Broadcasting Industry News
WKHM’s Charity Radiothon Raises Over $13k For Area Causes
McKibbin Media Group’s WKHM-FM (Jackson) held its second annual Charity Radiothon July 30. The on-air talent of K105.3, Jared “J-Rod” Hammond, Scott Clow and Jenny Lewis, broadcasted live from the K105.3 studio for 13 straight hours, accepting donations while completing fun and intense dares from their listeners based on fundraising goals. This year, K105.3 set…
Read MoreJim Rademaker Named GM for WGVU Public Media; Ken Kolbe Retiring
WCMU Public Media (Mt. Pleasant) General Manager Jim Rademaker is moving to WGVU Public Media in Grand Rapids, replacing Ken Kolbe, who is retiring. It is the second time he has succeeded Kolbe in a GM position. Kolbe was GM of WCMU, leaving for WGVU in 2019 and Rademaker was appointed interim GM for WCMU. …
Read MoreWKAR Radio Produces Weekly Spanish-Language News Podcast
WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University recently launched a new podcast series, ¿Qué Onda Michigan? The WKAR original is a weekly Spanish-language news podcast hosted by Bilingual Latinx Stories Reporter Michelle Jokisch Polo and WLNS-TV Reporter Araceli Crescencio. “It’s been really exciting to hear the positive feedback from community and how thankful they are…
Read MoreWSJM’s Phil McDonald Preparing For New Role With Lake Michigan Catholic
Midwest Family Broadcasting’s WSJM-FM (St. Joseph) has announced that longtime sports director Phil McDonald is cutting back his broadcasting committments to join Lake Michigan Catholic as Athletic Director. McDonald has been with WSJM for more than 35 years, having started as a part-timer in the 80s when he was in college. At first, he did…
Read MoreFormer 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…
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