People
KEYC-TV reported that Barry “The Bear” Wortel is retiring from KTOE/1420 (Mankato) after 50 years in radio.
Dr. Bob Leonard has retired from his role leading the news department at KNIA/1320 and KRLS/92.1 (Knoxville-Pella).
KFAB/1110 (Omaha) announced that Emery Songer is joining the station to host the 2 to 6 p.m. timeslot starting June 26. He’s moving from sister station WHO/1040 (Des Moines).
Tegna ABC affiliate WQAD/8 (Moline-Quad Cities) announced that Josh Lamberty is moving from the weekend morning to the weekend evening anchor chair, while Jenna Webster is taking over the weekend morning anchor role.
Megan MacPherson is joining Tegna ABC affiliate WOI-DT/5 (Ames-Des Moines) as a reporter.
Coming to a TV near you… if you live in #iowa!
— Meghan MacPherson (@meghankmac) June 7, 2023
I’m thrilled to be joining the fabulous @weareiowa5news team here in Des Moines as a Reporter/Multi-Skilled Journalist.
I’ll miss Colorado dearly, but can’t contain my excitement about this new adventure in the mid-west! pic.twitter.com/KnAYSCSvtn
Stations and companies
Minnesota Public Radio’s station alerts page says K295BD/106.9 (St. James) is off the air due to equipment repairs.
Civic Media fired back against a Republican Party of Wisconsin fundraising email that suggested Civic’s recent purchases of radio stations is “silencing Fox News programming.” Civic points out that none of the stations it has purchased carried a Conservative Talk format or Fox News prior to their sales. Civic also says the party denied access to set up a vendor table at its state convention.
If anyone thought legal ID’s were a requirement that can be ignored, the FCC has issued a notice of violation to a Washington state station for failure to ID properly. As a reminder, the federal code says:
Official station identification shall consist of the station’s call letters immediately followed by the community or communities specified in its license as the station’s location; Provided, That the name of the licensee, the station’s frequency, the station’s channel number, as stated on the station’s license, and/or the station’s network affiliation may be inserted between the call letters and station location…
47 CFR § 73.1201 (b)(1)
(For full-power stations simulcasting on multiple frequencies or channels, be sure to scroll down for additional requirements.)
In case you missed it here:
- Winnipeg AM Station Shuts Down Amid Bell Media Cuts
- FCC Monitor: 3 Tentative FM Selectees Changed; Short-Term Iowa Renewal
News tips? Press releases? If you don’t see yours here, I probably didn’t receive it! Please send them to jonellis@northpine.com!
Disclosure: Jon Ellis was an employee of Gray Media Group at the time this item was posted. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.