Recently in Northern Michigan / UP Category

UpNorthLive.com:

After forecasting the weather on 7 & 4 News for more than 13 years, 11 years as Chief Meteorologist, Greg MacMaster is stepping away from the studio cameras and preparing for a new path in politics. Greg announced he's leaving WPBN/WTOM Friday. Another announcement will be made Monday on his future plans as a candidate for the 105th State House seat. We wish him well on his future endeavors, and thank him for his many years as a co-worker and friend of the 7 & 4 News Team... 7 & 4 Chief Meteorologist Greg MacMaster Prepares For Next Chapter (Fri, 3/12)

Ironwood's WIMI broadens playlist

Upper Midwest Broadcasting reports that Hot AC WIMI FM 99.7 Ironwood has "moved to a broader Adult Contemporary format positioned as 'The Best Variety; following its sale to J&J Broadcasting" and rehired Uncle Al Rice for afternoons. J&J recently closed on its purchase of WIMI and sister station WJMS AM 590 from Baracuda Broadcasting.

Soo Evening News:

A half-dozen people are now out of work following Tuesday's announcement that Sovereign Communications has purchased the Upper Peninsula radio stations including WYSS-FM, WMKD-FM, and WKNW-AM formely owned by Northern Star Broadcasting. The list includes Station Manager Doug Laprade, Program Director Paul "Junior" VanWagoner, News Director Scott Nason and Disc Jockeys Jason Mapes and Melissa Krahnke. VanWagoner was willing to go on record with an account of how more than a dozen local employees lost their jobs in the transition. "Northern Star Broadcasting laid the entire staff off at 10:15, yesterday," said VanWagoner effective 5 p.m. Tuesday. President Bill Gleich of Sovereign Communications said the purchase of Northern Star Broadcasting was strictly for its physical assets and not for personnel. As a result, those employees were all informed they were being laid-off by their employer before the transition was made. Gleich said that 10 of those people were subsequently rehired including Program Director Tim Ellis, Jessie Sims, John Gilbert and Frank Blissett... Radio jobs lost in transition (Wed, 2/10)

One of the largest sales of radio stations in recent times, at least in terms of numbers of stations being dealt, was announced this week in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Sault Ste. Marie based Sovereign Communications has reached an agreement with Northern Star Broadcasting to purchase all but one of their Upper Peninsula radio stations for $3.5 million dollars.

The eleven station, multi-million dollar acquisition will give Sovereign a total of seven radio stations in the Sault Ste. Marie and Newberry area with the addition of WYSS-FM, WMKD-FM and WKNW AM where the company already owns WSOO AM, WSUE-FM, WNBY AM and WNBY-FM. Northern Star will maintain its ownership of WIHC-FM Newberry as the acquisition of that station by Sovereign would have pushed it over FCC ownership limit caps.

The cash deal also includes WJPD-FM, WUPK-FM, WNGE-FM, WDMJ AM, and WIAN AM in Marquette as well as WIMK-FM, WZNL-FM and WMIQ AM in Iron Mountain.

Bill Gleich, President of Sovereign Communications, said, "We couldn't be more excited about this purchase. Having these additional stations will allow us to serve the community as well as our advertisers and listeners in even greater ways. I believe we have the best people in the radio business; they're all very excited about our growth and ready to take on new challenges. I look forward to a smooth transition as we bring the Northern Star stations into the Sovereign Communications family. Personally, as a local kid that grew up in Sault Sainte Marie and started in the radio business at WSOO at 15 years old, this is a real dream come true for me."

David Simmons, President of Traverse City/Cheboygan based Northern Star Broadcasting, commented, "While we will miss the many warm relationships that have developed during our involvement in the Upper Peninsula markets, the transaction with Sovereign Communications provides Northern Star Broadcasting with the opportunity for a renewed sense of focus and commitment to the remaining radio stations in the Northern Star Broadcasting group. We look forward to our continued community involvement, presentation of entertaining and quality programming for our listeners while providing outstanding customer service to our advertisers and promotional partners."

Northern Star Broadcasting has owned and operated its eight Northern Lower Peninsula radio stations since the company's formation in 1998. All of the Lower Peninsula Radio Stations will stay intact as a Radio Station Broadcast Group and will continue to be owned and operated by Northern Star Broadcasting, LLC. The current management team, Del Reynolds, Vice President of Programming and Operations and Chief Engineer, and Mary Reynolds, Vice President of Marketing and Promotions and General Manager, will continue to lead the Northern Star Broadcasting team of dedicated broadcast professionals.

Del Reynolds tells Michiguide.com, "I think this group of UP stations will be taken to the next level under the direction of Bill "Curtis" Gleich. He is truly a radio guy through and through from programming to sales. His attention to detail with regard to programming is the best I've seen. He gets up early and stays up late to make his stations sound great and they do! Bill has a thorough understanding of how to market, promote and program radio stations no matter what the format. Since Yes FM in the Sault was the first radio station that I owned and named, it has a special place in my heart. Having a guy like Bill Curtis own Yes FM 25 years later makes me feel better about ever selling it. In retrospect, that's one of the 10 stations that I've owned that I should have kept. From the time it went # 1 back in 1985 to now it's continued to do well over all these years. Yes FM is in good hands!"

The deal still must go through the FCC approval process and closing.

Traverse City Record-Eagle:

A Feb. 4 broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion" beamed live to Traverse City's State Theatre is sold out, so a Feb. 9 rebroadcast has been added. The Feb. 4 show will be performed in front of a live audience at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul, Minn., and beamed via satellite to theaters around the country. Because the local broadcast sold out, WIPR, the hosting radio station, scheduled a rebroadcast Tickets for the Feb. 9 rebroadcast, scheduled for 8 p.m., are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and children... Another 'Prairie Home' telecast added (Fri, 1/29)

Traverse City Record-Eagle:

A few days ago I was listening to WTCM, my favorite AM radio station, which has been broadcasting in Traverse City since 1941. It was getting dark when suddenly their signal level dropped significantly and I could hear the crackle of static coming from my radio along with another station, from some far-off place, in the background. What my ears had witnessed was their nighttime reduction of power from 50,000 watts to 1,100 watts. This station, like many others, is required by FCC regulations to reduce power at sunset. The reason for this is that AM radio waves travel farther at night and multiple stations across the country are assigned to the same frequency... Radio's 'golden age' (Sun, 1/24)

Traverse City Record-Eagle:

The Roundup radio variety show is hitting the road. The weekly program -- taped at the Hayloft Inn and broadcast on WNMC -- will be making its way to a location near you beginning in February, said show host Bill Dungjen. "We're going to take our Roundup radio show with Sour Mash, the (bluegrass) house band, to different venues around the area -- township halls, association halls, Elks clubs -- and we'll invite hand-picked guests a la Garrison Keillor," Dungjen said, referring to the host of the national radio variety show, "A Prairie Home Companion." The Roundup road trips will be more polished versions of the regular show, which generally airs at 7:30 a.m. on Saturdays and at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays, Dungjen said... Road Trip: Radio show on tour (Fri, 1/22)

Strong Tower Radio, WGCP FM 91.9, has been on the air since late last month offering listeners around Cadillac a new option in religious broadcasting. The station's web site, www.wgcpfm.org claims, "Strong Tower Radio WGCP 91.9-FM is not owned or operated by any church, denomination or organization, and we believe people from all cultures and backgrounds will appreciate our programming."

Much of the station's schedule is filled with shows from 3ABN (Three Angels Broadcasting Network) .

WGCP is a Class A station, broadcasting with 2,100 watts @ 144 feet that covers much of central Wexford county including the city of Cadillac. It is owned by West Central Michigan Media Ministries.

Traverse City Record-Eagle:

Faith Hershiser doesn't believe she's getting her money's worth from her satellite television provider. Nearly $80 a month goes toward her DirecTV bill. But Hershiser, of Bellaire, no longer can make it through her favorite TV shows without experiencing audio problems. Momentary sound glitches tied to her DirecTV service began in June, and haven't disappeared. "It's like watching TV, but somebody's swearing all the time," she said. "It seems like when you're really interested in something, that's when it happens." Hershiser said she only picks up the audio glitches on local channels. She called local NBC and Fox affiliates, but nobody's been able to fix the problem. Hershiser doesn't appear to be the only DirecTV customer in northern Michigan who's experienced audio problems. Lowell Shore, chief engineer for Heritage Broadcasting Group, which owns 9&10 News and Fox 32, said he's fielded several calls from DirecTV customers over the past month... Audio glitches impact DirecTV customers (Fri, 1/8)

Cadillac's WATT AM temporarily off-air

News-talk WATT AM 1240 Cadillac has been off the air since 1:30 Sunday afternoon after a snowplow inadvertently cut the power line leading from the transmitter to the tower. Repairs are scheduled for today and the station hopes to get back on the air later today.