The Michigan Association of Broadcasters is saddened to share the passing of Cory Cumming, Chief Engineer at WLNS-TV in Lansing and a trusted colleague to so many across our industry. Cumming, a resident of Rives Township, passed away accidently on Monday, December 15, 2025. Cumming dedicated more than four decades to broadcasting in the Lansing and Jackson areas, including over 25 years at WLNS.
On December 11, Cumulus Media’s WJR-AM (Detroit) held its 14th annual SAY Detroit Radiothon, bringing in a record $2,494,040, beating its previous all-time high of 2.2m in 2024. The annual event is hosted by S.A.Y. Detroit Founder, author and WJR host Mitch Albom, who continues his mission of funding healthcare, housing, and community support programs.
Gray Media’s WILX-TV (Lansing) wrapped up their annual Toys for Tots campaign last week. The event’s goal is to bring smiles to children in Mid-Michigan. People were able to donate their new, unwrapped toys to either WILX or participating businesses across the region. Thousands of Mid-Michigan children will wake up to presents under the tree on Christmas thanks to those who donated this year.
The free community event took place on December 6, at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema on Eight Mile Road, where more than 1,100 school-age children received brand-new winter coats. With the support of additional sponsors, families also received free socks, hats, gloves, backpacks, and toys, helping ensure children were fully prepared for the winter season.
Mid-West Family Broadcasting’s WIRX-FM (St. Joseph/Benton Harbor) held the first ever “Rock St. Jude Radiothon” on December 4th and 5th and declared it a resounding success. Director of Content Kristen Havens, known on the air as Kiki with Brock and Kiki in the afternoons, said listeners came forward to support St. Jude in a big way.
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the American Music Fairness Act bill which proposes to adopt a new music royalty to be paid by over-the-air radio stations. The royalty would be payable to SoundExchange for the public performance of sound recordings. This means that the money collected would be paid to performing artists and record labels for the use of their recording of a song.
This past Monday (12/8), Eastern Michigan University’s WEMU-FM (Ypsilanti) officially celebrated its 60th Anniversary of Broadcasting. WEMU signed on the air on December 8, 1965 as a 10-watt station on 88.1 MHz to broadcast EMU sports to students. Since then the station has evolved into a community resource, serving well over 50,000 weekly listeners and available all over the globe via the WEMU mobile app. And, it still carries EMU sports.
Gray Media’s WLUC-TV (Marquette) has put the wraps on this year’s annual TV6 Canathon. Since 1982, U.P. communities have donated canned goods and other nonperishable food items to the TV6 Canathon to help feed a hungry neighbor. The effort took place November 3rd through 30th.
On December 10, Northern Michigan University’s WNMU-TV (Marquette) announced that it has been awarded a $576,532 grant from the Public Media Bridge Fund to stabilize operations for the coming year, as the station transitions toward a more sustainable operating model.
Western Michigan University’s WMUK-FM (Kalamazoo) has shared news that former news director, Andrew C. Robins, died suddenly on December 3 at his home in Kalamazoo. A familiar voice on the station for more than three decades, Robins retired just four years ago.