WMUZ, WEXL and WRDT Detroit Join Forces on MLK Day
Detroit’s Christian Station WMUZ 103.5 FM – The Light, Gospel Station AM 1340–WEXL and Word Station AM 560–WRDT joined over 500 walkers in West Bloomfield, Michigan for the 14th annual United We Walk event.

“We’re so glad to join our listeners in this demonstration of peace and unity in the name of Dr. King,” said morning show co-host Shannyn Caldwell adding, “Braving this cold is the least we can do for a man who braved so much more for all of us.”

The walk, which took place in sub-zero wind chill conditions, was the culmination of a two-day event which included a speech by Nigerian Christian artist Timothy Orikri, a candlelight vigil, and a round table discussion about the “State of the Dream.”

WMUZ was the presenting media partner for this multi-cultural event and looks forward to working and walking with United We Walk for many years to come.

WWJ-AM Keeps Detroit Warm This Winter
WWJ-AM (Detroit) hosted its fifth annual Winter Survival Radiothon to benefit THAW, the Heat and Warmth Fund, on Feb. 8 and 9 from the Boll Family YMCA in downtown Detroit. Proceeds from last year’s effort helped thousands of metro Detroit families keep their utilities powered on during the winter months when gas and electric services become essential for survival.

Every donation made during the radiothon was matched dollar for dollar by corporate partners, including DTE Energy. WWJ aired the fundraiser live from 5am Friday through noon Saturday from the Y with hosts Roberta Jasina, Joe Donovan, Jayne Bower, Greg Bowman, Bill Stevens, Paul Snider, Larry Henry, Tony Ortiz, Rob Sanford, Pat Vitale and the legendary Sonny Eliot, too. The Radiothon generated about $600,000!

WMQT-FM Holds MTU vs. NMU Blood Drive
WMQT-FM (Marquette) promoted the Gift of Life Blood Drive, an annual competition between Michigan Tech University and Northern Michigan University to see which University could collect the most pints of blood for the U.P. Regional Blood Center to supply blood to 13 different Upper Peninsula Michigan Hospitals.

The drive took place on January 29 at Michigan Tech was the largest single blood drive in blood center history with 192 pints collected in 6 hours. WMQT Program Director, Jim Koski broadcast live for the entire 6 hours to help promote the event.

The Northern Michigan University drive will be held at a later date.

WGVU General Manager Michael Walenta honored with Silver Circle Award
WGVU General Manager Michael Walenta has been inducted into the Silver Circle by The National Academy of Arts and Sciences. He will be honored on Sunday, February 24 in Birmingham for his more than 25 years of outstanding service and leadership in the television broadcasting community.

Walenta hit the ground running in 1978, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts from Central Michigan University and racking up his first three jobs in the broadcast industry – as a production assistant for ABC Sports, an instructor at CMU and an Assistant Engineer at WHTV and WMHW-FM in Mount Pleasant. From here, he moved on to WCMU in 1979, where he directed an instructional videotape series designed to replace the classroom.

He was a videotape editor at WOTV (Time Life Broadcasting) in Grand Rapids from 1980 to 1983. After this, he accepted the position of Production Manager at KTVV (LIN Broadcasting) and made the move to Austin, Texas. In 1986, he became Operations Manager at KPEJ-TV.

In 1988, Walenta was named General Manager for WGVU-TV, WGVK-TV, WGVU-AM, WGVU-FM, WGVS-AM and WGVS-FM at Grand Valley State University. In this capacity, he has operating responsibility for two PBS television stations, four NPR radio stations, satellite teleport and the member guide, Showplace.

Michael has served as secretary, treasurer, vice-president and president for the Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters; he currently sits on the Board of Directors.


WKAR Receives Grant for Community Summit
WKAR-TV (East Lansing) has received a $5,000 grant to sponsor a community health summit on depression.

“We are very excited to be one of 12 recipient stations (PBS) nationwide,” says WKAR outreach coordinator Cynthia Schneider. “The grant will give us another means to connect with the communities that serve on a very serious topic of widespread interest and implications. It will also give us an opportunity to ‘extend our broadcast signal’ by bringing the topic of depression beyond the television screen into an active dialogue with community partners.”

Community partners assisting WKAR with the planning and implementation of the community summit are the Lansing area YMCA, (capital area main branch as well as outlying communities); Lansing Area National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton/Eaton/Ingham Counties (CMH). NAMI and YMCA are national partners of the project.

The grant for the community summit on depression is sponsored by the TAKE ONE STEP: PBS Health Campaign. The TAKE ONE STEP community engagement campaign was launched nationally in 2007 with two broadcast events – Hidden Epidemic: Heart Disease in America and FAT: What No One is Telling You. The goal of the campaign is to create an integrated media and social marketing initiative focused on America’s greatest health challenges: heart disease, obesity, cancer and depression.

Depression is a public health crisis that rivals all other diseases in its burden on society, yet is remarkably under-diagnosed and under-treated. By weaving together the history, science and treatment of depression with intimate portrayals of families and individuals coping with its wide-ranging effects, WKAR will broadcast the two-hour companion documentary piece DEPRESSION: Out of the Shadows in May, which will coincide with the convening of the community summit. WKAR will also broadcast other related programming throughout the month. May is Mental Health awareness Month.

The community summit will take place in mid-May on Michigan State University’s campus and will be attended by educators, counselors, human resource professionals and other facilitators of health programs. The goals of the community summit are to: help people better understand the complexities of the mental illness; educate participants on early diagnosis; reduce stigma associated with depression, and link professionals with current community programs and potential new alliances.


WCMU Announces the 14th Annual READING RAINBOW Young Writers & Illustrators Contest!
WCMU recently launched its Fourteenth Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest. Children from kindergarten to third grade were encouraged to write and illustrate their own stories for submission. Each young writer will receive a certificate of achievement signed by Reading Rainbow host, LeVar Burton. CMU Public Broadcasting will select first, second and third place winners in each of the four grade level categories. First place winners will be entered into the National Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest and become eligible for the national contest prizes.

"The Reading Rainbow Young Illustrators and Writers contest is a wonderful way for children to experience creating a story from their imagination and then putting it into illustrations," says WCMU Special Events Coordinator Charlotte Galgoci. "Whether it is something they have done before or for the first time, it can create a love for writing and drawing that may begin a life long adventure in story writing."

A Few Spaces Remain for the 2008 GLBC Career Fair – Contact MABF Today to Register
Just a few booths are still available for the 2008 GLBC Career Fair on Tuesday, March 11 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. If you have not registered to participate in this year’s GLBC Career Fair and are interested, contact MABF today!

The Career Fair offers your station the following benefits:
• Possible EEO Credits
• Exposure to hundreds of potential employees, interns, viewers and listeners
• Excellent networking opportunities with other broadcasters across the state

The Career Fair will once again take place during the 2008 Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference & Expo at the DeVos Place in Downtown Grand Rapids. Attend and meet hundreds of potential employees and interns. Contact Julie or Jamie at 517.484.7444 to reserve your booth today!

Registration fee is $250 per booth (one SEU per booth) and includes the following amenities:
• One 6 ft. banquet table with a tablecloth.
• Up to two chairs.
• One table-top sign with your call letters/company name displayed.
• An Exhibits Only registration for all station representatives. (NOTE: Please register separately for the GLBC if you plan to attend the conference. Additional GLBC registration rates may apply. Visit www.michmab.com for details.)
• A portion of the registration fee goes to support the MAB Foundation and its mission.

Click here to download a registration form.
Click here for complete career fair details and information.

High School and College Awards Program encourages young broadcasters – Peter King to serve as program emcee!
It has been another great year for the MAB Foundation High School & College Awards. Thank you to all of our judges and all who entered! Winners have been announced and may be viewed on the High School and College awards web site by clicking here.

All winners will be honored, and the Station of the Year recipients will be announced, during the Main Luncheon at the Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference & Expo on Tuesday, March 11 at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids. We are very pleased to announce that Peter King, CBS News, will serve as awards emcee! Make plans to attend today!

Click here for complete awards program information

Detroit Pistons Package, Detroit Red Wings tickets available through MABF Online Auction…Bid Now, Bid Often!!!
Hurry and bid now through the MABF Online Auction for your chance to win great prizes such as a Detroit Pistons package and Detroit Red Wings tickets. Proceeds go to future MAB Foundation scholarships. Bidding will be open through the month of March.

The MAB Foundation is seeking donated items for the 2008 Online Auction. Past items for bidding included football tickets, vacation packages and priceless experiences. This fundraiser will once again raise money to benefit future broadcast scholarships and educational programs. The 2007 program raised more than $1,200!

Visit www.michmab.com to view the current items up for bidding. The MAB Foundation is looking for exciting and valuable donated items to place for bidding. Contact Julie or Jamie at 517.484.7444 for more information.

Click here for complete Online Auction rules and information.