Posts by kelley@michmab.com
Court of Appeals Throws Out TV Top 4 Ownership Prohibition – What is Next for Radio and Other Local TV Ownership Rules?
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its decision last week on the appeals of the FCC’s December 2023 decision following its 2018 Quadrennial Review to leave the local radio and television ownership rules largely unchanged. The Court’s decision was a victory for television owners, declaring the restrictions on the ownership of two of the Top 4 TV stations in any market to be contrary to the record and ending that restriction unless, within 90 days, the FCC can show that there was in fact record evidence supporting the restriction.
Read MoreWJR’s Jackson Named Voice of Detroit People Mover
Cumulus Media has announced that Lloyd Jackson, co-host of JR in the Morning on WJR-AM in Detroit, is named the official voice of the Detroit People Mover. Jackson becomes just the second voice ever used for the city’s elevated public transit system, replacing the original announcer after more than 30 years.
Read MoreWLEW/WHST Bad Axe Sale Announced
With the sale, the Aymen family exits the broadcasting business after 54 years. WLEW-AM/FM were acquired by Arthur and Nancy Aymen dba Thumb Broadcasting in 1971. They later transferred ownership to their sons, Richard and Matthew in 1993. Arthur passed away in 1999 and Nancy died in 2023. WHST, a new signal in the market, was added in 2023.
Read MoreJosh Innes Returns to WLLZ Mornings
iHeart Media’s WLLZ-FM (Detroit) has announced the return of “The Josh Innes Show” to its morning lineup, beginning Monday, July 28. He previously held mornings at the station from April 2021 to February 2023 while broadcasting from “105.9 The Rock” WNRQ in Nashville.
Read MoreLocal Media Association Convenes Statewide Summit on Local News Crisis in Michigan
The summit was inspired by the urgent need to educate the public about the rapid loss of local reporting capacity, a crisis playing out across the country but acutely felt in Michigan, where 41 of 83 counties have just one or no local news outlet, and the state has lost 40% of its newspapers since 2005.
Read MoreChris Fillar Joins WWJ-AM as Morning Co-Anchor
Audacy Detroit has named Chris Fillar as the new morning co-anchor on WWJ-AM. Fillar steps into the role alongside Jackie Paige, with the duo now leading weekday broadcasts from 5-10 a.m. Fillar, who has delivered sports updates on WWJ and sister WXYT-FM since 2018, brings more than a decade of broadcasting experience to the post.
Read MoreMarnie McGuire Named WGVU Public Media’s New Director of Development
McGuire brings more than a decade of nonprofit fundraising experience and a deep commitment to building meaningful community partnerships. She will lead WGVU’s efforts to grow philanthropic support, strengthen connections across West Michigan, and ensure that every donor’s contribution is responsibly stewarded.
Read MoreMcKibbin Media Group Announces 5th Annual Fall Fest & Chili Classic
McKibbin Media Group (MMG) (Jackson) has announced its 5th annual Fall Fest & Chili Classic will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025 from Noon until 7 p.m. in downtown Jackson, presented by County National Bank, The Brokerage House, and Michelob Ultra.
Read MoreWKAR’s Shawn Turner, Brant Wells in the News
WKAR General Manager Shawn Turner has been reappointed to the Michigan Veterans’ Facility Authority (MVFA) Board of Directors, the ten-member board that governs Michigan Veteran Homes. And, WKAR Senior Director of Station Operations Brant Wells has been named co-chair of the PBS Interconnection Working Group (IWG).
Read More$222,500 Penalty for TV Indecency – Reminder to Secure Access to Broadcast Product
These penalties were imposed even though, from the description of the incident in the Consent Decree, it appeared that neither the station nor its employees were responsible for the objectionable content that ran on the visible TV screen. According to the description of the incident, the objectionable video did not pass through the normal transmission chain at the station and did not come from any of its equipment.
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