On July 21, the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an advisory to remind Emergency Alert System (EAS) Participants of the requirements to ensure that EAS alerts are visually and aurally accessible. This advisory is targeted at television broadcast stations, analog and digital cable systems, wireless cable systems, wireline video systems and…
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…
The Michigan House voted on Wednesday (7/21) to approve a citizen initiative by Unlock Michigan to entirely remove the 1945 law, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used to make controversial COVID-19 orders in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. The Michigan Senate approved the initiative last week. Because the measure came to lawmakers as a…
By: Seth Resler Jacobs Media Strategies As a radio broadcaster, back in the day, my favorite event of the summer was the day that the Warped Tour came to town. As an alternative rock radio station, the Warped Tour inevitably had a dozen or so bands that we wanted to interview. So a team of…
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…
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP Last week, we wrote about two dissenting opinions in a Supreme Court decision that highlight the debate that is underway on the principles that govern defamation liability in the United States. While we are reviewing Supreme Court decisions that could have an impact on broadcasters, including on political advertising, we…
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…
The MAB is pleased to announce another cosponsor has signed on to H.Con.Res.33, the House Local Radio Freedom Act. Congressman John Moolenaar (R-4) has joined fellow Representatives Jack Bergman (R-1), Debbie Dingell (D-12), Fred Upton (R-6) and Tim Walberg (R-7) in support of the resolution. The NAB reports that they are up to 159 cosponsors…
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…