Broadcasting Industry News
Study Finds Commercials Airing After Political Ads Helps Sell Nonpolitical Products
According to new research from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, companies that run ads immediately after political TV commercials should not worry about the spillover of political opinion tainting their messages. “Our investigations provide insights into the previously unexplored ad-to-ad spillover effects and, more broadly, provides insights into how political messages influence consumers.…
Read MoreTerri DeBoer Celebrates 25 years at WOOD-TV
Storm Team 8 meteorologist and eightWest co-host Terri DeBoer celebrated 25 years at WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids) this past Tuesday (9/1). DeBoer started at the station in 1995 as a co-anchor on Daybreak with Rick Albin. During her time at WOOD-TV, she joined the Storm Team 8 team and became a co-host of eightWest. Throughout the…
Read MoreJT Tarrants Named Director of Content at Townsquare in Kalamazoo
Townsquare Media has announced the appointment of Jerry ‘JT’ Tarrants as Director of Content for its Kalamazoo cluster, following the retirement of Mike McKelly in August. McKelly joined the cluster’s WRKR-FM in 2002 and was later promoted to Operations Manager. Tarrants spent seven years at Beasley Media/Detroit, joining the company as Program Director of WCSX-FM,…
Read MoreWRSR Celebrates 20 Years of Rockin’ Flint!
Special Thanks to Jeremy Fenech for sharing! Krol Communication’s 103.9 The Fox, WRSR-FM (Owosso/Flint, is celebrating 20 years of playing classic rock in the Flint market. As current Program Director Jeremy Fenech tells it, then-Cumulus-owned station, under the local direction and leadership of Flint radio legend Jeff Wade, made the switch at noon on September…
Read MoreWCMU Public Media hosts Back-to-School Virtual Conversation
On September 2, WCMU Public Media (Mt. Pleasant) hosted a “virtual conversation” on Zoom, offering insight on how local Michigan communities are approaching both online and in-person learning while keeping their communities safe. “Returning to School” featured speakers including Superintendent of Gaylord Community Schools, Brian Pearson; Superintendent of Bay City Public Schools, Stephen C. Bigelow,…
Read MoreNAB Launches Broadcast Resource Hub with Access to New Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resource Center
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today announced the launch of the Broadcast Resource Hub, a comprehensive one-stop-shop for resources, tools and information on the most relevant issues impacting local radio and television stations. The online portal provides access to various resources created by NAB and the NAB Leadership Foundation (NABLF). “NAB has created a variety…
Read MoreWKAR’s Gary Blievernicht Announces Retirement
Gary Blievernicht, highly respected engineer in the Michigan broadcasting industry and nationwide, has announced his retirement from WKAR and MSU, effective early February 2021. Blievernicht is senior director of engineering for WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University. During his 28 years at MSU, Blievernicht led WKAR’s transition from analog to digital television broadcasting, headed…
Read MoreWDIV Hosts Virtual Education Town Hall on Return-to-School Plans
On August 13, Graham Media Group’s WDIV-TV (Detroit) hosted a very successful live, virtual “Education Town Hall” on the return to school plans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Devin Scillian and Paula Tutman were joined by parents, students, and education leaders from across the state to answer questions on the complicated decisions being made by schools…
Read MoreFocusing on Compliance, FCC Rescinds Some Political File Consent Decrees
More than one hundred broadcasters have signed consent decrees with the Federal Communications Commission to close investigations over whether they did not put required documents into their political files quickly enough. But some of those agreements are now being rolled back as part of a deal with the National Association of Broadcasters that sets a…
Read MoreWKFR Roof Sit Nets Nearly $55,000
Townsquare Media’s WKFR-FM (Kalamazoo) held its annual Roof Sit to help victims of child abuse August 20 through 22 on the top of the Helzberg Diamonds building in Portage. This year’s Roof Sit was a bit different due to COVID-19 concerns. This year the station held its first ever Roof Sit online auction, where listeners…
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