Broadcasting Industry News

Pioneer Upper Peninsula broadcaster Aaron Harper passed away.  Harper worked at WJNR-FM (Iron Mountain) and Results Broadcasting, for nearly 50 years.

He died on Sunday (1/8) at the age of 76. Harper was the first voice heard on WJNR went it signed on in 1972.

Heritage Broadcasting’s WWTV/WWUP-TV (Cadillac) has announced that Jodi Miesen has joined the station as a general assignment reporter. Prior to her move up north, Miesen was a news reporter for WMUK-FM (Kalamazoo), the NPR affiliate connected to Western Michigan University.

Following a flip from talk programming to non-stop Christmas music on Thanksgiving Day, Midwestern Broadcasting’s WZTK-FM (Alpena) launched oldies “105.7 The Bird” on January 2.

Beasley Media Group ha s announced that veteran nighttime On Air Personality Screamin’ Scott Randall has transitioned from its WRIF-FM (Detroit) to host afternoon drive on sister classic rock station WCSX-FM.

During our Christmas break, the MAB was saddened to get news that Midwest Communications President/CEO Duey E. ‘Duke’ Wright, Jr. passed away December 21 at age of 83.

Evoca TV, a startup that used a network of low-power ATSC 3.0 TV stations to offer a first of its kind over-the-air pay TV service, shut down at the end of 2022, after failing to receive additional funding to continue operations.

Sinclair’s WWMT-TV (Kalamazoo) has announced that Jessica Harthorn has returned to the station as co-anchor of the station’s evening news, alongside Andy Dominianni.

Liggett Communication’s news/talk/sports WPHM-AM (Port Huron) has announced additional programming changes for 2023.  The station is welcoming two new syndicated talk shows to its mid-day lineup.

Just before Christmas an application was filed with the FCC to transfer the license of WBZV-FM (Hudson) to Educational Media Foundation (EMF) for $285,000.  WBZV is a class A FM with 6kw at 100 meters HAAT.