October 2020
Associate Member Spotlight: Change Your Clocks, Check Your Alarms
By: Firefighter Michael McLeieer – President – E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety Sunday, November 1 is the day to move your clocks back one hour to standard time. It’s also a great opportunity to check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and make sure they are working properly. The National Fire Protection Association reports that 71% of…
Read MoreStatewide Election Special Airs on 11 Stations Throughout the State
On October 28, Nexstar Broadcasting’s WLNS-TV (Lansing), invited stations across the state to carry a very important election town hall meeting. “Making It Count: A Voter Information Town Hall.” A total of 11 television stations throughout Michigan aired the special, either on air or streamed. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn…
Read MoreWashington Post’s ‘The Fix’ Names Top Political Reporters in Each State: 4 Michigan Broadcasters Included
On October 27, the Washington Post’s daily 2020 political column “The Fix” announced its list of the top political reporters in each state. Four Michigan Broadcasters, three of them public, were cited for their political reporting. “With so many local and regional news organizations struggling right now — some for their very survival — their…
Read MoreFCC Approves All-Digital ‘Option’ for AM Radio
At their October open meeting on October 27, the FCC, as expected, approved rules that would permit AM broadcasters to be able to voluntarily choose whether and when to convert to all-digital operation from their current analog or hybrid analog/digital signals. In a release, the agency wrote that all-digital broadcasting offers AM listeners significantly improved audio…
Read MoreGraham Media Group Hires Caroline Chambers As Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion
Graham Media Group, owners of WDIV-TV (Detroit) has announced that Caroline Chambers will join the company as its first Senior Director, Diversity and Inclusion effective November 2. Most recently, Chambers was the Vice President, National Director of Diversity Initiatives for Comerica Bank. In that role, she was responsible for internal and external diversity program…
Read MoreMAB’s Rob Elhenicky One of ’50 Names to Know in Lobbying’
Crain’s Detroit Business has named MAB lobbyist Rob Elhenicky of Lansing-based Kelley-Cawthorne to its 2020 list of “50 Names to Know in Lobbying.” Elhenicky has been with Kelley-Cawthorne since 2002, and became a partner in 2005. In addition to the MAB, he also represents retail giant Walmart and is credited with organizing the coalition of…
Read MoreSenate Commerce Committee Report Shows Tech Companies’ Unfair Practices Harm Local Journalism
On Tuesday (10/27), U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) released a report outlining the impact of the transformation of news online and the accompanying loss of revenue. The report indicates one factor of the revenue loss is an unfair and abusive practices by tech platforms. It finds that the impact of these…
Read MoreWCSX to Celebrate ‘Glenn Frey Day’ November 6 with Benefit
Beasley Media Group has announced that WCSX-FM (Detroit), in conjunction with the Mayor of Royal Oak, will proclaim Friday, November 6, 2020 as “Glenn Frey Day” in honor of the late Eagles co-founder and Michigan native. Station Morning Show Personality Jim O’Brien from Big Jim’s House Morning Show will broadcast live on that day from 6…
Read MoreiHeartMedia Flips West Michigan’s WBFX to Classic Hits
Following the station’s coverage of Michigan State University’s football season opener last Saturday (10/24), iHeartMedia flipped the format of WBFX-FM (Grand Rapids) to classic hits, and is now the “Fun Hits You Know,” on the new “BIG 101.3 FM.” The station is playing the biggest hits from the ’60s and ’70s, with a healthy dose…
Read MoreChanges to FCC Public Notice Requirements Effective October 30 – New Link Required on Commercial Station Websites
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP In May, the FCC voted to change its requirements for public notices of broadcast applications (see our post here) – standardizing the messages that must be conveyed to the public and eliminating the need for newspaper publication in those instances where it was still required. The new rules also require…
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