Gray Television’s WILX-TV (Lansing) has announced that longtime Lansing sports reporter Fred Heumann will take on the role of co-Sports Director with the WILX Sports Team on August 1, 2021. Heumann will play a pivotal role in the day-to-day operations of the sports department. “We are fortunate to have Fred and Tim Staudt’s decades of… read more
Beasley Media Group has renewed a multiyear deal with WCSX-FM (Detroit) morning personality Big Jim O’Brien. The veteran Motor City on-air personality, who has been officially serving as the morning host for the past six years, has worked at the station for a total of 18 years. “It’s been an honor to create Big Jim’s… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP Last week, we wrote about two dissenting opinions in a Supreme Court decision that highlight the debate that is underway on the principles that govern defamation liability in the United States. While we are reviewing Supreme Court decisions that could have an impact on broadcasters, including on political advertising, we… read more
Veteran Michigan Broadcaster and broadcast equipment marketing professional Don Backus has announced his retirement. Backus spent two decades on the station side, in ownership, management, sales, on-air and news. He is also known for this work representing companies like Rohde & Schwarz, ENCO, BE and Audio Broadcast Group. Backus attended Michigan State University in East… read more
The MAB is pleased to announce another cosponsor has signed on to H.Con.Res.33, the House Local Radio Freedom Act. Congressman John Moolenaar (R-4) has joined fellow Representatives Jack Bergman (R-1), Debbie Dingell (D-12), Fred Upton (R-6) and Tim Walberg (R-7) in support of the resolution. The NAB reports that they are up to 159 cosponsors… read more
Following last week’s advisory from Sage regarding the availability and required installation of an update due to the expiring IPAWS digital certificate, DASDEC has announced their firmware update to meet the August 21, 2021 deadline. As with Sage, there is no charge from DASDEC for this update. Digital Alert System’s Ed Czarnecki says you must… read more
Gray Television, Inc. has reached an agreement to divest WJRT-TV, its ABC affiliate for the Flint-Saginaw, Michigan television market, to Byron Allen’s Allen Media Broadcasting, LLC for $70 million dollars in cash. Gray’s sale of WJRT-TV facilitates regulatory approvals for its pending acquisition of the Local Media Group division of Meredith Corporation by removing the… read more
By: Seth Resler Jacobs Media Strategies Perhaps no other medium still relies on contests as much as the radio industry. When I was a Program Director many years ago, I held a weekly staff meeting that revolved around the question, “What are we giving away on the air this week?” For many radio stations, not… read more
Adell Broadcasting’s WADL-TV (Detroit) has announced that it has secured the market’s MyNetworkTV affiliation, and will make the switch September 20. Scripps-owned WMYD-TV is the current affiliate of the network in the city. WADL is currently an independent station, airing primarily first-run syndication and off-network programming. In a press release, owner Kevin Adell says “he… read more
In response to recent incidents of violence involving broadcast journalists, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith released the following: “NAB is gravely concerned by recent incidents of violence directed against broadcast journalists who are covering local news. A cornerstone of American democracy is the right of the free press to document the stories and events… read more