On September 24, Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, LLC (AMG) division Allen Media Broadcasting announced that it has completed its $70 million cash acquisition of broadcast television station WJRT-TV, the ABC affiliate for the Flint-Saginaw market. With the closing of this cash purchase from Gray Television, Allen Media Broadcasting now owns and operates 32 broadcast…
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP We are nearing the end of September and, in many jurisdictions, we are in the heart of political season – though mostly for state and local elections. While most broadcast stations don’t think much about the FCC’s political broadcasting rules in odd-numbered years, they are required to do…
With the COVID-19 Delta variant continuing to wreak havoc on our country, the NAB is once again asking broadcasters to do all they can to encourage listeners and viewers to protect themselves. Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) shows that a significant portion of adults who were initially hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine have…
Future broadcasters are taking advantage of the arrival of a new radio station on the Grand Valley State University campus. WLXS 900 AM is giving students a real-life breakdown of the industry. “We created the station because we wanted the students to get an experience that was much more in line with what they’re going…
By: Seth Resler Jacobs Media Strategies Under normal circumstances, a music radio station’s concert calendar is one of its most popular webpages. Of course, we are not under normal circumstances. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought concerts to a standstill, it made sense for radio stations to remove this webpage rather than display an…
It was a busy week for many Michigan broadcasters as they covered the Detroit Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference 2021, taking place at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Our thanks to Caleb Gordon, WPHM-AM, Port Huron for sharing photos!
Former WDIV-TV (Detroit) reporter Kevin Dietz, who has been hosting the 9 a.m. to noon slot on WJR-AM (Detroit) since June 1, has been named permanent host for the time slot. He replaces longtime WJR personality Frank Beckmann, who retired in March. Dietz made the announcement this past Tuesday on his Facebook page. Dietz began…
Following its acquisition by MacDonald Garber Broadcasting, WSRT-FM (Gaylord) has returned to the air as “Star Country 106.7.” The new format launched September 17 following a week of stunting including Christmas music and Classic Rock songs. According to press reports, the 100kw FM is focusing on country hits of the 80s through early 2000s. Core…
Jeanna Trotman has joined WXYZ-TV (Detroit) as weekend sports anchor. She is also a sports reporter during the week, working in collaboration with Sports Director Brad Galli. Trotman, once a WXYZ intern, began her television career in 2014 at KAAL, the ABC affiliate in Rochester, Minnesota where she served as Sports Director. Trotman then returned…
By: Seth Resler Jacobs Media Strategies Digital privacy has become a hot topic. In the latest Techsurvey, our annual online survey of radio listeners, more than 80% expressed concern over how their data is used by tech companies. Consumers are aware that digital companies are gathering data to market to them, and they’re wary of…