Imay City-based Smile FM has added its second AM station to its roster of stations, purchasing WGVS-AM (Muskegon) from Grand Valley State University. As reported in your MAB News Briefs, the university shut down both WGVS and WGVU-AM (Kentwood-Grand Rapids) on January 7 of this year after stating they would turn in the licenses for… read more
The winner of this year’s Edward L. Bliss Award for Distinguished Broadcast Journalism Education is Bob Gould, a Professor of Practice in the School of Journalism at Michigan State University. Gould began his career as a television news photographer in 1990 at WILX-TV in Lansing, spending the rest of his professional career at WZZM-TV in… read more
The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has announced the recipients of the 2022 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. The 7 Michigan broadcasters won a total of 13 awards in Region 7, which is shared with Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the… read more
Jonathan “JR” Ruppel is named Director of Content for Townsquare Media’s cluster in Lansing, effective June 1. He’ll also become Program Director for Country WITL-FM and Classic Rock WMMQ-FM, with oversight of News/Talk WJIM-AM and Sports WVFN-AM. Rupple joins the company from Country WPOR and Classic Country WZAN & W268CS (970 AM & 101.5 The… read more
Beasley Media Group’s WCSX-FM (Detroit) has announced that Big Jim’s House Stone Soup Project has taken the fundraiser for Vets Returning Home to a National Level with “The Freedom Wrap.” Big Jim’s House will take the 1974 Ford Bronco Stone Soup truck and will wrap it in pictures of Veterans from all over the country… read more
One-time WJR-AM (Detroit) General Sales Manager Dick Rakovan has passed away. For 20 years, Rakovan, known to many as “Rackets,” served 20 years with the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) where he was Senior VP of Membership. Rakovan began his broadcast career at the former WKBW-AM (Buffalo, NY) working as a salesman. His first role in… read more
The Michigan Association of Broadcasters are mourning the loss of Stephen Marks, President and CEO of The Marks Media Group and former MAB Board and Foundation Chairman. Marks passed away on Wednesday, May 11 at the age of 72. “Stephen was an icon in the broadcasting industry and his passion was only outweighed by his… read more
Veteran WLUC-TV (Marquette) (TV6) broadcaster Scott Zerbel has announced his pending retirement after 38 years at the station. TV6 Vice President and General Manager Rick Rhoades says Zerbel will be hard to replace. “Scott brings a wealth knowledge and experience with him to work every day. His career in unique in broadcasting. Typically, broadcasters work… read more
The Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists handed out its Excellence in Journalism Awards at a banquet last Thursday (5/6) in Troy. First place winners in broadcast included mix of commercial and non-commercial stations: Breaking/Spot News Reporting: WWJ-AM (Detroit) – Dan Jenkins, Brian Larsen, Tony Ortiz, Jackie Paige, Jon Hewett for coverage of… read more
Audacy Detroit has announced the promotion of Tom Millikan to Assistant Brand Manager of 97.1 The Ticket (WXYT-FM). Millikan will continue in his role as executive producer of the station’s “The Morning Show with Stoney and Jansen.” “Tom has done an outstanding job as an executive producer and has played a vital role in the… read more