly of classic shows like Get Smart and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, along with local programming... Three markets go retro with Retro Television Network (Mon, 10/8)

"Cyrano" featured in Detroit Public TV and WRCJ 90.9 FM broadcasts

As Dr. David DiChiera's "Cyrano" prepares for its October 13 debut at the Detroit Opera House, Detroit Public TV (Channel 56) and classical/jazz WRCJ-FM 90.9 have scheduled special broadcasts to showcase and celebrate the world-premiere opera.

Curtain Call to Cyrano, a half-hour behind-the-scenes documentary that reveals the making of Edmond Rostand's classic love story, Cyrano de Bergerac, into DiChiera's first major opera, airs Sunday, October 21, at 4:30 p.m. on WTVS. Locally produced by Eclipse Creative, the special offers DiChiera's commentary on the crafting of his original score, plus a look at the costume and set design processes, the casting and various challenges of creating the opera.

The stage is set for the first-ever live radio broadcast of the Michigan Opera Theatre's performance of "Cyrano" on Sunday, October 28, beginning at 2 p.m. on WRCJ. WRCJ's Kelly Rinne and Dr. David DiChiera will host the broadcast and provide interviews and backstage insights during the intermissions of the three-act opera. Funding for the radio broadcast has been provided by The Kresge Foundation, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

The live airing of "Cyrano" is the first of five upcoming MOT performances that are planned for broadcast on WRCJ 90.9 FM, including: Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" on November 4; Bellini's "La Sonnambula," to be presented live with Richard Bonynge conducting on April 6; Puccini's "La Rondine" on April 13; and "La Traviata" on May 4.

Chicago Tribune:

The dispute between the Big Ten Network and Comcast has been good for newspapers and radio stations. Both entities have taken to running ad campaigns. The BTN ads are heralding its programming, including upcoming games. Meanwhile, the Comcast ads have stepped up the rhetoric. A Comcast ad in Sunday's Tribune carried the headline, "Why won't the Big Ten Network play ball?" The ad also ran in Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and other cities in the conference region. In a letter to "fellow football fans," notably those fans who are subscribers, Comcast seeks to "separate BTN spin from the facts of these negotiations." The problem is Comcast doesn't have all the facts right... Comcast vs. BTN spins out of control (Wed, 10/10)

Detroit News:

Can Don Imus be rehabilitated? Or perhaps more pertinently, should he? The National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ, doesn't think so. The organization urged Citadel Broadcasting , owner of WABC-AM in New York (and WJR-AM (760) in Detroit), to halt negotiations with disgraced shock jock Imus. Citadel has been in talks with Imus to take over morning drive at WABC New York, and perhaps other Citadel stations. According to Radio Ink, NABJ is still angry over Imus' "nappy-headed ho's" insult directed at the Rutgers women's basketball team, a jibe that led to his firing last April ... To help out Metro Detroit families in need, bring new or gently used shoes to Northland Mall on Oct. 27, for Radio One's Sixth annual "Shoes for Shorties" shoe drive. Radio One's three stations -- WHTD-FM (102.7), WDMK-FM (105.9) and WCHB-AM (1200) -- will be broadcasting all day long from the mall ... Detroit Public Radio WDET-FM (101.9) will feature former Detroit News writer/current Los Angeles Times reporter Scott Martelle Oct. 18 on its 10 a.m.-noon "Detroit Today" show... Is shock jock Imus still an outrage? (Thu, 10/11)

CMU student elected to top position in National Broadcasting Society

A prestigious national broadcasting organization has chosen a Central Michigan University undergraduate to serve as the voice of its student members.

Novi junior Dan Church, a 2005 graduate of Novi High School, has been appointed chairman of the National Broadcasting Society's Student Advisory Council, serving as a liaison between the student members of NBS and the organization's National Advisory Council.

As chairman, Church is responsible for overseeing meetings of the Student Advisory Council, which includes student representatives from across the country. After discussing the concerns and needs of student chapters, he advises the national council on these topics. He also is involved in planning the organization's national convention in the spring.

"I feel incredibly honored to have the opportunity to represent students at the national level," Church said. "It has been very rewarding so far. I've worked with several interesting faculty members and networked with media professionals from across the country."

Church currently serves as the president of CMU's NBS chapter. The chapter's adviser, broadcast and cinematic arts faculty member Jerry Henderson, lists Church's upbeat demeanor and natural leadership style as contributing factors to his appointment.

At the 2007 NBS national convention in Chicago, Church was named National Rookie Member of the Year. In addition, CMU's chapter was named the nation's Most Improved Chapter.

Church, a broadcast and cinematic arts major, is a Leader Advancement Scholarship recipient and is involved with CMU's student-run television station, MHTV, and its News Central 34 newscast. He also works as a production assistant at WNEM-TV 5 in Saginaw.

"Without the skills that I've learned over the years through the Leadership Institute and the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, I wouldn't have ever been close to holding this position," he said. "Now, I feel confident in my abilities to lead and be the voice of student members."

For more information about the National Broadcasting Society, visit www.nbs-aerho.org. For more information about CMU's chapter of NBS, visit www.bca.cmich.edu/NBS.

Grand Rapids Press:

Bob Kaser claims he's still nothing more than a fan with a microphone in front of his mouth. The handful of broadcasting awards he's received over the years suggest otherwise. Kaser, 47, is beginning his eighth year as the play-by-play radio voice for the Grand Rapids Griffins on WOOD-AM (1300). While Kaser calls road games alone, during most home games this season he again will be joined by color commentator Larry Figurski. Kaser has come a long way from his days sneaking a tape recorder into Flint Generals games in the old International Hockey League. Growing up in Flint, Kaser loved hockey but knew he was going nowhere as a player. So he and a friend would record their own commentary in the stands for the Generals. One of those rough tapes eventually found its way into the hands of the team's public relations department. Kaser said he isn't sure what the team heard in that early tape that qualified him for a job, but it led to a play-by-play position with the Generals... Call of the Griffins still a thrill (Fri, 10/12)

AllAccess.com:

WJQK Holds Marriage Commitment Rally
LANSER Christian AC WJQK/GRAND RAPIDS held a one-time “MARRIED FOR LIFE COMMITMENT RALLY” during the “JQ MORNING BLAST” yesterday morning (10/11). Hundreds of couples called in or logged in to the website to pledge or re-commit to stay married for life. The rally was the idea of nationally syndicated “FAMILY MOMENTS” host DAN SEABORN. SEABORN was in the studio and on air with special guests DOUG SWINK, MARK HARRIS, GEOFF MOORE, Congressman PETE HOEKSTRA and other local celebrities. (Fri, 10/12)

Ann Arbor News:

Find like-minded jazz and "Car Talk'' fans, and do something good for the community. WEMU-FM is looking for "Volunteer Pledge Drive Telephone Answerers'' now through Oct. 20. From their Web site: "As a volunteer pledge drive telephone answerer, you'll be in the studio, right where the action is, taking calls from listeners eager to contribute to the success of the station... WEMU looks for pledge drive helpers (Sun, 10/14)

Detroit News:

This was the first weekend where not having the Big Ten network hurt. In fact, it stunk. I did not get to see Michigan finally put together a great game, whipping Purdue, 48-21. And I was forced to leave the house to watch Michigan State's easy 52-27 victory over Indiana. These were both big games and mental hurdles for both teams. The Wolverines have a pulse and we no longer have to sing the "Same Old Spartans" song. However, how many people actually got to witness turning points for both teams? There were very few. This was the first time I was unable to see a significant game featuring the Wolverines and Spartans on television and it is not right... Big Ten TV situation finally upsetting (Sun, 10/14)

Grand Rapids Press:

As many of you already know, I co-host a Saturday morning radio show every week with former TV personality Gerry Barnaby on WLHT-FM (95.7). Every week, we let West Michigan know about area happenings. Basically, it's an extension of what we do in The Grand Rapids Press in print and online. If you know Barnaby, then you know he's a bit of a nut. I always say, "You never know what he's going to say or do." And sometimes he forgets that we're on the radio, and not on television or in print. This weekend was a perfect example... Duct tape at WLHT (Sat, 10/13)

By: Mike Austerman

There appears to be a major revolution underway in radio this autumn. In city after city across the country, talk-based programming is shifting from AM stations with marginal signals to the FM band, where listeners are more likely to be able to tune in 24 hours a day without annoying interference and static.

In a way, FM radio is coming full circle: When the band was a relative new kid on the block in the 1950s and ’60s, many FM stations simulcast with their AM counterparts until the FCC made rules restricting the practice as a way to encourage more diverse programming options, particularly in larger urban areas. Those rules were done away with years ago as they became increasingly irrelevant.

Thanks to progressive programming on local stations like WABX-FM (99.5), along with more traditional formats like classical WQRS-FM (105.1), taking advantage of the band’s superior fidelity, FM grew dramatically in popularity throughout the last part of the 20th century. Just as recently as the late ’70s, getting an FM radio in your new car was most likely an option. It’s still a shock to me to see how many radios now being sold don’t have an AM band on them.

In most markets, there are only a couple of AM stations found in the highest positions in terms of audience measurement. And like WJR (760) and WWJ (950), most of them enjoy stronger-than-average signals than the rest of their AM counterparts and have been on the air for more than 50 years.

In Indianapolis earlier this week, operator Emmis abruptly changed the format of its pop music station to All-Christmas for the next 93 days in advance of moving its news-talk format from an AM station (WIBC) that doesn’t enjoy the coverage area of the FM at night.

Amazingly, the format and name of the pop station, which enjoyed great ratings, were sold to another owner in Indianapolis, which promptly reintroduced the format on a different frequency just two days later. Other recent examples of news/talk stations either moving to FM or simulcasting on both FM and AM include WTOP Washington, D.C.; KTAR Phoenix; and WBT Charlotte.

The technical changes made to WXYT-AM (1270) that allowed it to capture the broadcast rights for the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings several years back fell far short of an ideal solution for many fans, who had to endure a lot of static on 1270 at night. Adding the games to FM 97.1 offered a lot of relief — and it’s no surprise, then, that CBS Radio decided to add its sports format to the FM band in order to see how far it could go in this sports-crazed area. WXYT-FM appears to be giving the format a fair shake, providing live and local programming pretty much around the clock weekdays and most of the time weekends. Former Live 97.1 late morning host Johnny D has been added, hosting weekday overnights, starting at midnight, for all the third shift workers and those with insomnia.

Even with three defunct local FM talkers in WDRQ-FM (93.1) from the 1970s, WOWF-FM (99.5) from the 1990s and now what was WKRK-FM 97.1, the evidence is there that radio companies are embracing the idea of connecting with listeners with talk formats that are today’s equivalent of what used to be called full-service. Those kinds of stations were pretty much heard only on AM — until recently. So who will be next to attempt a mainstream-type talk station on one of our local FM stations? And when?

Grand Rapids Press:

Tim Feagan, who helped launch the powerful country station B-93 in the early 1990s, will return to head Clear Channel's local operation after being out of the business for 12 years. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I couldn't pass up," said Feagan, 49, whose new role as general manager was announced to employees Monday. He replaces Skip Essick, who left the market in late July for another radio job in California. Feagan was last in the business as general manager at the country music station WBCT-FM (93.7), known as B-93. He will oversee seven Grand Rapids stations, WBCT, WOOD-AM (1300), WSNX-FM (104.5), WOOD-FM (105.7), WMAX-FM (96.1), WTKG-AM (1230) and WBFX-FM (101.3). Together, they are the largest player in the local radio market. Feagan said he is not planning changes for the stations. "We have a great franchise, great properties and a base of employees with a wealth of experience," he said... Clear Channel selects Tim Feagan as manager (Tue, 10/16)

It won't be long before West Michigan radio stations will switch to holiday programming. The all-Christmas-music-all-the-time theme has been a ratings booster. Already, the push is on. WOOD-FM (Star 105.7) is offering a contest for listeners to win a $10,000 Christmas bonus. And last week, programmers at WLHT-FM (95.7) announced it was taking the all-Christmas format from sister station WTRV-FM (100.5, The River) and putting it on their frequency. WLHT's move is driven by good ratings for the programming over the past five years... Radio stations ready Christmas formats (Mon, 10/15)

Longtime radio co-hosts Dave Jagger and Geri Jarvis left their WHTS-FM (105.3) gig earlier this summer. "A lot of you are asking if we will be on the air again here in West Michigan. We'd love nothing more. We just don't know if an opportunity will present itself," Dave writes on daveandgeri.com... Dave and Geri are at home (Mon, 10/15)

Former TV personality Gerry Barnaby has moved to radio. He recently filled in for vacationing Bill Bailey on the afternoon shift on WLHT-FM (95.7), and during my insomniac state, I also heard him on the late night shift... Barnaby getting more air time (Mon, 10/15)

How did B-93 get tickets for the Dec. 6 Hannah Montana concert in Van Andel Arena? The show sold out in eight minutes, but last week, WBCT-FM (93.7) was giving away family four-packs hourly from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Station officials declined to comment for competitive reasons... Hot tickets to Hannah (Mon, 10/15)

Traverse City Record-Eagle:

Two media watchdog groups filed a federal complaint against television station WGTU ABC 29&8 alleging it passed off fake news clips paid for by banks and manufacturers as independent news reports. East Coast-based Free Press and Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy filed the complaint Thursday with the Federal Communications Commission. The complaint alleges the Traverse City-based TV station violated FCC rules that require stations to "clearly disclose" to the audience who paid for video news releases. "These (videos) are sponsored public relations messages," said Diane Farsetta, senior researcher for the Center for Media and Democracy. "They are ads dressed up as news stories." The videos typically discuss topics of financial importance to the sponsor and interview people from the company or an associated organization. Some make repeated references to the company by name or logo and refer viewers to company sponsored Web sites. Farsetta cited three videos used by WGTU in August and September... TV 29&8 accused of airing fake 'news' (Mon, 10/15)

Lansing's WVIC-FM (94.1) abandoned its Classic Hits format at 7:00 tonight, in favor of Adult Contemporary, rebranding the station as Soft Rock 94.1, and inaugurating the new format with the addition of the syndicated "Delilah" show. WVIC has also added the syndicated "Bob and Sheri" morning show to its lineup, replacing the local Mary Turner morning program. Turner appears to have departed the station, along with afternoon personality Joe Thomas.

You can see the redesigned WVIC website here.

Lansing State Journal:

Local radio station WVIC (94.1-FM) has shifted its format and disc jockeys, in search of a missing niche. "We think females in their 30s have been underserved," said Dave Johnson, market manager for the Mid-Michigan Radio Group. This morning, WVIC dumped its oldies-type "classic hits" format and many of its DJs. It now has a "soft rock" format that will mix oldies (1970s and up), plus occasional current songs from such people as Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Christina Aguilera or Michael Buble... Radio station WVIC changes formats, DJs (Tue, 10/16)

WDIV promotes Bob Ellis to news director

NBC affiliate WDIV-TV 4 has promoted Bob Ellis to the position of News Director. The move, announced by Steve Wasserman, WDIV V.P. and General Manger, became effective October 5th.

Ellis has been the Assistant News Director at WDIV since 2002. Prior to that, he served in many other roles in the news department including Executive Producer of Special Projects, Investigative Producer and Sports Producer. For more than a decade, he has been the point person for Local 4 News coverage of Detroit’s big events, overseeing the station’s coverage of elections, Red Wings and Pistons championship parades, and over 20 hours of live news coverage during Super Bowl XL in Detroit.

“I'm excited to continue the incredible legacy of news that's been established at Local 4,” Ellis said. “I grew up in metro Detroit, and I understand the kind of stories and issues people who live here are interested in, because they interest me as well.”

Ellis has been honored with ten NATAS Emmy awards, and awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and Michigan Associated Press. During his tenure as Assistant News Director, Local 4 News received a 2003 Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence, and a 2003 Murrow Award for Best Newscast in the Midwest region.

Ellis and his family reside in Farmington Hills. He is a graduate of Southfield High School and Michigan State University.

Ellis succeeds Neil Goldstein in the role of News Director, who was recently named V.P., Director of Marketing and Digital Development for WDIV. Goldstein joined WDIV in January 2005, and through his leadership in the news department the station continued its dominance in local news with Michigan’s top-rated late newscast, and a growing presence online with the success of the station’s website, ClickOnDetroit.com.

MediaWeek:

The E. W. Scripps Company, owner of cable networks, TV stations and newspapers, announced Tuesday its intent to split the company into two publicly traded companies, one focused on its national lifestyle franchises, the other focused on its local media properties. The plan was unanimously approved by the company’s board of directors and is expected to be completed by second quarter 2008. Following the separation, The Edward W. Scripps Trust would maintain control of both companies by electing a majority of board members for each of the two companies. The split will create two companies, Scripps Networks Interactive with combined annual revenue of about $1.4 billion and 2,100 business and The E. W. Scripps Company with combined annual revenue of about $1.1 billion and 7,100 employees (including Detroit's WXYZ-TV Channel 7)... Scripps co. to split into two publicly traded companies (Tue, 10/16)

106.7 The Fox to smash recalled toys

Country WDTW-FM 106.7 will broadcast live from the Taylor Town Trade Center this Friday, October 19th, from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. and is inviting listeners to drop off toys that were manufactured in China and recently recalled because of safety hazards such containing excessive levels of lead paint and other hazards. Sometime between 5 and 7 p.m. all the recalled toys will be smashed by a steamroller or shredded by a wood chipper.

Everyone that stops by can sign a billboard encouraging people to buy American and enter for a chance to see Garth Brooks in Kansas City. The Taylor Town Trade Center is located at 22525 Ecorse Rd. in Taylor.

AllAccess.com:

Scharge Joins Northern Star/Marquette
Former SPORTING NEWS RADIO reporter ASHLEY SCHARGE joins the NORTHERN STAR BROADCASTING/MARQUETTE, MI cluster as morning news anchor, TUESDAY night sports show host, and voice of NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY hockey on Rock WIMK-WUPK (THE BEAR 93.1-94.1). (Tue, 10/16)

Arbitron Recalls Traverse City eBook
ARBITRON has acknowledged that three SPRING 2007 TRAVERSE CITY-PETOSKEY, MI metro diaries were returned from a media-affiliated household, and have eliminated them from the in-tab sample. A revised SPRING 2007 ARBITRON eBook for that market will be released on MONDAY, OCT. 22nd at 10a (ET). The ratings firm also noted that audience estimates for NORTHERN BROADCASTING AC WSRT may be substantially affected. What's more, estimates for other stations may be slightly affected as a result of the sample balancing and reprocessing procedures that accompany deletion of any diary from the sample. (Wed, 10/17)

Detroit News:

It looks like Drew Lane's ongoing (and seemingly, open-ended) absence from the top-rated "Drew and Mike" morning show is going to be problematic for WRIF-FM (101.1) in the ratings. The Arbitron summer book, the quarterly ratings for radio listenership for July, August and September, were released Tuesday, and Greater Media's WRIF dropped overall from No. 4, to No. 9. Steve Harvey's syndicated morning show, carried by WMXD-FM "The Mix" (92.3), jumped from No. 3 in the spring book to the No. 1 slot in the morning, ahead of "Drew and Mike," the area's perennial No. 1 morning show. In the 18- to 34-year-old demographic, WQKI-AM (95.5)'s "Mojo in the Morning" show captured the No. 1 ranking over WRIF's "Drew and Mike," at No. 2. Clear Channel-owned The Mix is proving itself to be the closest thing Detroit has to a mainstream music radio station, recapturing No. 1 overall in the 12-plus age group after losing it in the last two ratings books... 'Mix' up, RIFF down in summer ratings (Wed, 10/17)

Detroit Free Press:

WMXD just landed the kind of summer ratings that radio executives dream about. In Arbitron scores for the third quarter released Tuesday, the Clear Channel-owned station -- a mix of modern R&B and talk aimed at black audiences -- led the metro Detroit market among overall listeners and in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic. And its syndicated morning star Steve Harvey knocked Greater Media-owned WRIF's Drew Lane and Mike Clark from the overall morning throne by an 8.3 to 8.2 score. However, Drew and Mike maintained the lead among the highly profitable 25-54 demographic in the mornings, with an 11.9 mark to Harvey's 9.2. CBS-owned WWJ carded a solid summer, usually not the station's strongest season... WMXD tops radio ratings (Wed, 10/17)

StationRatings.com:

Top five stations in Detroit among all listeners during the summer were WMXD-FM, WWJ-AM, WJR-AM, WJLB-FM, and WVMV-FM... Summer 12+ Arbitron ratings for Detroit

CKWW to air 26 U-M hockey games

University of Michigan Hockey will return to Oldies CKWW AM 580, known on-air as Motor City Favorites, starting with this Friday's game against Northern Michigan at 7 p.m. CKWW will air a total of 26 games during the 2007-08 regular season, up from 16 least season.

Al Randall and Jim Hunt are the U of M hockey broadcast team.

WILX-TV 10:

Just listening to him tell his story, your heart goes out to Earle Robinson. "When I wake (hiccup) up in the morning (hiccup) they're okay, they're gone (hiccup)," he says, albeit slowly. "But (hiccup) then they come back a couple hours later (hiccup) and it's been that way (hiccup) every (hiccup)... everyday." The medical explanation is his diaphragm's contracting every few seconds or so--a case of hiccups so persistent it's tough to get a sentence out. It's been that way since Wednesday. His co-workers are baffled, and he says his doctors are stumped, and there are few jobs worse to have if you have hiccups than Earle's. He does an hour-long radio show called "Sportstalk 870" on WKAR from 2-3 p.m. weekdays and an hour with Tim Staudt on Staudt on Sports Sundays on WILX. Staudt explained it to viewers Sunday, and Robinson suffered through the broadcast but his radio chair has been empty for a week... Local radio personality has had week-long hiccups (Wed, 10/17)

Cook flies the coop

Glenn 'Casey' Cook has exited as morning show co-host at variety hits WMJT-FM, Eagle 96.7, Newberry and is on the hunt for a new gig.

Cook sent the following mini-bio to Michiguide.com:

Michigan Association of Broadcasters award winning morning personality and international award winning voice-over/production specialist, Glenn 'Casey' Cook, is on the loose and is currently looking for his next challenge. His experience includes on-air work in all day parts in small/medium markets, as well as being an exciting remote broadcaster, program director, production director, and sports play-by-play. Formats inlcude rock, classic rock, country, hot country, adult contemporary, and 'we play everything'. Looking for opportunities in Michigan, especially Flint, Saginaw, Midland, Bay City, Lansing area, but would be happy in any Michigan area - available immediately! Get in touch with 'Casey' by emailing him at gcook@nmo.net. Aircheck available upon request and award winning commercial production demos can be heard at www.spotsthatcook.com. He would very much like to be a major contributer to your radio broadcast team.

Detroit News:

Although WXYZ- TV (Channel 7) general assignment reporter Michael Rosenfield has been with the station for a little more than three years, he's not an anchor or a veteran and so he's still relatively unknown. But thanks to WXYZ.com , Rosenfield gets a second chance to make a lasting impression on viewers. "Unless it's a major breaking story with continuous coverage, for example the Chrysler strike or the I-96 flood -- where we're on for a long period of time, most days as a reporter I'm on for just a few minutes in the newscast," Rosenfield says. "On WXYZ.com we're on all the time, so it's a great way for viewers to see what reporters have been covering all day if they've missed the news on TV" ... Over at WDIV-TV (Channel 4), Web standouts on the station's clickondetroit.com include reporter Art Edwards, who has been with WDIV for seven years, and reporter Silva Harapetian ... WJBK-TV (Channel 2) has its share of Web stars on its myfox detroit.com . Among them is general assignment reporter Camille Amiri, an Ann Arbor native, who has been with WJBK for a year... TV reporters get exposure on Web (Fri, 10/19)

Crain's Detroit Business:

Cincinnati, Ohio-based E.W. Scripps Co.’s announcement this week that it plans to split itself into two public companies isn’t expected to affect operations at its metro Detroit television station, WXYZ-Channel 7. It will be “business as usual” when Scripps splits into a print and broadcast company and a digital and cable company, said Grace Gilchrist, vice president and general manager of Scripps-owned Channel 7, the region’s Southfield-based ABC affiliate. Scripps has owned WXYZ since 1986. Gilchrist said the move is a reaction to Wall Street’s dissatisfaction with the newspaper industry in general, which was affecting the growing cable and Internet properties... Scripps split won’t affect Channel 7 (Fri, 10/19)

Grand Rapids Press:

Rick Berkey concedes that he's a little bit of a control freak. But he's also a control freak who loves the radio and high school sports. Those two passions initially made it difficult for Berkey to partner his local broadcast company, Sportsplay Inc. with Michigansportsradio.com, an Internet high school broadcast company. Despite a 25-year career in radio, Berkey said the difficult decision to switch came down to three factors... Familiar radio voice calls prep games on Web (Fri, 10/19)

This week, we talked about pop culture with Kevin Murphy, station manager for WYCE-FM (88.1). The community-owned radio station's fall fund drive runs through 6 p.m. today. Donations are accepted at 616-742-9923... Your take: Kevin Murphy (Fri, 10/19)

Flint Journal:

If you listen to "Mike and Stephanie in the AM" on CK 105, you've probably noticed that they haven't been in the studio much on Fridays. The WWCK-FM (105.5) morning team of Mike MacDonald and Stephanie K have been hitting the road; a haunted house here, the Holiday Inn Gateway Center (where they planned to be this morning) there. MacDonald insists it's not just a ratings ploy, though local radio stations have ramped up the contests and community activities lately because they are in the fall ratings campaign. "I just like to get out of the studio," he told me during former "American Idol" singer Elliott Yamin's show Saturday at the Machine Shop. Why? "I don't like to be in the studio," he said. "I like to get out and meet our listeners." The show airs from 5-9 a.m. weekdays and will continue to broadcast live from various locations on Fridays for the foreseeable future ... A team with some pretty impressive credentials has produced the new documentary "Where Do the Children Play?," which examines the recreational activities of children in urban, suburban and rural settings in this part of the state. It debuts at 9 p.m. Tuesday on WFUM (Channel 28)... Radio team enjoys life on the road; PBS looks at child's play (Fri, 10/19)

• A license was granted to the following new FM translator: W243BH 96.5 Muskegon (Horizon Christian Fellowship).

• Modern Rock WMHW-FM 91.5 Mt. Pleasant was granted its license to cover for its power increase from 340 watts @ 112 feet to 13,000 watts 459 feet. The station's new
directional signal has greating increased its Mid-Michigan coverage area.

• CW affiliate WBSF TV 46 Bay City was granted its license. The station has been operating over the air since September 2006 and will be one of the last full-power analog stations to sign on in the USA as broadcasters prepare to move to all-digital transmission in 2009. WBSF does not have a DTV channel allotment, and will operate its post-transition DTV station based on its currently authorized NTSC license.

• A license was granted to the following new FM translator: W236BK 95.1 Forest Hills (Horizon Christian Fellowship).

• The construction permit for WLVM FM 88.3 Ironwood (owned by Educational Media Foundation) was modified from 10,000 watts (vertical) @ 515 feet to 300 watts @ 515 feet, changing from Class C3 to Class A.

• The sale of FM translator W237CF 95.3 Mackinaw City from the Interlochen Center for the Arts to Baraga Broadcasting was granted. Baraga plans on rebroadcasting its religious WTCK FM 90.9 Charlevoix on the translator.

• Licenses were granted to the following new FM translators: W273BO 102.5 Manistee (Radio Assist Ministry), W254BL 98.7 Manistee (Horizon Christian Fellowship).

• The construction permit for the following FM translator was canceled/deleted: W292DI 106.3 Monroe (owned by Educational Media Foundation).

• The FCC has approved the acquisition of Fox affiliate WFQX TV 33 Cadillac/WFUP TV 45 Vanderbilt (and translators) by Cadillac Telecasters from Rockfleet Broadcasting in a deal worth an estimated $10 million. The May announcement of the sale also stated that Cadillac Telecasting planned on entering into a shared services agreement with Heritage Broadcasting, owner of CBS affiliate WWTV/WWUP-TV which will operate WFQX/WFUP.

• The sale of W27CJ LPTV 27 Ann Arbor to SMG Media Group from TCT of Michigan was approved by the FCC.

Detroit News:

It's there, hidden behind your usual FM stations on the free radio dial: Programming that's a little different from the usual sleep-inducing FM fodder. Much of it is like a jukebox, with automated music running 24/7 with only the occasional tagline spoken by a canned human voice. But you can hear a wider variety of music, rather like radio used to be before half of radio's audience was born. You can't yet hear HD-2 if you don't have a secret decoder ring -- er, that is, an HD-2 radio or receiver... The secret radio dial; You'll find a wider variety of music on HD-2 stations (Sat, 10/20)

Ann Arbor News:

Buried in all the hoopla about the new Big 10 Network - and whether or not Comcast cable would add it to its basic lineup (it hasn't yet) so Michigan football fans can get their fix - was this provision: In addition to the channel's primary sports programming, each participating school gets 60 hours annually to use as it wishes. So what is the University of Michigan doing with its 60 hours? Plenty, as it turns out. Two programs - "The Michigan Difference'' and "Healthy U'' - are currently running. Both are magazine-style television shows. And both showcase U-M faculty, students and alumni. "The first two episodes are up and running, and we have two more in production right now,'' said Lisa Rudgers, a Chelsea-based consultant who works with the university and Evolution Media, a West Bloomfield film production company. Rudgers was formerly vice president for communications at U-M. She said the deal with the Big 10 Channel offers the university an unusual opportunity to sell itself to a general audience... Big 10 Network not just sports (Sun, 10/21)

On Friday from 8 to 10 p.m., C-SPAN will broadcast live from the Ford Presidential Library in Ann Arbor as part of its series "Presidential Libraries: History Uncovered' ... Michigan Television (WFUM) is airing a new local interview program each Friday from 9:30 to 10 p.m. titled "Outside the Box.'' The series is hosted by Michigan Television station manager Jennifer White, who talks to imaginative people whose ideas exemplify "outside the box'' thinking... On the Air: C-SPAN to broadcast from Ford Library (Sun, 10/21)

Grand Rapids Press:

Local viewers will have another option for television news starting tonight, as a WOOD-TV sister station unveils "24 Hour News 8 at 10 on WXSP." Station management hopes to compete directly with WXMI, a Fox affiliate that has run a 10 p.m. news broadcast since 1999. "We're coming out of the box as a surprise," said Diane Kniowski, president and general manager for WOOD-TV (Channel 8), WOTV (Channel 41) and WXSP (Channel 15 in most areas). "We've been thinking about a 10 o'clock news for a long time. Ten is the only unchallenged time period when it comes to news." The wide availability of news on TV and elsewhere is leading to many network affiliates exploring options for newscasts, said Kurt Bartolich, a marketing and brand consultant for Iowa-based Frank N. Magid Associates Inc., a firm that has helped stations around the nation launch 10 p.m. broadcasts... WOOD sister station adds 10 p.m. newscast (Sun, 10/21)

It was a busy week for broadcast radio promotions. Jeff Morton, director of sales for Grand Rapids Citadel Broadcasting for five years and general manager of its Muskegon stations since 2004, was named general manager of Citadel Broadcasting Company in West Michigan. That means he will be in charge of Grand Rapids stations WLAV-FM (96.9), WKLQ-FM (107.3), WTNR-FM (94.5 Thunder), WHTS-FM (105.3), WBBL-AM (1340) and five Muskegon stations. Morton is new boss at Citadel Broadcasting (Sun, 10/21)

Tim Feagan, newly announced head of Clear Channel's local radio operations, says he feels "like a kid in the candy store," getting back into radio again after being out of the business for 12 years. "Years ago, when I was in L.A., I always thought of what a dream job it would be to run WOOD-AM and FM. I have wanted this job for 17 to 20 years," he said. Now, he gets a chance to head seven Clear Channel Grand Rapids stations, WOOD-AM (1300), WOOD-FM (105.7), WTKG.AM (1230), WBCT-FM (B-93), WMAX-FM (96.1), WBFX-FM (101.3), and WSNX-FM (104.5). Feagan, who was general manager and helped launch B-93 in the early 1990s, has worked in Los Angeles and Chicago radio markets. He also was responsible for hiring Doug Montgomery, a B-93 institution... New Clear Channel boss glad to return to radio (Sun, 10/21)

Got game or news? Can viewers have access to World Series coverage and still view Fox 17's News at 10? Mark Krause, director of programming for WXMI-TV (Fox 17) explains: "On game nights, we schedule the game to run three-and-a-half hours. News is then scheduled for 30 minutes -- 11:30 p.m. to midnight. If the game ends prior to 11:30 -- news will expand as necessary... Fox works news around World Series (Sun, 10/21)

WWTV/WWUP-TV:

Deputies are looking for witnesses of a deadly crash in Ogemaw County that killed a television news anchor. Ogemaw County deputies say the accident happened on M-33, south of Engel Road in Churchill Township shortly after 9:15 Friday night. They say it appears a southbound car crossed the center line and hit a car heading north. Kristen Rath of Holly died in the crash. She was an anchor for WBKB-TV, a CBS affiliate in Alpena... News anchor killed in Ogemaw county crash (Mon, 10/22)

- More information on Ms. Rath here: WBKB TV news team

WSRT admits wrongdoing in Spring ratings book

In the wake of Arbitron signaling it would be issuing a corrected spring ratings book that would likely have a negative effect on the ratings of WSRT-FM 106.7 Gaylord last week, there were numerous Internet rumors that someone within the station was responsible for the three diaries that are being excluded from the corrected numbers. Northern Broadcasting general manager Charlie Ferguson has now issued a statement on the issue:

"On Friday, October 12th, 2007, Arbitron alleged that one or more of our employees had filled out listener diaries in the Spring 2007 Audience Survey and will be releasing revised rating information for the Traverse City/Petoskey market on Monday, October 22nd, 2007. The revisions will primarily affect reported listening levels on 106.7 WSRT. It is important to note that this had no affect on the gains made by WKLT/WKLZ or The FOX FM. After performing our own due diligence, we concluded that the household of two of our employees had indeed filled out diaries which were subsequently used in the tabulation of the Spring ratings. On Thursday, October 18th, 2007, I asked for and received both of their resignations effective immediately.

"Whether one or both were involved, we cannot tolerate any cloud of suspicion over the integrity of our company, ownership or management. I offer my humble and sincere apologies to both our competitors and Arbitron for the actions of one or two of our employees and this unnecessary, as well as embarrassing turn of events. It is also our hope that our advertisers and agency partners will understand that Northern Broadcasting believes in a fair and unbiased ratings system and that we will be doing everything in our power to re-earn your trust."

AllAccess.com reports that it has received a letter from Glenda Lee, who claims she is responsible for the three diaries in question:

"I am the wife (although maybe not for long) of the programmer involved with the station," she wrote. "He knew absolutely nothing about diaries until we were approached by our GM last week.

By: Art Vuolo

Detroit is perhaps the only major city in America which has three locally produced Home Improvement radio shows.

In most markets, such shows are syndicated and provided by a network. Although Glenn Haege on news-talk WJR-AM (760) is a weekend national show, it still originates here. The other two are Murray Gula 8-10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday on sports WDFN-AM (1130) and Adam Helfman weekend mornings on sports WXYTFM (97.1), AM (1270) and oldies WOMC-FM
(104.3), and this is expected to be the last weekend for that program to air.

At press time, reliable reports say that Helfman’s program “Hire It Done” is now best titled “Hire it Gone.”

In continuing last-minute talks between Helfman and station management to keep the program on the air, only by tuning into WXYT either yesterday or this morning will confirm the result of those talks.

 • • • • • • • • 

Personally, I can’t wait for Detroit to become a PPM market with Arbitron.

PPM is the Personal People Meter that electronically and accurately listens to what you listen to and does not rely on the memory of selected radio listeners to write down in a paper diary what they tuned into over the course of a week or more.

PPM results in those cities which have already experienced it are staggering and quite different from the “old style” of gathering such information.

 • • • • • • • • 

In the latest ratings, rock WRIF-FM (101.1) slipped and some insiders are placing the blame primarily on the missing Drew Lane on the popular Drew & Mike Morning Show.

Drew is taking some time off to address family matters surrounding his close friend Tess, who is fighting breast cancer. So his absence is certainly understandable.

It makes me think about a quote from the late Bob Talbert of the Detroit Free Press who, when Drew was off the air for six months with a back injury several years ago, stated, “now we know why Drew has a bad back … it’s from all those years of carrying Mike Clark.” Ouch.

Today, Mike has a good enough sense of humor to let that comment slide, but wants to emphasize that current ratings don’t even truly reflect the current MIA status of Drew.

Grand Rapids Press:

Top secret! That's the best way to describe the launch of Grand Rapids' newest 10 p.m. newscast, which aired Sunday night on WOOD-TV's sister station, WXSP. "24 Hour News 8 at 10 on WXSP," was a well-kept secret in the television broadcasting community. "Most of the station employees did not know. Terri DeBoer doesn't know. Anyone that worked on the new newscast had to sign a confidentiality agreement," said Diane Kniowski, president and general manager for WOOD (Channel 8), WOTV (Channel 41), and WXSP - (Channel 15 locally). Why the big secret? One reason: "In one of our sister markets in Buffalo, they started promoting that they would start a 10 o'clock news cast 10 days before it started on the air. Another station took advantage and beat them on the air by three days. They took advantage and scooped them on their scoop," Kniowski said Sunday... 10 p.m. news makes debut on WOOD sister station (Mon, 10/22)

The Michigan Oldies Podcast is back, and ready for an IPod or MP3 player near you! That's the word from Michigan Oldies Podcast producer Tony Clark, who has recently made several two-hour programs available for download, thus introducing great hits from the 50's through the 70's to the age of digital portability. The Podcast, though, is about more than just music, as Clark, along with co-host Art Van, revive the fun and excitement of the Golden Age of Top 40 Radio, and the best part is, you can listen whenever and wherever you want.

The Michigan Oldies Podcast main site is currently undergoing renovation, but listeners can currently download shows from the MOP's temporary site by clicking here.

Crain's Detroit Business:

Detroit Public Television won't borrow money to complete its new state-of-the-art broadcast facility, the station's interim general manager said. Instead, the station, which operates as WTVS-Channel 56, will build the remaining elements only as money is raised, said Dan Alpert, who took over day-to-day management of WTVS in April. The station needs to raise $8.8 million to finish construction of its $22 million Riley Broadcaster Center in Wixom and complete its conversion from analog to digital broadcasting and production. A new round of direct-solicitation fund-raising aimed at large to midlevel donors, including individuals, corporations and foundations, is getting under way... Detroit Public Television to grow as money flows (Mon, 10/22)

Windsor Star:

I got a letter a couple of weeks ago from someone in England who claimed she was a long lost relative of Thomas E. Clark and wanted to know if I knew anything about him and his connection to Windsor and Detroit. I didn't. Not at first. But I found mention of him in Neil F. Morrison's Garden Gateway, a book about Windsor. It seems Clark was a self-described "inventor" who popped in to see James E. Scripps, founder of the Detroit News, and told him he envisioned a day "when you will sit in your home and be entertained by music played thousands of miles away." Clark figured he had a handle on how to make this happen. And so Scripps hired him to carry on his experimental work. By 1920, the Detroit News was experimenting with its own broadcasts. It was the first newspaper in the world to install a radio broadcasting service. As Morrison said, however, Detroit bankers and businessmen "shook their heads at the mere mention of Tom Clark's name." They thought he was a nut... Inventor's vision spawned local radio (Mon, 10/22)

Detroit News:

Fans of phone scams and other forms of morning DJ madness can relax: In a deal to be announced Friday by Clear Channel, WKQI-FM (95.5)'s Mojo and Spike of the "Mojo in the Morning" show have signed a multi-year deal with the radio giant to continue on their merry path, which led them to rank No. 1 in Arbitron's summer ratings of listeners age 18-34. (Their competition, WRIF's Drew & Mike were No. 1 all summer in the age 25-54 demo, and WMXD's Steve Harvey was No. 1 in age 12-plus.) Station officials would not disclose how many years the contract is for or how much money is involved... 'Mojo in the Morning' DJs sign multi-year deal with Clear Channel (Fri, 10/26)

Detroit Free Press:

Drew Lane is scheduled to return to the airwaves -- via recording -- sometime during today's "Drew & Mike Show" from 6 to about 10:30 a.m. on WRIF-FM (101.1). Purpose? According to WRIF chief Tom Bender, Lane will give listeners a personal update and shoot down whispers benign and otherwise about his absence -- a personal leave to care for Lane's significant other, Tess Schuster, who has cancer. Lately, chatter among Detroit radioheads reckoned the leave was a contract positioning ploy or, less kindly, a ruse to cover some conspiratorial acts that make the JFK Single Bullet Theory seem elementary... Drew Lane back on the air, briefly (Fri, 10/26)

There is a chance that next week’s Michigan-Michigan State football game will be on the Big Ten Network. Maybe not a very strong chance. But a chance. And that would leave thousands of Comcast subscribers scurrying to sports bars to watch the big game. The Big Ten has made no secret of its goals for the Big Ten Network. The conference wants to make money for its schools and increase exposure for its athletes. This is not the kind of thing that wins the Nobel Peace Prize, but at least the Big Ten is up-front. Comcast, on the other hand, acts like it is fighting hunger and curing cancer by insisting that the Big Ten Network belongs on a specialized sports tier instead of an expanded basic cable package... Comcast-BTN becoming a bigger feud than MSU vs. U-M (Fri, 10/26)

CKWW celebrates Halloween with special programming

The Halloween tradition continues as oldies CKWW AM 580, Motor City Favorites, once again airs “The War of the Worlds” on Halloween night.

To get things started on Halloween, AM 580 will play some of the best Halloween music throughout the day and evening. Then at 10 PM, the original classic radio drama “The War of the Worlds” will air without commercial interruption.

Based on the H.G. Wells science fiction novel, this radio show starring Orson Welles had a nation convinced aliens were invading the world. It was originally broadcast in 1938 on the “Mercury Theatre On The Air” program and is one of the most famous radio broadcasts of all time. The show was so believable that panic gripped the country as thousands actually thought aliens had landed in Grover’s Mill, New Jersey and were taking over the world.

Plus, next week “When Radio Was” will also air Halloween themed programs from the golden age of radio. That show airs weeknights at 11 PM on CKWW.

WMGC fall wine tasting event to be held in Southfield Nov 9

Soft rock WMGC-FM, Magic 105.1FM, will present a “Magic Wine Down" event from 6-9 pm on Friday, November 9th at the Marble & Granite Gallery on Telegraph Rd. (between 8 and 9 Mile Roads) in Southfield. The event will feature hors d'oeuvres, over ten different wines that will be showcased, desert and coffee. Wine stewards will be on-hand to educate attendees about the specific types featured at the event.

Listeners will be able to enter to win access to the event online and by calling in at designated times each day leading up to the event. In addition, there will be a silent auction with proceeds benefiting the Salvation Army. Donations are still being accepted.

The event will be hosted by Magic 105.1 personalities, including: Mitzi Miles, Jim Paolucci, Mike Bradley and Shannyn Caldwell.

Grand Rapids Press:

Ken Daniels always has loved hockey. Fortunately, he also loves talking about hockey. Growing up in Toronto, Daniels started playing at the age of 7, first as a goaltender with friends in street hockey, and then as a winger on his pee-wee team. He was a big Bobby Orr fan, but knew he probably didn't have the size to reach the NHL. If Daniels then only suspected that his future might not be as a hockey player, Mike Keenan dealt him a harsh dose of reality. Keenan was Daniels' coach while the current Calgary Flames coach who won a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994 was working as a history and physical education teacher early in his career. "One game he pulled me, and when I skated to the bench, he said, 'You should stick with broadcasting,' " Daniels said. " 'Because you have no chance of a playing career.' " Fortunately, Daniels also grew up listening to late-night games on a radio he would hide beneath his pillow. If he couldn't find a Maple Leafs game, he would tune in to games featuring the Boston Bruins or St. Louis Blues... Red Wings announcer at home in booth (Fri, 10/26)

• Contemporary Christian WEJC-FM 88.3 White Star/Midland, a Smile FM outlet, has completed its technical upgrades and commenced broadcasting at full power on October 24.

• Family Educational Broadcasting Corp. of Door County Wisconsin is exiting the radio business, selling its two non-commerical radio stations to Nebraska-based Bethesda Christian Broadcasting for $1.7 million pending FCC approval and closing. Along with Christian country WRGX-FM 88.5 and contemporary Christian WPFF-FM 90.5, both licensed to Sturgeon Bay, WI, the deal includes a number of translator stations. In Michigan, these include WPFF rebroadcasters W244AW 96.7 Iron Mountain, W254AG 98.7 Escanaba, W260AG 99.9 Ishpeming, W294AI 106.1 Marquette and WRGX rebroadcaster W286BC 105.1 Marquette. Bethesda Christian Broadcasting operates three FM stations in South Dakota.

Ann Arbor News:

Michigan Radio, the public radio station at the University of Michigan, brought in more than $655,000 in its most recent fund drive that ended Oct. 19, with contributions from more than 5,500 members across southern Michigan and northern Ohio. The drive raised money through a variety of sources, including more than $540,000 in contributions from listeners who called in a pledge, nearly $119,000 in online contributions and more than $244,000 generated from 2,454 first-time contributors, according to a statement released by Michigan Radio, which includes WUOM (91.7 FM) in Ann Arbor as well as WFUM-FM (91.1 Flint) and WVGR (104.1 FM) Grand Rapids. In Ypsilanti, WEMU (89.1 FM), Eastern Michigan University's public radio station, also wrapped up its annual drive by exceeding its on-air pledge goal of $135,000 by nearly $4,000... Public radio stations wrap up fund drives: Series on philanthropy starting Monday on WUOM (Sun, 10/28)

Detroit News/AP:

The Detroit Pistons helped redefine the role of pre-game introductions during the Bad Boy era of the late 1980s and early 1990s. With heavy metal group Europe's stirring "Final Countdown" pulsating throughout the building, public address announcer Ken Calvert whipped the home fans into a frenzy by introducing guard "Joe Duuu-mars" and "your captain, No. 11, Isiah Thomas." Nearly two decades later, a man with a single name, a two-word catchphrase and his own approach to the PA game is having the same effect on The Palace faithful and on the league. John Mason (or just Mason as he prefers) will have a city screaming "Deee-troit Bas-ket-ball" again this season as the Pistons try to make another deep run in the NBA playoffs. The radio host also is influencing teams around the league, who are borrowing elements of Detroit's pre-game show in their arenas... Pistons announcer has city screaming: "Deee-troit Bas-ket-ball" (Sun, 10/28)

Detroit Free Press:

Vinnie Ocelnik, 12, died in an auto accident near his Warren home last month as he attempted to drive the family car. And now comes the rest of the story. WRIF-FM (101.1) is presenting "Rockin' for Vinnie," a 12-hour benefit concert and rock auction on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. at the Ritz rock club, 24300 Hoover in Warren. The proceeds will help his family cover the funeral and medical costs... WRIF plans benefit for Warren boy (Sun, 10/28)

Flint Journal:

A Saginaw-based radio station has yanked a mock test off its Web site that reportedly ridiculed Flint School District students through a series of disparaging questions involving gangs, Ebonics, and out-of-wedlock pregnancies. The general manager at WHNN-FM (96.1) said the page was taken down shortly after it appeared and the matter was being handled internally. "We have apologized to everyone who has reached out to the radio station via phone calls and e-mails," said Chris Monk of the classic hits station. But a source with the Flint School District who did not want to be identified called the episode "a Don Imus matter," referring to the uproar caused by derogatory comments the famous radio personality made about the mostly African-American Rutgers women's basketball team... Test called an 'Imus matter' (Sat, 10/27)

Grand Rapids Press:

Brian James, a new meteorologist at WWMT-TV (Channel 3), is no stranger to West Michigan. He is a graduate of Forest Hills Central High School and has always been interested in the weather. He attended University of Oklahoma, where he obtained a degree in meteorology. His career has taken him across the country at KPCP-TV in Oklahoma City, WGKI-TV in Cadillac, WEYI in Flint and, most recently, at KVII in Texas... 3 hires meteorologist (Sun, 10/28)

WGRD-FM (97.9) is releasing its seventh "Bootleg" CD for charity. The CD features unreleased tracks for local and national artists, as well as live studio performances recorded at WGRD. The 50-minute CD will be available at all West Michigan Meijer stores beginning Nov. 20. Cost is $9.79... Bash benefits nonprofit (Sun, 10/28)

Even though Jeff Morton replaced Matt Hanlon as the new general manager for Citadel Broadcasting Co.'s local properties -- WLAV-FM (96.7), WKLQ-FM (107.3), WHTS-FM (105.3), WTNR-FM (Thunder 94.5) and WBBL-AM (1340) in Grand Rapids -- Hanlon continues with his role as regional president of Citadel Broadcasting. Hanlon will oversee multiple markets in Michigan... Regional VP stays on at Citadel (Sun, 10/28)

Instant flash of stardom

by: Colleen Pierson

It’s the stuff dreams are made of. Emily Pearce is a 23-year-old Grand Rapids resident who worked as waitress/bartender at the Amway Grand Plaza , Not any more. She decides on a whim, to try out for a talent-search for the new morning personality at WHTS-FM. Now, her dream of being an on-air broadcast personality and co-host on 105.3 Hot FM Today’s Hottest Hits has been realized.

“I am so excited, Pearce said during a recent phone interview with the Press. I tried out on a whim, made it to the final 8 and this all came out of nowhere—it is awesome.”

She’s a graduate of Rockford High School and is no stranger to the study of Communications, graduating from Central Michigan University with a degree in the field.

“I have always been drawn to the entertainment field,” she said.

She started on the air-waves this week and joins morning men Todd Chance and Carter from 5:30-10:00a.m.

My role is still being defined, but it is a full-time position and I am so excited about it. Many of her responsibilities will be tied to providing entertainment reports for the station.

On-air personalities Todd Chance, Emily Pearce and Carter replace Dave and Geri who left the Citadel Broadcasting Company in the summer.

By: Mike Austerman

Here are some final thoughts about the format change from talk to sports at WXYT-FM (97.1) now that it has been nearly a month since its big change. Many e-mails I have been receiving are exclusively on two topics: the shift of Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle to mornings and the dispatching of Motor City Middays.

Even this week, readers continue to comment on how they miss hearing MCM hosts Jay Towers, Bill McAllister and Shila as the show had become part of their daily routines. Many of these same former listeners state they feel as if there just isn’t anything on the radio left to listen to now that their favorite hosts are gone. Others continue to express disappointment on the move of D&D from afternoons to mornings because they are unable to listen during the guys’ new timeslot.

Not one person has taken the time to complain, to me at least, about the removal of Opie & Anthony from morning drive, nor have I received any feedback about no longer being able to hear Johnny D’s mid-morning show. In fact, the latter’s move to hosting the overnight shift on WXYT turned out to be very short-lived as he completely exited the station as of last week. To be fair, neither show was on the air long enough to develop much of a loyal following.

It may be anything but smooth sailing for the station in the near future as key contributors near the end of their contracts. The station’s deal with Deminski and Doyle will expire at the end of the year, and it remains to be seen if the guys will be able to reach a new agreement, or indeed if they’ll even want to remain on an otherwise all-sports station should other opportunities present themselves in town.

It’s a similar situation for afternoon guys Terry Foster and Mike Valenti. Their deal expires in April, and Foster has already taken to lobbying for renewal on the duo’s Web site, www.sportsinferno.com. With Foster’s other job as a columnist for The Detroit News, his ties to the area are much stronger than Valenti, a New York native who attended Michigan State. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Valenti explore advancing his career in bigger markets such as Chicago. To my ears at least, he possesses the raw talent that generates just the kind of excitement and emotion that makes sports talk radio successful.

To be a true sports powerhouse though, WXYT will have to find some long-term stability in its lineup to help generate loyal listeners.

Detroit News:

Now here's a Christmas gift idea: a cute-as-a-bug 5-inch TV. As the Circuit City ad says, the TV "makes it easy to take entertainment on the road." But it will be cute only until Feb. 17, 2009, when its little screen will go blank. To make the set work after that, the owner will need a digital converter box and a place to plug it in, making entertainment on the road not so easy. Circuit City does warn consumers that the set's analog tuner will stop working after that date, after which federal law requires broadcasters to send only digital signals in order to free up electromagnetic spectrum for use by emergency responders and other interests. For Americans who have TVs without built-in digital tuners -- including all sets sold before 1998 -- the coming conversion to digital television, or DTV, may be confusing. To continue watching TV after Feb. 17, 2009, viewers will have to have a set with a digital tuner, pay for cable or satellite service, or get a converter box to switch analog signals to digital... Pitfalls seen in TV's digital transition

Ray Marshall, former Lansing-area radio manager, dies at age 51

Ray Marshall, who had been the operations manager for the Citadel's Lansing area cluster of radio stations until earlier this year, has died from a reported heart attack at his Holt home at the age of 51.

Former co-worker Dan Kelley provides much more information on Ray on his blog at classicrockfm.blogspot.com.

Lansing State Journal:

As a boy in Cleveland, Ray Zdankiewicz obsessed on radio. "He just loved it," recalled his widow, Bonnie. "Being in radio was the only thing he wanted to do." He thrived in it. Using the name Ray Marshall, he spent 16 years as a leader in local radio, prior to his death Sunday at 51. "In my 30 years of broadcasting, I've never met a better radio man," said Rod Krol, who was general manager of six local stations. Marshall - using the name he was known by - did some on-air shifts at WFMK (99.1-FM). "I remember the first time I heard him, I said, 'Whoa, this guy is really good,' " said Jack Robbins, a local DJ. Most of his work, however, was behind the scenes. "He could do it all - engineering, programming, marketing," said Scott Miller, a former local DJ at WFMK and WITL. Miller had an early glimpse, when they were the only two people at an Ohio station during the 1977 snowstorm. "He had a passion for it," Miller said... Marshall, from boyhood, had passion for radio (Tue, 10/30)

Greater Media Detroit's Tom Bender named among Radio Ink magazine's Best Managers in Radio

Greater Media Detroit vice president and regional general manager Tom Bender will be featured in the November 19th issue of Radio Ink Magazine's "Best Managers In Radio for 2007."

Bender will be recognized in the large market category for his leadership and management skills in overseeing Greater Media's WRIF-FM, WCSX-FM and WMGC-FM in the Motor City.

"It is a privilege to have Tom Bender on our management team," said Greater Media president and CEO Peter Smyth. "He is an outstanding leader, visionary and manager."

"It is clear that today's station managers wear many hats, and must possess excellent management skills and business acumen," said Radio Ink Magazine Editor-In-Chief Joe Howard. "As voted by their peers, Radio Ink's Best Managers in Radio have all of this and more."

Detroit Free Press:

At 5 a.m. Thursday, it’s officially holiday time.

Yes, Clear Channel-owned WNIC-FM (100.3) will start its annual first-to-Santa-music playlist changeover with Burl Ives’ version of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” on the station's "Breakfast Club" show with Chris Edmonds, Lisa Barry and Dave Lockhart. But don’t rush to have yourself a merry little Christmas— it won’t be total Yuletide tune saturation — yet. WNIC programmer Don Gosselin said Wednesday that while 60 percent of about 10,000 who responded to a station web poll wanted Yule music “November 1 or earlier,” he will take into consideration the 40 percent who don’t and ease into it, at least at the beginning. That means not every song on the adult-contemporary soft-rock station will be holiday- oriented for an unspecified period... Holiday music begins on WNIC-FM at 5 a.m. Thursday (Wed, 10/31)

For a while, Lee Thomas admits, he was an "angry spotted guy." The Fox 2 (WJBK-TV) reporter, who's known for his upbeat entertainment coverage, is usually a happy-go-lucky presence on the air. But a few years ago, Thomas was hit hard by the progression of a disorder called vitiligo, which destroys some or all of the pigmentation that gives skin its color. A low point came while he was doing a story where preschool kids tested out a new playscape. When a little girl stared at his hands, which had turned about half white but were dotted with splotches of his natural brown color, she burst into tears. The moment stuck with him. After he finished work, "I went home, I washed my face and I just sat there for thirty minutes, just trying to get it together," says Thomas. He thought to himself, "Wow, you scare small children"... A journey in black and white: Lee Thomas details his struggle with vitiligo in a new memoir (Wed, 10/31)

Bandyke live remote to feature Jeff Daniels on Nov 2

Martin Bandyke, 6-10am morning drive host at adult alternative WQKL-FM 107.1, will broadcast his show live this Friday, Nov. 2 from the Espresso Royale coffee shop in Ann Arbor at 1101 South University. Bandyke's very special guest at 9am will be actor, playwright and musician Jeff Daniels, who will perform a few songs live and talk about his upcoming "Jeff Daniels & Friends" concert at the Michigan Theater. Bandyke will also be giving away CDs, concert tickets and limited edition Martin Bandyke signature coffee mugs during the broadcast.

Bandyke will also host a live performance from singer-songer Mary Gauthier on Monday Nov. 5 during his program.

Bay City Times:

The management at WHNN-FM, 96.1, was backpedaling after an apparent joke went awry, and popular morning personality Johnnie Burke is paying the price. In a concise but contrite message, the Saginaw station's leaders offered their ''sincere apologies'' for offending students, parents and staff of Flint Community Schools. They also suspended Burke, who did not comment on the advice of his attorney... Radio DJ Burke is suspended by oldies station (Thu, 11/1)

WJRT-TV /ABC12.com

Flint School Board members are firing back at a morning radio host who used the district as the brunt of what they say was a very distasteful joke. About two weeks ago, Johnny Burke and the morning crew of WHNN Radio in Saginaw joked about a make-believe practical math test being given to Flint students. The test then later appeared on the radio station's Web site. Flint school officials are not finding the humor in the content of the test. The test is 10 math story problems and they are supposed to represent real-life situations for the students in Flint. So instead of students adding and subtracting apples and oranges, they are using drugs, guns and drive-by shootings as their subjects... Flint School Board takes aim at radio host (Wed, 10/31)