Radio People
Good Karma Brands’ WTMJ/620 (Milwaukee) announced that market veteran Sandy Maxx will join the station as co-anchor of “Wisconsin’s Afternoon News,” which airs from 3 to 6.
Colleen Lindström recently announced plans to leave her role as midday co-host at Hubbard’s “My Talk 107” (KTMY Coon Rapids-Minneapolis). She has been with the format since it launched two decades ago.
— Colleen Lindström (@mytalkcolleen) November 21, 2022
Longtime announcer Tony Hart has departed Townsquare Media’s “Mix 108” (KBMX/107.7 Proctor-Duluth) for a job outside of radio. His afternoon slot is being taken over by Nick Cooper.
RadioInsight reports that WestwoodOne will end “The Lia Show” at the end of the year. The program has been syndicated to Country stations for 24 years.
“Star 104.5” (KSRZ Omaha) is among nine new affiliates of the syndicated Murphy, Sam, and Jodi morning show, according to Radio-Online.
The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association reported that Dave Murphy has been named operations manager for QueenB Radio’s group of stations in southwestern Wisconsin/Dubuque, as well as program director of “Super Hits 106” (KIYX Sageville-Dubuque).
All Access reported that radio veteran Bill Bowen has joined WJVL/99.9 (Janesville) for nights and weekends.
Anders Yocom has retired from hosting Wisconsin Public Radio’s “The Sunday Brunch” and a Sunday afternoon Classical shift. Yocom had worked in public media for decades before first retiring to Wisconsin in 2001, but later took on several different roles at WPR.
TV people
Curtis Miles, the current general manager at Allen Media ABC affiliate WAOW/9 (Wausau), has been named general manager of Gray CBS/MNT duo KCTV/KSMO (Kansas City).
The Star Tribune reported that Jason Hackett, currently at a station in Oklahoma City, will join Tegna NBC affiliate KARE/11 (Minneapolis) as morning co-anchor.
Rick Gevers’ weekly newsletter reported that Matt Weesner has departed from the news director’s office at Sinclair ABC/FOX affiliate KHGI/13 (Kearney).
Stella Daskalakis announced that she is departing her role as evening co-anchor at Gray NBC affiliate KTIV/4 (Sioux City) for a job in Flint.
Meteorologist Alexis Hermansen has departed Gray NBC affiliate KWQC/6 (Davenport) for a job in the Pacific Northwest.
The Nebraska Broadcasters Association noted the passing of Linda Beerman, who was the first woman in the nation to become a full-time evening news weathercaster when she took the role at KOLN/10 (Lincoln) in 1979. Beerman started at KMTV/3 (Omaha) and then worked at KOLN from 1968 to 1986.
Twin Cities PBS (KTCA/KTCI) announced the election of Scott Dillon, Laura Liu, and Donald “Mark” Ritchie to its board of directors. Donna Zimmerman was elected as the new chair and Martha “Muffy” MacMillan as the new vice chair.
Stations and companies
FOX is warning viewers that its owned-and-operated TV stations, as well as several national networks, may leave DirecTV at 2 a.m. Central time Saturday, Dec. 2, if a new retransmission consent agreement isn’t reached. FOX O&O’s include KMSP/9 (Minneapolis) and WITI/6 (Milwaukee). The outage would also affect every FOX affiliate on DirecTV Stream. Deadline and Broadcasting+Cable have more. It comes as Cox, which does not currently own any stations in the Upper Midwest, remains in its own dispute with DISH Network.
Dec. 3 update: An undated post on KeepFOX.com says a new agreement was reached.
CBC News launched its new free ad-supported streaming service, named CBC News Explore. It focuses on longer-form news and magazine programming rather than breaking news; the initial schedule also includes a 14-hour daily marathon of CBC’s flagship program “The National.” While direct links to the new service on CBC’s Gem platform and the CBC News website only work in Canada, CBC News Explore can be found in the U.S. on Roku Live channel 199 as well as on Tubi.
KELO-TV reported that there was a fire late Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the former KDLT-TV building in Sioux Falls. The station left the building in 2020 after being sold.
Minnesota Public Radio’s “The Current” announced that its weekly “New Hot” show, which airs Friday nights at 10, will end after the Dec. 16 airing.
In case you missed it here:
- Ely’s WELY Finds Buyer But Will Temporarily Go Silent
- Update: Forum Paying $1.4 Million for Independent Sioux Falls Station
- Data Dump: When Stations Flipped to All-Christmas
News tips? Press releases? Please send them to [email protected]!
Disclosure: Jon Ellis is an employee of Gray Media Group. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.