Recently in Michigan Almanac Category

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) presented Michael Gottlieb of Don-Lors Electronics and Will Tieman of TBC Sports/Spartan Sports Network with the organization's Associate of the Year Award. The presentation was made Wednesday, March 3 during the Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference and Expo in Lansing. The award recognizes the significant contributions made by MAB associate members, and acknowledges their efforts in enhancing the quality and integrity of broadcasting while supporting their community.

• Michael Gottlieb, National Director of Sales and Marketing, Don-Lors Electronics, Livonia, Michigan

Michael Gottlieb grew up in Plymouth, MI where he graduated from Plymouth Canton High School. After attending Central Michigan University he went to work for E.F. Hutton as a Stockbroker and remained in investment business for over 15 years seeing several corporate mergers and acquisitions. He was promoted to several levels from Branch Manager to Vice President during that time before making the move to Don-Lors Electronics who specializes in all facets of commercial and residential satellite TV and communication, home and commercial theatre and A/V and Digital signage and advertising. As the National Director of Sales and Marketing, Michael is responsible for offices in 14 major markets throughout the country.

In 2008 Michael, and his company, teamed with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) to bring the most comprehensive DTV transition plan in the country. Through his dedication to the cause and the people of Michigan, Michael and Don-Lors Electronics opened their facilities and dedicated their staff to the first-ever Live DTV Helpline, assisting Michigan citizens with every facet of the digital television transition.

"Michael Gottlieb was a key player in the massive success of the 2009 transition to digital television," said Karole White, MAB President and CEO. "Michael offered his company's assistance and resources to bring the people of Michigan the first live-operator DTV call center in the nation."

• Will Tieman, President of TBC Sports/ Spartan Sports Network, Holt, Michigan

Will Tieman is in his 4th decade of broadcasting college football and basketball games. Within the state of Michigan he is most recognized as the voice for Coach Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartan basketball team. In addition to his broadcast work with MSU, Tieman has served as the voice of Miami University, the Big Ten Basketball Game of the Week and was lead announcer for Coach Eddie Robinson's Grambling State University Tigers national radio network.

His national network football bowl assignments have included The Citrus Bowl, The Motor City Bowl (now Little Caesars Pizza Bowl), the International Bowl and the Blue-Gray Game. He has anchored various television assignments and for 15 seasons in the month of May, Tieman provided national radio coverage from The Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During the course of a year over 250 radio stations around the nation air broadcasts he anchors.

For the past two years, Tieman and his crew received the Michigan Association of Broadcaster's "Best Network Play-By-Play" Award. Tieman is currently the President of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.

"Will Tieman has been an extremely active and supportive associate member of the MAB," said White. "Mr. Tieman has provided countless opportunities for the MAB to build key external relationships and has given back to the broadcasting community by sharing his depth of knowledge on sports broadcasting with new and experienced broadcasters alike, by serving as a speaker and panelist at MAB events and as a guest columnist for the MAB newsletter."

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) has presented its most prestigious engineering award to a pair of Michigan broadcasters, who combined have served in the industry for nearly eight decades. The Carl Lee Broadcast Engineering Excellence Awards were presented during the Engineering Luncheon at the MAB's annual Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference and Expo which was held the Lansing Center, March 3 in Lansing.

The Carl E. Lee Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award winners are:

• Radio Winner: Ed Trombley, Field Engineer/RF Expert, Munn-Reese, Inc., Coldwater, Michigan

Ed Trombley is the Field Engineer and RF Expert Extraordinaire at Munn-Reese, Inc. He began his broadcasting career as a student at Lake Superior State College in the Electronic Engineering Technology program. Upon graduating, Ed worked as a contract engineer for several years at numerous stations across Lower Michigan. In 1984 Ed took on the position of Chief Engineer and Technical Director of Telecommunications at WSAE/KTGG at Spring Arbor College. After a decade of service at Spring Arbor College, Ed made to the move to Munn-Reese, Inc. in Coldwater, MI to work as a field engineer conquering the most complex of radio engineering issues. Since his move to Munn-Reese, Ed has become quite the engineering celebrity throughout the state known for his problem solving and uncanny way of communicating with the finickiest of machinery.

In addition to his professional work, Ed is known for his garage full of old broadcast parts and equipment supplying the local theatre with period props not to mention the numerous engineers who have been helped in a pinch because of his garage full of goodies. Ed is married to his lovely wife Mary and the couple has four children.

• Television Winner: John Grover, Chief Engineer, WADL-TV, Mount Clemens/Detroit, Michigan

John Grover is the Chief Engineer for Adell Broadcasting Corporation's WADL-TV. He has over 46 years of experience in broadcast engineering, 33 of which has been as a television station chief engineer. John began his broadcasting career in 1963 at WJIM as a staff engineer before a brief two-year stint as an engineer for World Wide Sports in Williamston, MI. He then became the Chief Engineer for WGPR, a radio and television licensee, in 1977 where he assemble a U-Matic auto logging sequencer for interstitial and program playback.

In 1988, John joined the Sinclair Broadcast Group in Flint as Chief Engineer at WSMH starting a local news operation. In addition, in 1992 John took on the extra duties of Chief Engineer at WADL-TV where he managed the operations and staffing of Master Control. In 2006, John opted to lighten his heavy work load retiring from WSMH-TV. John is still Chief Engineer at WADL-TV and is known for his positive, can-do sprit and outstanding work ethic.

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters presented Station of the Year honors at the Broadcast Excellence Awards presentation in Lansing on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 to the following stations:

Market 1 (Detroit):

• Television: WJBK-TV
• Radio: WJR AM

Market 2:

• Television: WOOD-TV Grand Rapids
• Radio: WKZO AM Kalamazoo

Market 3:

• Television: WILX-TV Lansing
• Radio: WLEN-FM Adrian

Market 4:

• Television: WLUC-TV Marquette
• Radio: WSJM-FM/AM Benton Harbor

Public Broadcasting Group 1:

• Television: WGVU-TV Grand Rapids
• Radio: WICA-FM Interlochen

Public Broadcasting Group 2:

• Television: WTVS-TV Detroit
• Radio: Michigan Radio/Ann Arbor (WUOM-FM/WFUM-FM/WVGR-FM)

High School Radio Station of the Year: Bloomfield Andover/Lahser High School, WBFH-FM

College Radio Station of the Year: Michigan State University, WDBM-FM

High School Television Station of the Year: Davison High School, DTV

College Television Station of the Year: Central Michigan University, MHTV

The MAB also announced the winners of its Broadcast Excellence Award competition. For a complete list of all winners, click here. The MAB Broadcast Excellence Awards is one of the largest state awards programs in the nation and continues to set broadcast excellence standards.

Congratulations to all the winning stations and their employees!

WBFH Bloomfield Hills named 2010 High School Radio Station of the Year

Eight WBFH students win 14 awards from MAB

Bloomfield Hills School District radio broadcasting students won five first place awards, three second place awards and six third place awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) at their annual Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference held March 3, 2010 at the Lansing Center in Lansing. WBFH received the most cumulative points in all categories entered and was awarded the 2010 High School Radio Station of the Year.

The MAB received 458 entries from 33 schools for their annual High School and College Broadcasting Awards competition. WBFH students won 14 of the 26 awards given out in the high school radio division.

Lahser senior Chad Shepard won five awards: 1st Place, MHSAA Sports PSA; 1st Place, Sportscast/Sports Play-by-Play; 2nd Place, Promotional Announcement; 3rd Place, Talk Show (with Bobby Brandon); 3rd Place, Air Check (with Drake Deitch).

Andover senior Josh Loney won four awards: 1st Place, Talk Show; 2nd Place, Air Check; 3rd Place, Daily Newscast/News Feature; 3rd Place (tie), Promotional Announcement.

Andover senior Josh Gordon won two awards: 2nd Place, Public Service Announcement; 3rd Place (tie), Promotional Announcement.

Andover senior Kevin Furlong won one award: 1st Place, Daily Newscast/News Feature.

Lahser senior Patrick Garretson won one award: 1st Place, Promotional Announcement.

Andover senior Ryan Bloom won one award: 3rd Place, Station Activities Report.

Andover senior Drake Deitch won one award: 3rd Place, Air Check (with Chad Shepard).

Lahser junior Bobby Brandon won one award: 3rd Place, Talk Show (with Chad Shepard).

The WBFH management team of Station Manager Pete Bowers, Assistant Manager/Technical Director Randy Carr and Remote Supervisor/Program Director Ron Wittebols were present to congratulate the award winning students and accept the Station of the Year Award on their behalf. This was the sixth Station of the Year Award WBFH has won in the last eight years.

WBFH, also known as The Biff, is a non-commercial, educational radio station broadcasting at 88.1 on the FM dial or online at www.wbfh.fm.

MSU News:

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters and Broadcast Music Inc. have named Michigan State University's WDBM - or Impact 89 FM, as it is commonly known - the college radio station of the year. The Gold Record Award was presented at the Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference in Lansing on March 3. This is the 10th time in a row that WDBM-FM has won the award. "To be named College Station of the Year for the 10th year in a row is an unprecedented accomplishment." said Gary Reid, professional general manager of the station. "I am extremely proud of our staff, and honored to be able to work with such talented and motivated young people." Impact staffers took first place in four of the seven categories, including Ed Glazer for talk show, Ben Rickert for promotional announcement and public service announcement, and Jeremy Whiting for the station activities report. The staff earned 10 awards in all and amassed nearly twice the number of points than the next nearest competitor... MSU's Impact 89 FM named College Station of the Year for the 10th time (Thu, 3/4)

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) is sad to report the passing of MAB Past President, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, MAB Foundation Honorary Board Member and former WOOD Grand Rapids executive Willard "Bill" Schroeder. Schroeder passed away Tuesday, February 23 at his home in East Grand Rapids. He was 96.

Schroeder's Michigan connection began in 1950, when the new WOOD Radio/Grand Rapids owner Harry Bitner hired him as general manager of the station. At that point, WOOD Radio was making plans to add a television station and on October 15, 1951, WOOD-TV went on the air with the first "live" programming in West Michigan. In 1962, WOOD-FM signed on. Under Bill's guidance, WOOD Broadcasting introduced area residents to everything from color television to personalities such as Bruce Grant, Frank Slaymaker and Buck Matthews. Upon retirement as general manager of the TV station, Schroeder remained active as president of WOOD Broadcasting until 1984 when the stations were sold.

Through his broadcasting work in West Michigan, Schroeder was elected president of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters in 1963 and in June of 1964, he was elected chairman of the board of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). He assumed the job would be traditionally honorary; but after NAB president LeRoy Collins resigned to join the Johnson administration, the NAB decided to create a two-man team to head the association. Schroeder became a working chairman, assigned to Washington in partnership with NAB president Vince Wasilewski. For the balance of his term, he juggled two hats and occupied two desks, one in Washington and the other in Grand Rapids.

During his life, Bill was named "Man of the Year" by both the United Fund and the Advertising Club of Grand Rapids. He served on the boards of the YMCA, Salvation Army, Red Cross, United Way, St. Mary's Hospital, Aquinas College, West Michigan Public Broadcasting and Kendall School of Design.

Bill Schroeder was honored by his fellow broadcasters with the MAB's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also a member of the MAB Foundation Founders Club which provides scholarships to deserving broadcast media students in Michigan. Those desiring to make contributions to a scholarship fund in Bill's honor may do so by clicking this link to donate online or contacting Julie Sochay at mabf@michmab.com.

Schroeder was born June 6, 1913 in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in journalism school at the University of Missouri. Upon graduation in 1934, Bill was recruited by Hearst Corporation, and at age 23, became a radio advertising sales person at the Hearst station in Pittsburgh, WCAE. He later rose to the position of sales manager of the station and then was transferred and promoted to the general manager position at the company's New York City station. While in New York, Bill met his future wife Barbara, who was teaching radio at Briarcliff College. He and Barbara eventually would have three daughters, Gail, Sally and Christine, and one son, David.

A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. March 6 at the Kent Country Club in Grand Rapids.

Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference & Expo Slated for March 2 & 3 at The Lansing Center in Lansing

Working towards a profitable multi-media future will be the focus at the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) annual Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference & Expo (GLBC).

"GLBC is the hot spot for broadcasting innovation and a move toward a brighter outlook for the broadcast industry," said MAB President and CEO Karole White. "Michigan broadcasters are retooling and reaching out to new forms of media to secure their place in the future."

This year's GLBC will spotlight embracing the changes that have come to the broadcasting industry and working with emerging social media to reach broadcast audiences in a whole new way. This year's event includes: seminars with nationally renowned speakers; an interactive exhibit hall which will feature numerous exhibitors with the latest industry technology and programs; and a career fair for up and coming broadcast professionals.

GLBC features over 20 national caliber speakers and offers one of the biggest networking opportunities in the Midwest broadcasting industry. Exhibit Only registration is always free. Full information is available on the MAB web site at www.michmab.com.

Other GLBC conference highlights include:

• The Broadcast Excellence Awards Presentation, which recognizes outstanding news, programming and public service performances by Michigan radio and television stations (Separate registration required).
• The MAB Foundation Broadcast Media Career & Networking Fair, which will allow students interested in the industry to meet and obtain advice from broadcasters.
• The MAB Foundation's Michigan High School & College Broadcast Awards, which recognizes the talents of Michigan high school and college broadcast media students.

Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame adds five

The Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame recognizes reporters, editors, publishers, owners, photographers, broadcasters, educators and others who have made outstanding contributions to the profession. Since 1985 the Journalism Hall of Fame has continued the tradition of honoring journalists begun in 1952 by the Michigan Newspaper Hall of Fame.

The class of 2010 includes:

• Bill Bonds- iconic TV anchor at WXYZ-TV 7 and WJBK-TV 2 in Detroit
• Ron Dzwonkowski- Detroit Free Press associate editor and columnist
• Dawn Hertz - Media Lawyer with the firm Butzel-Long
• Jerry Hodak- Detroit TV reporter and anchor since 1965; currently the chief meteorologist at WXYZ-TV
• James Pooler- Detroit Free Press reporter

The Hall of Fame banquet is scheduled for Sunday, April 18, 2010, at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. Contact Michigan State University's School of Journalism at 517-353-6430 for more information.

MLive.com / Associated Press:

Ernie Harwell will receive the Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports Broadcasting. The Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers will receive the award on May 5 in New York. The 92-year-old Harwell was the voice of the Tigers from 1960-02. He said last September he has inoperable cancer, a month after surgery for an obstructed bile duct. He was honored with a tribute during a game at Comerica Park on Sept. 16. Harwell's 55-year career began in Atlanta in 1946. He moved two years later to the Brooklyn Dodgers. After stints with the New York Giants and Baltimore Orioles, he started his long association with the Tigers. Harwell was voted the 1981 Ford Frick Award for major contributions to baseball by the Hall of Fame. The Scully award is named for the longtime Dodgers broadcaster, who won the Frick Award in 1982. Scully helped form Fordham's radio station WFUV, which is the award's sponsor, and joined the Dodgers broadcast crew in 1950. Tigers' Ernie Harwell to receive Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award for broadcasting (Thu, 2/11)

column written by Mike Austerman

Last week's news that the FCC is going to allow FM stations to increase their output power from 1% of their analog output to up to 10% prompted lots of coverage. It's a polarizing issue between those that continue to promote HD as the next big thing for free FM radio and those that think the idea continues to be a horrible mistake that just keeps getting worse.

Truth be told I don't know where I stand, as I can see both sides. I guess I tend to lean toward the technology -- at least for FM -- hoping that the addition of programming can help fill broadcast holes that wouldn't otherwise be served. A quick example: In Angola, Indiana pop WLKI FM 100.3 has recently added HD2 and HD3 programming, providing the area with a sports format (ESPN Radio) and a rock format. Maybe even more intriguing, both formats are also available to analog listeners via FM translators that were recently purchased and moved to Angola. If it weren't for HD, listeners wouldn't have those extra options.

The biggest argument against HD appears to be concerns over interference. If it turns the FM dial into the mess AM has become since HD has come online, this position will be validated. My guess is that many of the protests come from owners of 'rimshot' stations that rely on listeners from nearby larger markets to help keep their stations afloat. If listeners they have today get blocked by IBOC stations, it could very well impact whether or not some of these stations survive. Is this really what the FCC wants -- fewer voices on the airwaves?

In Detroit, the situation could be even worse should HD-caused interference affect stations from nearby southwestern Ontario, which has recently added a number of FMs. Most are just two clicks away on the dial from powerful Detroit FM's that could very well increase digital power and create much more interference in Canada. It'll be interesting to see what happens if/when the juice gets turned up on local HDs.

One thing I can say without hesitation though - if all of this is going to wind up being worth it, a lot more effort is going to be needed in programming the HD2 and HD3 stations to entice listeners to upgrade their radios.

On a personal note, I pheel compelled to mention a recent loss to the radio phamily. Listeners to Phlash Phelps' morning show (6am - noon ET) on SiriusXM's 60's on 6 understand the connection he had with his beloved beagle Clyde, who was probably one of the best traveled dogs of all time. Phlash and Clyde were best buds phor over 14 years and stuck together through numerous radio gigs and together got the chance to visit 48 states, 5 provinces of Canada, 2 U.S. territories, and Washington D.C. Unfortunately, Clyde didn't make it to see his 15th birthday which would have been in June as he died on Saturday.

Phlash intends to take Clyde's ashes to both Alaska and Hawaii to complete the 50 state tour.

Listeners to the Phlash Phelps Phunny Pharm grew used to hearing Clyde's bark and amazing ability to phind nearly any song request listeners might make. While much of satellite radio can be impersonal, Phlash's program is a refreshing difference. I'm certainly proud to be a Phan and send my condolences to Phlash.

If you feel compelled, reach out to Phlash c/o XM Satellite Radio, 1500 Eckington Place NE, Washington, DC 20002.

MAB Says Goodbye to Former FCC Chairman and Michigan Broadcast Pioneer James H. Quello

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters sent out this release today on the death of James Quello:

It is with a heavy heart that the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) announces the death of our friend, Michigan native, broadcast pioneer, MAB Past President and former FCC Chairman, James H. Quello. Quello died Sunday, January 24 surrounded by friends and family at his Alexandria, VA home after heart and kidney failure. He was 95.

Quello, a World War II Lieutenant and Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and a war hero, started his career in radio broadcasting immediately after returning from Europe in 1945. He worked in the promotions department at WXYZ-AM (Detroit) and two years later moved to rival station WJR-AM (Detroit). He later became Vice President and General Manager of WJR-AM in 1960.

Quello was one of the original MAB members. He supported and helped to build the association from a small group of radio managers looking for representation on legal issues to what it currently is today - a nationally-recognized association representing more than 300 Michigan radio and television stations. Jim served as president of the MAB in 1959 and credited the MAB, his colleagues and friends from Michigan for mounting a campaign to get him appointed to the FCC in 1974. He served there until 1997 when he retired. For eleven months in 1993, Quello was the Acting Chairman of the FCC. He was honored with the prestigious MAB Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993 and many other awards too numerous to mention is this brief article. You could always find our friend Jim attending MAB conferences - catching up with old Michigan broadcast friends during a reception or participating in a tennis match - Jim was one of us and we will miss him.

This past Friday, January 22, MAB President/CEO Karole White spoke briefly with Jim:

"Weak and frail he used his limited breath to be uplifting to me," said White. "He thanks his friends in the MAB, 'The Greatest Broadcasting Association in the States,' he said. I'm to tell everyone he loves them and good bye (from Jim)."

Funeral arrangements are pending.

WZZM-TV Grand Rapids:

James Henry Quello, a one-time broadcaster who served as an FCC commissioner for 24 years, and as acting FCC chairman in 1993, died today at age 95. Appointed to the FCC in 1974 by then President Richard Nixon, Quello, a Democrat, kept winning reappointments to the commission until 1998, when he retired. He was named acting chairman of the FCC in 1993, bridging the gap between the tenure of Republican Albert Sikes and Democratic appointee, Reed Hundt. Quello's initial appointment to the FCC sparked protests from consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who called the new commissioner "a pawn for broadcasters." Although his tenure as acting chairman of the FCC was brief, the New York Times described his tenure with the headline, "Temporary Chief Proves More Than a Fill-In." As an FCC commissioner, Quelo became known for his independent thinking. He championed the preservation of free universal television and he sat on the commission as it and the media transitioned into the Information Age, during a period of revolutionary technological change and the birth of the Internet... Michigan native and former Detroit Radio manager James Quello dies (Sun, 1/24)