Midwest Communications is giving the “Jack-FM” an upgrade in Kalamazoo. On February 24, the company began simulcasting 96.5 Jack-FM (WZOX-FM) on 106.5 WVFM-FM. The two stations will simulcast until Wednesday, March 3 until a new format debuts on the 96.5 frequency. The move upgrades the format from the Class A signal to the Class B…
By: Gary Berkowitz Berkowitz Broadcast Consulting In discussions about the weather, I hear many programmers say that they no longer want to do it, since everyone can get it on their phone, online, etc. With that in mind, here is my (simple) argument why I think weather belongs on the radio, now more than ever.…
By: Seth Resler Jacobs Media Strategies When winter melts into spring, radio stations will inevitably turn their attention to the live events that have become a mainstay of the listener experience. Last year, stations were forced to cancel events or scramble to figure out how to take them online. While our view of the future…
According to an MAB conversation with the attorney for Michigan Gaming Control Board and based on the rules, broadcasters who are required to be registered for accepting sports betting advertising may do so by company rather than per station. If your advertising comes through an ad agency, it is the agency that must register even…
Broadcasters want to get a cut of those billions of dollars in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) established by legislation passed last December, according to a report in Broadcasting+Cable. The bill provides for $3.2 billion in subsidies to be handed out by the FCC over a six-month period. Under a tight congressional deadline, the FCC…
America’s Public Television Stations announced February 16 that Susi Elkins, director of broadcasting and general manager of WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University has been elected to serve as professional vice chair on the board of the nonprofit organization. The mission of APTS is to ensure a strong and financially sound public television system…
Entercom’s WWJ-AM (Detroit) held its 18th Annual Winter Survival Radiothon for THAW (The Heat And Warmth Fund) on February 12, raising $416,000 in Heating Assistance for Detroit area residents in need. The 14-hour radiothon raised donations to keep families safe and warm this winter by bidding on items in the Online Auction. Many have generously…
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP It seems like whenever Democrats are elected to serve as President and take control of Congress, there is talk about the revival of the Fairness Doctrine as some panacea for restoring balance and civility to political debate. In recent weeks, we have seen many articles blaming conservative talk…
The MAB has learned that former WGPR-TV (Detroit) anchor, producer and news director Karen Hudson-Samuels has passed away. The Detroit media icon was found dead at her home by her husband last Tuesday (2/9), just one day after taking the COVID-19 vaccine, but the official cause of her death is still unknown. One of Samuels’…
Longtime MAB legislative consultant firm Kelley Cawthorne has announced a merger with Berton Brown Consulting. The combined firm will remain known as Kelley Cawthorne. The merger also launches a new initiative, Kelley Cawthorne Empower. Led by Berton Brown, the minority-owned consulting group focuses on diversity and inclusion, community engagement and traditionally under-represented entities, in addition…