Broadcasting Industry News

The Country Music Association (CMA) has announced the recipients of its 2024 Broadcast Awards and Audacy’s WYCD-FM (Detroit) received top honors as the Major Market Station-of-the-Year.  The station competed with four other stations throughout the country in the Major Market category. “The 58th Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning and Lainey Wilson, will air live on ABC-TV from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 20. 

Jesse Bruce, 92.1 WGHN-FM (Grand Haven) Program Director & Afternoon Host, celebrated his 25th Anniversary at the station on September 27. Starting as an intern in 1999, Bruce has worked in numerous capacities for WGHN, including sports and commercial production and news and hosting responsibilities. 

This past Tuesday (10/8), Nexstar Media’s WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids) hosted the first debate between U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D) and former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R), the top two candidates for U.S. Senator from Michigan. The hour-long debate originated from the WOOD-TV studios and aired on a number of stations throughout the state.

Bob Burnham is a long-time Michigan broadcaster, starting in the business back in 1975.  During his career, he’s been an on-air personality as well as a station engineer with more than a dozen call letters associated to his name.  He also spent many years as the technical wizard at the Specs Howard School of Media Arts where he built much of the technical facility of the school.  Burnham continues to provide contract engineering services for stations in Michigan and recently completed a new station build in Southern California.  He is also Station Engineer/Production Director at Henry Ford College’s WHFR-FM in Dearborn.

The MAB has learned that longtime Michigan broadcaster Tim Achterhoff passed away October 6 at the age of 76.  Achterhoff is best known for his 28 years with WMUS-AM-FM (Muskegon).  He started at the station in 1965 as a teenage on-air personality, later became Program Director, Music Director, Chief Engineer and Station Manager. 

After more than five decades of broadcasting excellence, Jackson’s beloved radio personality, Greg O’Connor (GOC), has announced his upcoming retirement. Known for his deep connection to the community and his storied career at WKHM radio, O’Connor has been a familiar voice to generations of listeners, bringing local news, sports, and morning shows to the airwaves. The announcement was made this morning (10/4).

As part of their organization’s 100th year of service, the Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant has chosen to recognize Bob & Laurie Peters of locally-owned Latitude Media with the Paul Harris Fellow Honors for the month of September.  The goal is to highlight exceptional community members who show servant leadership in all that they do.

Inside Radio reported this week at Mari Dew, morning co-host at Midwestern Broadcasting’s WKLT-FM (Traverse CIty) has been found safe after surviving the floods in Western North Carolina. Dew was in the Asheville area when Hurricane Helene arrived. She had not been heard from since Friday (9/27) with co-workers, family, friends and listeners concerned for her safety.

“He was one of the best interviewers in the business, a talented pianist, and an ultimate professional with wit and creativity in sharing classical music,” Detroit Public TV, which manages WRCJ, said in a statement, announcing Felcyn’s death. “Chris and his passion will truly be missed.”