Broadcasting Industry News

Gray Television’s WILX-TV (Lansing) has announced that longtime Lansing sports reporter Fred Heumann will take on the role of co-Sports Director with the WILX Sports Team on August 1, 2021. Heumann will play a pivotal role in the day-to-day operations of the sports department. “We are fortunate to have Fred and Tim Staudt’s decades of…

Beasley Media Group has renewed a multiyear deal with WCSX-FM (Detroit) morning personality Big Jim O’Brien. The veteran Motor City on-air personality, who has been officially serving as the morning host for the past six years, has worked at the station for a total of 18 years. “It’s been an honor to create Big Jim’s…

Veteran Michigan Broadcaster and broadcast equipment marketing professional Don Backus has announced his retirement.  Backus spent two decades on the station side, in ownership, management, sales, on-air and news.  He is also known for this work representing companies like Rohde & Schwarz, ENCO, BE and Audio Broadcast Group. Backus attended Michigan State University in East…

Gray Television, Inc. has reached an agreement to divest WJRT-TV, its ABC affiliate for the Flint-Saginaw, Michigan television market, to Byron Allen’s Allen Media Broadcasting, LLC for $70 million dollars in cash. Gray’s sale of WJRT-TV facilitates regulatory approvals for its pending acquisition of the Local Media Group division of Meredith Corporation by removing the…

Adell Broadcasting’s WADL-TV (Detroit) has announced that it has secured the market’s MyNetworkTV affiliation, and will make the switch September 20.  Scripps-owned WMYD-TV is the current affiliate of the network in the city. WADL is currently an independent station, airing primarily first-run syndication and off-network programming. In a press release, owner Kevin Adell says “he…

Cumulus Media’s WLAV-FM (Grand Rapids) has announced three “Blues On The Grand” concerts this summer.  All three concerts are free on Thursdays at Ah-Nab-Awen Park in Grand Rapids. Billed as the “LAV/Miller Late Blues On The Grand Powered by Impact Power Sports” series, the outdoor concerts on Thursdays will feature Memphis blues-rock guitar Eric Gales…

Black Diamond Broadcasting’s WGFN-FM/WWSS-FM (Glen Arbor/Tuscarora) “Bear” classic rock simulcast has teamed former WRIF-FM and WCSX-FM (Detroit) Program Director Mark Pennington with longtime station veteran Tim Logan for mornings, as the “Mark & Timm Show.” All Access reports that Pennington has been consulting Black Diamond for the last two years and Logan has been doing…