Recently in Northern Michigan / UP Category

Arbitron drops Ann Arbor and Tri-Cities markets from its ratings service

Radio ratings service Arbitron has backed out of two Michigan markets, dropping Ann Arbor (ranked as the 155th largest market in the country) and Saginaw/Bay City/Midland (139th largest) from the list of areas where it provides service.

Both Ann Arbor and the Tri-Cities were diary-based markets and had been receiving Fall and Spring reports from Arbitron. They were dropped due to lack of client support - meaning not enough radio stations in those markets were subscribing to Arbitron's services.

Arbitron also recently made another change to all of the markets it serves - ratings information for non-subscribing stations will no longer be part of any publicly released ratings reports, making it tough for the general public to know exactly where stations rank in markets where there are non-subscribing stations.

Traverse City's Good News Media wins FM Auction 93 bid

The recently concluded FCC Auction 93 offered up 93 new FM frequencies for bid across the country. In Michigan, Traverse City based Good News Media was the high bidder at $109,000 for a new Class C3 station at 95.9 to be licensed to Grand Traverse County's Fife Lake.

Good News Media is the owner of religious formatted stations WJLN-FM/AM 89.9 / 1400 Traverse City and WLJW AM 1370 Cadillac. WLJN-FM was also recently granted a construction permit to increase power from 39,000 to 100,000 watts.

TVNewsCheck:

Sinclair Communications-owned CBS affiliate WWMT Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich., (DMA 42), today launched a 4:30 a.m. newscast. The expanded early morning newscast will air every weekday.

Full story: WWMT launches 4:30 am newscast (Mon, 4/23)

AllAccess.com:

TOWNSQUARE Active Rocker WGRD/GRAND RAPIDS, MI and FREE BEER & HOT WINGS announce WINGSTOCK 2012. The show is JUNE 16th at FIFTH THIRD BALLPARK with headliners OUR LADY PEACE, also local boys POP EVIL with DOKKEN, WAYLAND and more acts to be announced.

Full story: WGRD Announces Wingstock 2012 (Mon, 4/23)

Macomb Daily:

Using 100 percent donated parts and the sweat of volunteers, Keith Strong and his crew at Ice Nine Group in Clinton Township can now get to the task at hand: building a reproduction of a 1969 Ford Mustang as part of WCSX radio's Stone Soup Project to raise funds for children's charities.

Full story: Ice Nine Group, WCSX to build new '69 Boss Mustang (Sat, 4/21)

Fine Tuning

• Steve Stewart has exited as the longtime Operations Manager at Cumulus News/Talk WJR AM 760 Detroit. Ron Harrell takes over the role - he also oversees Cumulus' other two stations in Detroit, WDVD-FM 96.3 and WDRQ-FM 93.1. Stewart's career at WJR spanned 22 years.

WDIV claims 2012 Murrow Award

Post-Newsweek NBC affiliate WDIV-TV Ch. 4 Detroit was honored by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for the fourth straight year with an Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in journalism.

Local 4 News won the top award in Region 7 of the large market TV Writing category for it's public affairs program "Flashpoint" with Devin Scillian.

AllAccess.com:

MACDONALD/GARBER BROADCAST GROUP AC WLXT (LITE 96.3)/TRAVERSE CITY brings in market vet LISA KNIGHT as morning show co-host with TIM NIXON, beginning next MONDAY (4/23). KNIGHT will also take over mid-day duties on sister Top 40 WKHQ.

Full story: Lisa Knight To Co-Host Wakeups On WLXT, Middays On WKHQ (Wed, 4/18)

Fox 2 Detroit:

Bill Gallagher, the professor of local journalism, went to work Friday for perhaps the 7,000th time. But the day was a special one. After more than 10,000 television news stories, today's would be his last. The day began much like the others -- with a false start.

Full story: TV Bill's Excellent Adventure (Fri, 3/23)

Flint Journal:

Michigan Public Radio will host a discussion on the state's emergency manager law at 6 p.m. Monday at Blackstone's Pub, 531 S. Saginaw St. in downtown Flint. Jack Lessenberry, Michigan Radio's senior political analyst, is expected to lead the dialogue on the controversial measure. The event is part of Michigan Radio's Issues & Ale series.

Full story: Michigan Radio to host emergency manager discussion in downtown Flint (Thu, 3/22)

Fine Tuning

• Thursday's hours-long outage at Detroit's WMYD-TV Ch. 20 was apparently a power-related issue. The station was noted back on the air in the early hours of Friday.

 

• A couple of AM radio format changes that slipped by over the last several months: Ludington's WKLA AM 1450 has dropped News/Talk in favor of Oldies; Sault Ste Marie's WKNW AM 1400 also dropped News/Talk in favor of Sports.

Eastern U.P. radio station returns to the air

Over the weekend, West Central Michigan Media Ministries returned WIHC FM 97.9 Newberry/Sault Ste Marie to the airwaves. The station now carries the organization's religious "Strong Tower Radio" format that first debuted in Northern Michigan on WGCP FM 91.9 Cadillac about two years ago.

WIHC was purchased by West Central in November 2011 for $150,000 - the station had been taken off the air by previous owner Northern Star Broadcasting at about the same time that company sold off it's Upper Peninsula radio stations (with the exception of WIHC) in 2010.

Prior to returning to the air as a Religious station WIHC has featured Easy Listening, Country, and Classic Rock formats since first signing on in the late 1980s.

Crain's Detroit Business:

Last week's retirement of sports anchor Don Shane is the latest in a series of departures of longtime on-air talent from ABC affiliate WXYZ-Channel 7 over the past 18 months, taking what industry insiders say is more than $1.3 million in salaries off the Southfield station's books.

Full story: Turnover of longtime talent a win-lose for local TV (Mon, 3/5)

Jackson Citizen Patriot:

Rush Limbaugh lost sponsors and created a national furor with recent comments, but reaction at the Jackson radio station that airs his show has been mixed.

Full story: Rush Limbaugh reaction mixed at Jackson's WKHM radio (Sat, 3/3)

Grand Rapids Press:

It's with mixed emotion that I admit how many times I've passed on stories about anniversaries, commemorations, reunions and families who can show up for a photograph that includes five generations.

Full story: Former TV weatherman Buck Matthews puts his storytelling talents to use for Marne church (Sat, 3/3)

TVSpy.com:

Hired as news director at WADL, Matt Stevens took extra precautions when meeting with station management on the day he was terminated because he feared he "might never be seen again."

Full story: Fired News Director Worried WADL Management Would Make Him 'Disappear' (Mon, 3/5)

Fine Tuning

• The simulcast of News/Talk WMKT AM 1270 Charlevoix on FM translator W221BQ 92.1 has ended. The translator is moving to the non-commercial portion of the dial as W219DR on 91.7 with reduced power.
• Two Lansing-area FM translators (W237BY 95.3 and W240CG 95.9) owned by Educational Media Foundation have switched back to rebroadcasting that organization's Contemporary Christian 'Air One' format. Earlier this year they were heard carrying Cornerstone University's WCSG-FM.

Antenna TV to offer weekend Davy Jones tribute

Tribune Broadcasting DT subchannel network Antenna TV will offer a tribute to Davy Jones, front man for 60s group The Monkees who died yesterday at age 66 from a heart attack.

From 1 - 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 4th the network will show the Monkees' 1968 movie Head, followed at 5 p.m. by a marathon of all 58 thirty minute episodes of The Monkees TV series that will run through 10 p.m. Sunday. Head will then re-air at 10 p.m.

There are three Antenna TV affiliates in Michigan: WADL Ch. 38.2 Detroit, WXMI Ch. 17.2 Grand Rapids, and WZMQ Ch. 19.3 Marquette.

Detroit News:

Cracking wise up to the very end, retired radio host Dick Purtan did his duty Thursday morning, stepping up to a mirror behind a Bed & Breakfast truck outside the Salvation Army in Detroit, and shaving his iconic 42-year-old moustache off.

Full story: Dick Purtan takes it off for the Salvation Army (Thu, 3/1)

Michigan residents were bombarded with $7.6 million in broadcast TV political advertising in the first two months of 2012 by the Republican presidential candidates, President Barack Obama, super PACs and nonprofit groups running issue-specific ads.

Full story: Michigan primary brought $7.6M in TV ads to state (Thu, 3/1)

Detroit Free Press:

Dick Purtan is saying so long to a beloved fuzzy friend he's had since 1970. While cohosting the Salvation Army's annual Bed & Bread Club Radiothon last week, the retired local radio legend told Frank Beckmann of WJR-AM (760) that he'd shave off his signature moustache if listeners pledged $100,000 during a one-hour segment of the radiothon.

Full story: Names and Faces (Thu, 3/1)

WZZM-TV Ch. 13 Grand Rapids:

Andy O'Riley, the very popular radio personality on WMRR in Muskegon and 101.3 the Fox in Grand Rapids, has left the airwaves.

Full story: Radio personality Andy O'Riley takes new gig (with video) (Thu, 3/1)

Holland Sentinel:

When spring blooms in Saugatuck and Douglas, the production of the first Michigan Hometown Stories documentary series on WGVU public television will begin to grow as well. "It's an ongoing project. It's going forward," said Jon Helmrich on Monday.

Full story: WGVU documentary work picks up as season warms up (Wed, 2/29)

Fine Tuning

• Detroit's WDIV-TV claims February ratings win: PR Newswire

 

• Yesterday's fundraiser hosted by three of Ann Arbor's Cumulus-owned stations raised over $75,000 for the United Way of Washtenaw County. Stations taking part were Sports WTKA AM 1050, Country WWWW FM 102.9, and Adult Alternative WQKL FM 107.1.

WXYZ-TV Ch. 7 Detroit:

 After more than 38 years interviewing sports celebrities and covering every major sporting event from the Super Bowl to the NBA finals, 7 ACTION NEWS Sports Director Don Shane will retire from WXYZ in March. Before joining WXYZ-TV in 1989, Shane worked at WBZ-TV in Boston, WMAQ-TV in Chicago and WDIV-TV in Detroit. He has received numerous awards for his reporting including 23 Michigan Emmy Awards, a best sports anchor honor, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle Award, as well as awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and the Associated Press.

Full story: 7 Action News Sports Director Don Shane announces he will retire after 23 years at WXYZ (Wed, 2/29)

Shiels exits "Michigan's Morning Show"

Michael Patrick Shiels has exited "Michigan's Morning Show", heard from 5:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. on nine radio stations across the state. The program originated at Cumulus' WJIM AM 1240 Lansing and is produced and syndicated by the Cumulus-owned Michigan Talk Network. A series of guests will fill in temporarily while the search is on for a new permanent host.

Shiels leaves after hosting the program for the past seven years. "The fact of the matter is I decided to leave Cumulus Broadcasting. It was an amicable parting and I'm hoping I'll get the opportunity down the road to re-connect with my Michigan listeners," commented Shiels.

Detroit News:

Local PBS affiliate WTVS-TV (Channel 56) has a lot to be proud of as of late. The station's production of "Il Volo Takes Flight," which features the amazing trio of young Italian tenors, is going national. Detroit Public Television partnered with the Michigan Opera Theatre, using the Detroit Opera House and MOT's 49-member orchestra, for the October concert. It was broadcast locally in December and will air nationally beginning this weekend as a part of PBS' national fundraising drive.

Full story: WTVS-TV expands locally and takes flight nationally (Wed, 2/29)

Fine Tuning

• Today's Real Detroit Weekly celebrates its 'Best Of Detroit' issue. Best Media TV and radio winners include Huel Perkins, FOX 2 News, ClickOnDetroit.com, Jay Towers, Jay Hudson, Drew and Mike, Valenti and Foster, 89X, Glenda Lewis, and Dan Miller.

 

• Listeners of Cumulus' Contemporary Hits WIOG-FM Bay City/Saginaw helped raise $64,128 during last week's Radiothon for Flint's Hurley Medical Center.

Toledo Blade:

A Toledo television station has officially informed the state that it plans to lay off 63 employees this spring when the station is sold. The Blade reported in January that WUPW, Channel 36, was being sold to American Spirit Media. The layoffs are expected to take place between April 24 and May 8, according to a letter from LIN Media, which owns WUPW, to Ohio's Office of Workforce Development.

Full story: Toledo TV station WUPW plans to lay off 63 employees (Wed, 2/29)

Muskegon Chronicle:

Local radio personality Andy O'Riley has announced he is leaving The Rock 101.7 WMRR. The popular disk jockey, who has participated in numerous community events throughout his twelve years in Muskegon broke the news on his Facebook profile Feb. 18.

Full story: Popular Muskegon radio personality leaving The Rock 101.7 (Tue, 2/21)

TVNewsCheck:

 Matt Stevens on Monday was named news director of Adell Broadcasting's WADL Detroit (DMA 11). WADL debuted its 9 p.m. newscast on Monday, Jan. 16. Stevens has 30 years of TV news experience as a reporter, anchor, producer and manager. Most recently, he was senior correspondent at WOIO Cleveland.

Full story: WADL Detroit names Matt Stevens News Dir. (Mon, 2/20)

Grand Rapids Press:

If you're like me, the extent to which you are connected to New Orleans and Mardi Gras is pronouncing the word guarantee as "gair-ohn-tee" like ca jun chef Justin Wilson would do in his classic videos.

Full story: Gumbo contest and live music at the B.O.B. with WOOD radio and Kevin Matthews (Tue, 2/21)

AllAccess.com:

CC MEDIA HOLDINGS has reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended DECEMBER 31st, 2011.

Full story: CC Media Holdings 2011 Revenues Increase 5% To $6.16 Billion (Tue, 2/21)

Fine Tuning

• Thanks to several e-mailers who report from the Indian River area in Northern Michigan that the recently-licensed WGRL FM 95.3 Tuscarora Township isn't currently on the air. If the station has operated at all, apparently it wasn't for very long. WGRL is owned by David L. Smith.

Detroit Free Press:

Jeffrey Zaslow, the West Bloomfield-based author who wrote best-sellers such as "The Last Lecture" about a professor dying of pancreatic cancer and a recent book on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' recovery from a gunshot wound to the head, was killed Friday in a car accident in northern Michigan. Mr. Zaslow, 53, was a Philadelphia native who was married to Sherry Margolis, a Fox 2 Detroit news anchor since 1987, and the father of three daughters.

Full story: Jeffrey Zaslow, West Bloomfield best-selling author, killed in northern Michigan crash (Fri, 2/10)

 Plymouth-Canton Schools' WSDP-FM 88.1 "The New 88.1" will host an Alumni On-Air Day on Saturday Feb. 11, as part of the celebration of the station's 40th Anniversary.

Alums from all decades of the station's operation will be visiting the studio.

One of the special parts of the day will be a one hour show put together by class of '73 alum Rob Milford. Rob has worked in radio news since he graduated. He is currently the morning host at News Radio 1620 in Pensacola Florida. Rob has been interviewing WSDP Alums for the past couple weeks and has put together a one hour show featuring those interviews.

The show will air as part of the Alumni On-Air Day on Saturday at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. It will re-air on Tuesday Feb. 14, at Noon.

WSDP signed on the air Feb. 14, 1972 and can be found on the Internet at 881theescape.com.

MLive.com:

Watch out, Bill Steffen. Clips have been circulating on various social sites that show Tom Murphy, news director for Alpena-based CBS/Fox affiliate WBKB-TV, absolutely crushing a series of weather segments. Murphy, a relatively new hire at the station, peppers his weather segments with amusing references to sports and pop culture.

Full story: Does WBKB-TV in Alpena have Michigan's coolest weather man? (Thu, 2/8)

WOOD Radio's Cicchini promoted

News anchor/reporter Paul Cicchini has been named as News Director for Clear Channel news-talk combo WOOD-FM/AM 106.9/1300 in the Grand Rapids market. Cicchini has been with the stations since 2010.

WXYZ-TV Detroit names Justin Verlander as its Newsmaker of the Year

  ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV has chosen Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander as the station's 2011 Newsmaker of the Year. Verlander will be featured on Channel 7's weekly public affairs/information program Spotlight on the News, hosted by WXYZ Editorial Director Chuck Stokes, Sunday, February 5 at 9:30 a.m. The program will feature an in-depth interview with Verlander who talks about his family, his role models, his game day superstitions and how his life has changed since his record-breaking season.

"In a year when political and economic stories were so critical in metro Detroit, focusing on a hero in the sporting world was a welcome change," said WXYZ Editorial Director Chuck Stokes. "Verlander captured our attention and really brought the region together like no one else did in 2011. Whenever Verlander pitched, people from all walks of life bought tickets and packed Comerica Park."

Spotlight on the News: Newsmaker of the Year recognizes individuals who have had significant impact on southeastern Michigan and the image of the region. Previous WXYZ newsmakers include Dennis Archer, Denise & Atanas Ilitch, Eleanor Josaitis, Peter Karmanos, Mitch Albom, Roger Penske, Max Fisher and Rick Snyder.

Verlander pitched his second no-hitter in the 2011 season. He was named the American League Cy Young Award winner by unanimous vote, and was voted the American League Most Valuable Player. It's a rare honor for a major league player to receive both awards in one season.

Houghton Daily Mining Gazette:

Well-known local radio voice and businessman Francis Samuel Locatelli has died. He was 96. Locatelli, who started WMPL radio in Hancock with two others, died Jan. 24 in New Port Richey, Fla., where he resided.

Full story: Copper Country radio pioneer dies (Tue, 1/31)

Central Michigan Life:

 Mike Sundt said he had no idea Central Michigan University had a public radio station when he moved to Mount Pleasant. "I could've just went and worked for a Big Boy, but I love the music," the Grand Rapids junior said. "Also, I acted a lot in plays in high school, so this gave me a chance to do the two things I'm best at -- talking and playing music." Sundt, a music education major, along with Matt Sumner, a Portland senior working toward a bachelor of science degree in music, can both be heard when tuning into WCMU Public Radio.

Full story: Student musicians work late nights, early mornings as jazz hosts on WCMU Public Radio (Tue, 1/31)

Detroit News:

Russ Gibb has always been good at discovering talent. After all, as the famed owner of the now defunct Grande Ballroom in Detroit, it was Gibb who gave the MC5, Ted Nugent and Iggy Pop their start. He was also responsible for bringing to Detroit rock giants like Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Cream and The Who.

Full story: Aging rock legend helps mother of four find her voice (Wed, 2/1)

News and notes from Metro Detroit

• Buzz Van Houten is the new GM for the new ESPN 1090 (WCAR AM). Van Houten is a market veteran; his lengthy resume contains three decades of work in the industry and includes stops at WJR AM 760, WRIF FM 101.1 and the former WLLZ FM 98.7.

"We're very excited about the opportunity to have a veteran like Buzz to run our operations at WCAR," said Sima Birach, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Birach Holding Corp. "We believe that he will bring the creative approach that our station needs and our listeners want."

"I am very excited about the opportunity to build this station with an open slate and to bring Detroit listeners something they have long been waiting for," commented Van Houten about his new gig.

• Clear Channel WNIC-FM 100.3 signs on with TMZ Radio for features; the station becomes TMZ Radio's 75th affiliate.

• Tanner Friedman Strategic Communications of Farmington Hills announced that the firm's Co-Founder, Matt Friedman, has been added to the Hall of Fame at legendary radio station WJPZ-FM on the campus of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

Dave B. Goode exits WLDR Traverse City

RAMP this morning reports that man of many hats Dave B. Goode, whose roles included morning host, Program Director, and sales representative, has left Roy Henderson's country WLDR-FM 101.9 Traverse City to head for WBTU FM 93.3 Fort Wayne, IN. He'll co-host mornings and become that country station's promotions director.

A further update on WMTE AM Manistee

Although sister station WCUZ FM 100.1 appears to have returned to the air with a news-talk format, it seems that WMTE AM 1340 Manistee remains off the air for now despite positioners heard on WCUZ that mention the AM station.

FCC files show the station was granted Special Temporary Authority to return to the air on September 30th, 2011 - however that STA was canceled in early December due to concerns from the FCC over interference and the location of where the station's broadcasts were originating. WMTE was then granted Remain Silent Authority on December 30th that lasts through June 27, 2012. As of January 27th, no further filings had been made with FCC for WMTE.

Owner Roy Henderson reportedly is also carrying the news-talk format of WCUZ on an HD side channel of WLDR (HD-4). (update 1/31: WLDR HD-4 is NOT airing WCUZ/WMTE, but instead continues to broadcast sports from Fox Sports Network).

CBS Detroit:

With your help, WWJ Newsradio 950 has raised over $282,600 in our 9th annual Winter Survival Radiothon for THAW, The Heat and Warmth Fund. With utility partner matching funds, this will translate to more than $1.2 Million in heating assistance! We took your calls for 31 straight hours, broadcasting live from The Henry Ford in Dearborn, collecting donations to keep needy Michigan families in need warm this winter.

Full story: WWJ Newsradio 950 Winter Survival Radiothon A Success! (Sat, 1/28)

Lansing-area coverage for WCSG/Grand Rapids includes second translator

A second FM translator owned by Educational Media Foundation in Lansing (95.9 W240CG, licensed to Webberville) is also reportedly airing the mainstream contemporary Christian programming of Cornerstone College's WCSG-FM 91.3 Grand Rapids, joining W237BY 95.3 Mason. Both had been rebroadcasting EMF's "Air One" contemporary Christian. A third EMF translator in the area, 91.5 W218CJ Grand Ledge, continues to rebroadcast Air One.

AllAccess.com:

GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WRIF/DETROIT got a shout-out of sorts from DETROIT RED WINGS all-star goaltender JIMMY HOWARD at FRIDAY's Media Day at the NHL All-Star Game in OTTAWA, thanking "the local radio station in DETROIT" for helping get him elected to the squad.

Full story: NHL All-Star Thanks WRIF For Help Getting Him Chosen For Squad (Mon, 1/30)

KEN EVANS joins CLEAR CHANNEL Top 40 WSNX/GRAND RAPIDS as APD/morning maven under PD ERIC O'BRIEN. EVANS has been freelancing within the CLEAR CHANNEL/WEST MICHIGAN cluster for much of 2011, and has been sitting in on the "SNX Morning After" since BILLY MACC's departure to MIAMI on JANUARY 9th.

Full story: Ken Evans Joins WSNX As APD/Morning Host (Mon, 1/30)

Broadcasting & Cable:

Gannett Co. (owner of WZZM-TV Ch. 13 Grand Rapids among other stations across the country) reported fourth quarter broadcasting revenue of $199.8 million, down 14% from the same quarter a year ago. Excluding Gannett's Captivate elevator programming network, television revenue was $192.4 million, down 13% from the same quarter a year ago. Taking out the previous fourth quarter's political spending, TV revenue was up 11.3%, thanks in large part to a "significant" increase in automotive advertising, said Gannett.

Full story: Gannett TV Revenue Down 13% (Mon, 1/30)

The Oakland Press:

The arms of Venus have been found! Or ... maybe not. The whole story unfolds in Terry T. Brown's novella, "The Arms of Venus." The author will appear and sign books from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at The Berkley Book Corner, at 2680 Coolidge Hwy.

Full story: Rochester Hills broadcaster signing copies of crime thriller (Sat, 1/28)

Manistee area gains news/talk radio format

WCUZ FM 100.1 Bear Lake/Manistee and WMTE AM 1340 Manistee have reportedly returned to the air with a news/talk format as 'Talk Radio 1340 WMTE/100.1 FM WCUZ'. WCUZ was heard midday yesterday airing the Rush Limbaugh program.

Both stations are owned by Roy E. Henderson.

Detroit News:

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

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

WDIV-TV Ch. 4 Detroit:

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

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

Green Bay Press-Gazette:

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

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

AllAccess.com:

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

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

TVNewsCheck:

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

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

MI News 26 (WMNN-LD LPTV Ch. 26 Lake City/Cadillac), positioned as "Northern Michigan's 24/7 local news channel", will be added to Channel 73 on Charter Communication's lineup in northern Michigan beginning January 31st. The station will be available to all Charter digital cable subscribers.

"We're thrilled to be working with Charter to make our local news content available in more homes than ever," said Eric Wotila, General Manager of MI News 26, "Carriage on Charter will significantly expand our coverage area, and we're looking forward to bringing local news to a much wider audience than we currently reach."

Wotila, a 23-year-old Michigan broadcasting entrepreneur, launched MI News 26 in his home town of Cadillac in February 2011. At that time, the station was only available via low-power over-the-air reception and was limited to viewers in Wexford, Missaukee and northern Osceola counties.

Charter is introducing the station to customers in various northern Michigan communities, ranging from Manistee, Traverse City, Cheboygan, Petoskey, and many other communities throughout the region.

"We're excited to offer MI News 26 to our digital customers throughout northern Michigan," said Joe Boullion, the Vice President and General Manager of Charter in Michigan. "This is a unique and compelling form of local news that we feel will serve this part of Michigan with compelling programming."

For more information about MI News 26, visit www.minews26.com.

Love of the classics brings Dick Wallace back on the air

Longtime classical WQRS-FM 105.1 Detroit music host Dick Wallace headed up north after the station was sold and changed its format back in the 1990s. He spent the remainder of his career at Interlochen Center for the Arts' public classical station WIAA-FM 88.7 near Traverse City before retiring a couple of years ago.

The lure of the mic proved strong, even in retirement, and Wallace has returned to host a weekly specialty show on news-talk WTCM AM 580 Traverse City on Saturday evenings at 9. Titled "Pops Potpourri", the show can be heard online at wtcmradio.com or on the TuneIn Radio app on your smartphone.

"What a kick to be able to do this show, which I did for years on IPR, on WTCM!", commented Wallace on his return to the northern Michigan airwaves.

Detroit News:

The SUV was cruising along in front of them, and then in the time it took to say, "Oh, my God," it wasn't. Channel 2 news anchor Monica Gayle and her family were headed north for a week of skiing. It was two days after Christmas, a little south of Gaylord on Interstate 75. Two vehicles ahead, a Ford Expedition was towing snowmobiles.

Full story: Family's trek up I-75 turns into 'profound' experience of rescuing others (Mon, 1/9)

FOX 2 Detroit adds to weather staff

WJBK-TV Ch. 2 Detroit has hired Alan Longstreet for weekend weather work. He's a native Michigander and was previously working at WTAP in Parkersburg, WV.

AllAccess.com:

CLEAR CHANNEL CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA RPM J.T. BOSCH is on the hunt for a new PD for Top 40 WAEB-F (B104)/ALLENTOWN, as PD ERIC CHASE heads back to DETROIT for Sports/Talk duties at WDFN-A (1130 AM THE FAN). WDFN PD MICHAEL MCCOY tells ALL ACCESS, "I'm really looking forward to ERIC getting here and being able to devote the time to the station that it deserves."

Full story: B104 PD Chase To WDFN (Mon, 1/9)

CBS RADIO Country WYCD/DETROIT has added ROB STONE for weekends. ROB exited from CUMULUS Country WITL/LANSING in NOVEMBER.

Full story: Rob Stone Joins WYCD For Weekends (Mon, 1/9)

MARTZ COMMUNICATIONS Alternative WGPR (THE BONE)/DETROIT complements the recently hired BUBBLA THE LOVE SPONGS morning show (NET NEWS, 1/5) with DI DI MICHAELS for news and STORM KENNEDY for weather. Both are currently heard on MARTZ Urban WAMO/PITTSBURGH in the same capacity.

Full story: The Bone/Detroit Adds Di Di Michaels, Storm Kennedy For Bubba Wakeups (Mon, 1/9)

The Oakland Press:

Get ready for a local newscast that combines hyper-local news stories with television's immediacy when WADL TV 38 and Journal Register newspapers partner to present the "News @ 9" weekdays beginning Monday, Jan. 16.

Full story: WADL and Journal Register newspapers partner to begin weekday newscast (Fri, 1/6)

Jamie Samuelsen exits WCSX, WXYT-FM next stop?

Inside Radio reports that Jamie Samuelsen has stepped down as sports director and morning show co-host at Greater Media classic rocker WCSX-FM 94.7 and is expected to be joining CBS Radio's sports WXYT-FM 97.1.

TVSpy.com:

WPBN-WTOM anchor Diana Fairbanks is joining Buffalo's WIVB-WNLO on January 16. Fairbanks, who tells TVSpy she is "excited about the opportunity," says she will anchor the 5:30 p.m. newscast on WIVB and the 10 p.m. newscast on WNLO on weekdays. Her last day at WPBN-WTOM, the NBC-affiliate in Traverse City, MI, is Friday.

Full story: Anchor Diana Fairbanks Joining WIVB In Buffalo (Thu, 1/5)

Grand Rapids Press:

Do you follow the syndicated (and very popular) "Free Beer and Hot Wings" show on WGRD-FM (97.9)? Or do you listen to the sports talk show giant in town, better known as "Huge" -- who can be heard across the state (including WBBL-FM 107.3) and found online through his Huge Blog on Mlive.com?

Full story: Radio wars? WGRD's Free Beer and Hot Wings take on WBBL's Huge (Thu, 1/5)

Flint Journal:

Former WJRT (Channel 12) news anchor Bill Harris will soon be back on the air permanently. And he can't wait. "I feel like a 5-year-old on Christmas Eve," Harris said. NBC25 (WEYI) today announced its acquisition of Harris, a 35-year news veteran and nine-time Emmy winner. "Channel 25 is offering me what I really love to do and that's anchoring and special project reporting," Harris said.

Full story: TV news anchor Bill Harris 'like a 5-year-old on Christmas Eve' over new gig at NBC25 (Thu, 1/5)

After a weekend of stunting with the University of Michigan's fight song The Victors, MacDonald-Garber flipped WKAD FM 93.7 Cadillac from oldies to sports on Monday (Jan. 2) morning using FOX Sports Radio as '93.7 The Ticket'.

The company's WMBN AM 1430 Petoskey also dropped its standards/oldies format and participated in the stunting and is simulcasting with WKAD to increase the coverage area for the format in the region.

The new stations' lineup features a local morning show hosted by Tom Devitt featuring contributions from local sports figures including former TV 9&10 sportscaster Vic McCarty, former Michigan Wolverine and Detroit Lion Jon Jansen, and star amateur golfer Joey Garber. 93.7 The Ticket will also offer popular syndicated programs from Dan Patrick and Jim Rome.

The Ticket will also carry play-by-play sports on the local, state, and national level, Detroit Red Wings hockey, and Michigan Wolverines football and basketball.

The move gives northern Michigan it's first all-sports format on a traditional (analog) FM signal.