On April 8, The Urban League of Detroit & Southeastern Michigan (ULDSEM) virtually held its 42nd Annual Salute to Distinguished Warriors Event. This annual event, which honors the legacy and impact of individuals that have contributed immeasurably in the areas of human and civil rights. Among the honorees is retired WXYZ-TV news anchor Diana… read more
NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith testified on Thursday (4/15) before the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband to promote broadcasting as the best investment for the Administration’s vaccine-promoting advertising message, which is backed by over $1 billion in COVID-19 aid funding. He spoke during the subcommittee hearing, “Shot of Truth: Communicating… read more
Michigan State University’s school of Communication, Arts and Sciences has announced Paul Jacobs, Vice President/General Manager of Jacobs Media and President of jācapps is a recipient of its Outstanding Alumni Award. The announcement was made by Dean Prabu David on behalf of the department’s Alumni Board. Jacobs is one of five MSU graduates receiving the… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP The Commission’s staff last week issued a Public Notice reminding broadcasters that the reimbursement program for those broadcasters displaced by the repacking of the television band after the incentive auction is coming to an end. The FCC reminded broadcasters eligible for reimbursement (including certain FM stations and LPTV licensees… read more
Detroit Public TV’s (DPTV) Board of Trustees has elected as its new chair Timothy Nicholson, the chief operating officer of PVS Chemicals, Inc. He replaces Hannan Lis, principal and chief operating officer of The WW Group, Inc., who served two years and will remain on the board as a trustee. The board also elected the… read more
On April 14, WDIV-TV (Detroit) presented a live, hour-long special called “Coronavirus Crisis: The Vaccines.” The hour-long primetime special was hosted by anchors Devin Scillian and Kimberly Gill along with the station’s Good Health Medical Expert Dr. Frank McGeorge. McGeorge interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden, about why he thinks things… read more
Audio has the power to sway those reluctant to get a COVID-19 vaccine, followed closely by TV news, according to a new survey from Audacy (formerly Entercom). Results from the radio company’s Vaccine Hesitancy Custom Survey show that audio is the most trusted source of information about the COVID vaccination (46%), just ahead of TV… read more
The Detroit Free Press reports that The Specs Howard School of Media Arts, responsible for the careers of thousands of radio and TV professionals in Michigan and beyond, is poised for a major transition. The paper reports that the 51-year-old broadcasting school is in talks with “another highly regarded school” to absorb the Specs Howard name… read more
In an application filed with the FCC on April 9, Traverse City-based Black Diamond Broadcast Group is acquiring Grenax Broadcasting’s WCFX-FM (Clare/Mt. Pleasant). Black Diamond Broadcasting, owned by life-long Michigan residents and long-time broadcasters Mike Chires and Norm McKee, own and operate radio stations throughout central and northern Michigan, including Houghton Lake based 98.5 WUPS,… read more
By: Seth Resler Jacobs Media Strategies Sometimes, when listeners visit your radio station’s website, they do so using desktop or laptop computers; sometimes they do so using mobile devices, like a phone or tablet. Do not treat these two groups of visitors the same. The key to creating a compelling web experience for visitors is… read more