Radio people and station news
Former longtime southern Minnesota radio station owner Charles “Woody” Woodward III has died at 76. Woodward is a member of the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame, which notes that his father purchased KSUM/1370 (Fairmont) in 1962. According to his obituary, Charles Woodward joined the station in 1974 and became station manager after his father’s death, helping to launch KFMC/106.5. Woodward sold the stations to City of Lakes Media in 2018.
Gary Sadlemyer, longtime morning host at KFAB/1110 (Omaha), announced plans to retire on Dec. 12 but said he’ll still be available to fill in at the station. Sadlemyer started with KFAB in 1976 and has been on the morning shift for three decades. Current 9 to 11 a.m. host and program director Scott Voorhees will move to mornings, joining existing co-hosts Jim Rose and Lucy Chapman and news anchor Craig Evans.
Morning host Dan Stone has retired from Midwest’s “Y100” (WNCY-FM/100.3 Neenah-Menasha-Green Bay) after a 54-year career in radio. He had been with Midwest for 34 years and hosted mornings at “Y100” for the past 20 years.
Country Aircheck reports that the Curt St. John and Samm Adams morning show from Townsquare Media’s “Quick Country 96.5” (KWWK Rochester) is now being syndicated to seven Townsquare stations nationwide, including “Kat Kountry 105” (KRFO-FM/104.9 Owatonna), “US 104.9” (KIIK-FM De Witt-Quad Cities), and “US 103.3” (KUSB Hazelton-Bismarck). Meanwhile, Townsquare’s WJOD/103.3 (Asbury-Dubuque) and KYYZ/96.1 (Williston) are carrying Bobby Bones.
“Big Jake” Calgaro has joined Saga Classic Rocker WKLH/96.5 (Milwaukee) to host evenings.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced a $1.15 million grant to establish the Upper Midwest Newsroom. Led by Minnesota Public Radio, the journalism collaboration will also include Wisconsin Public Radio, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, and Prairie Public in North Dakota. The newsroom will consist of two editors and four reporters, with one reporter based at each of the networks.
TV people and station news
WISN-TV/12 (Milwaukee) reports that Jerry Taff, who anchored the station’s evening newscasts for all but a few years from 1979 to 2005, has died at 85. The Journal Sentinel reports that Taff got his start at his hometown radio station in Texas and worked in multiple markets nationwide before joining WISN.
Scripps NBC affiliate WTMJ-TV/4 (Milwaukee) is adding a full-time reporter in Walworth County as it continues to expand geographic-based beats.
Meanwhile, WTMJ-TV announced that anchor Shannon Sims will depart on Nov. 5. She has been with the station since 2013.
BringMeTheNews reports that four positions have been eliminated at CBS O&O WCCO-TV/4 (Minneapolis) amid a national round of cuts.
Reporter Ellie Pomerleau announced that she’s moving from Gray NBC affiliate WEAU/13 (Eau Claire) to Gray NBC affiliate WMTV/15 (Madison).
Meteorologist Gabe Prough has moved from weekends to weekday mornings at Nexstar NBC affiliate WHO-DT/13 (Des Moines) for a role mixing reporting and forecasting.
Weigel Broadcasting announced that eight Milwaukee Bucks games will air on statewide broadcast TV this season. In Milwaukee, one game will air on CBS58 (WDJT) and seven others will run on The M (WMLW-LD/41), with the last game simulcast on Telemundo Wisconsin (WYTU-LD/63). Other affiliates include Weigel MeTV station WMEI/31 (Shawano-Green Bay), Gray CW affiliates WYOW/34 (Eagle River-Wausau) and WECX-LD/14 (Eau Claire-La Crosse), and Morgan Murphy Media MyNetworkTV station TVW (WISC-DT2 Madison).
Gray NBC affiliate KWQC/6 (Davenport) was presented with an Emmy Award for best morning/daytime newscast at the 2025 Mid-America Emmys.
Twin Cities PBS (KTCA/KTCI) announced that Travis Engelhaupt and Hoyt Hsiao have been appointed to its board of trustees.
In case you missed it here:
- Update: “K-Love,” “Air1” Launch on Major Milwaukee Signals
- Mason City Gets Over-The-Air Access to FOX for First Time
- Minnesota Radio Legend Ed De La Hunt Passes Away
- Not the FCC Monitor: Things That Haven’t Happened
- Voices of the Dead: Sounds of Now-Deleted AM/FM Stations
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