Broadcasting Industry News
Former West Michigan Radio Personality Michael Sirianni Dies at 63
The MAB has learned that Michael Sirianni, a popular West Michigan radio host, passed away July 20 after a decades-long fight with MS. During the 80s, 90s and early 2000s he worked at various West Michigan stations including WLHT-FM, WJFM-FM, WODJ-FM, WLAV-FM, WOOD-FM and WCSG-FM. Sirianni started his broadcasting career at WTRU in Muskegon. He…
Read MoreNorthern Michigan Broadcaster Dave Fortin Passes
Veteran northern Michigan reporter/anchor Dave Fortin has passed away. Fortin died July 21 at age 81. Fortin was on the television screen for over five decades. His career started at WPBN/WTOM-TV (Traverse City) in 1963 as a news anchor, reporter and sometimes a meteorologist. During his time at the station, he was known for always…
Read MoreEllen Bacca Named Chief Meteorologist at WOOD-TV
Nexstar’s WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids) has announced that Ellen Bacca has been named Chief Meteorologist for the station. Bacca is the first female Chief Meteorologist in West Michigan. She succeeds Bill Steffen, who celebrates the start of his 21st year at the station and his 47th year in the Grand Rapids market. Upon this achievement, Steffen…
Read MoreAmerican Legion Baseball U.P. Finals Airs On RRN Stations
This past weekend (7/22-25), Results Radio Network stations aired The American Legion Baseball Upper Peninsula Zone Five tournament, with 21 games scheduled in Escanaba and Gladstone over four days. Seventeen of those games were broadcast on the stations of the Radio Results Network. The top two teams from this tournament, plus the Marquette Blues, will…
Read MoreWNMU-FM’s Evelyn Massaro Retires
Evelyn Massaro, longtime station manager and development director of WNMU-FM in Marquette has retired after a 42-year career in public media. Massaro retired June 30. “It’s never a dull moment when you work in public media and I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Massaro said in an email to The Current confirming her…
Read MoreWVFM Named WMU Flagship
Midwest Communication’s WVFM-FM (Kalamazoo) has been named the Bronco Flagship station for Western Michigan University football, hockey and men’s basketball beginning this fall. The 33,000-watt 106.5 FM signal which reaches Western Michigan fans throughout the region, serving Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Battle Creek. “Midwest Communications has been a tremendous broadcast partner of WMU Athletics as…
Read MoreWILX-TV Announces Sports Team Changes
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 MoreWCSX-FM Morning Personality Big Jim O’Brien Signs Multiyear Renewal Deal with Beasley
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 MoreLongtime Michigan Broadcaster Don Backus Retires
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 MoreAllen Media Buys Gray Television’s WJRT-TV
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…
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