Stations and programming
Civic Media announced some plans for WELY/1450 and WELY-FM/94.5 (Ely), which it is in the process of buying. While the news release did not reveal specific formats, it did say the stations would carry “popular music formats featuring local news, weather, sports, and information, Trading Post with Trader Craig, the Polka Show, [and] Twins Baseball.”
The Milwaukee Brewers announced that ten games will be carried on regional broadcast TV this season. Stations carrying the games include FOX O&O WITI (Milwaukee), Morgan Murphy Media’s WISC-TV (Madison) and WKBT (La Crosse), and Gray Media’s WSAW/WZAW/WYOW (Wausau-Eagle River) and KBJR/KDLH (Superior-Duluth). UPDATE: Scripps’ WACY (Appleton-Green Bay) announced it will also carry the ten-game package.
KOTA-TV and SDPB report that a legislative committee has unanimously voted to continue full funding for South Dakota Public Broadcasting in the next annual budget, rejecting a proposal by the previous governor to cut funding.
R.R. Larson & Associates’ KYMN/1080 (Northfield) has launched a fundraiser to replace the tension wires on its tower.
People moves
Hearst CBS affiliate KCCI/8.1 (Des Moines) promoted Natalie Cabieses from assistant news director to news director.
Rick Gevers’ Weekly Newsletter reports that Anndrea Anderson has been promoted to news director at Gray ABC/NBC/FOX affiliates KSFY/KDLT (Sioux Falls), while Jen Blake is departing Gray ABC/FOX affiliates KOTA-TV/KEVN (Rapid City) for a news director job at a Gray station in Florida. The newsletter also notes that Deb Messer is retiring as general manager of Hubbard ABC affiliate WDIO/10.1 (Duluth) in June.
The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association has named this year’s winners of the Local Broadcast Legends Award: WEAU anchor Judy Clark, longtime Madison radio personality and manager Pat O’Neill, former WMTV anchor John Stofflet, and former WRJN sports broadcaster Gary Suhr.
KFOR/1240 (Lincoln) reports that former morning host Cathy Blythe has died at 75. Blythe first joined the station as a receptionist in 1972, became music director, briefly departed, and then returned in 1982 to begin a 30-year stretch on the morning shift. Blythe continued to host weekly syndicated show “Problems and Solutions” until 2018.
Broadcast Dialogue reports that a Winnipeg radio reunion is being planned for June 12-14.
Meteorologist Amanda Morgan has departed Gray NBC affiliate WMTV/15.1 (Madison) for a job outside of TV weather.
In case you missed it here:
- Sinclair Selling TV Stations in Four Midwest Markets
- FCC Approves Co-Ownership of NBC, FOX Affiliates in Rochester, MN
- Northwestern Media’s KDNW Adds Third Full-Power Satellite
- Northern Minn. AM Station Goes Off the Air for Financial Reasons
- FCC Monitor: Mpls. LPTV Station Drops Channel Change Application
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 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.