Indiana RadioWatch: April 23, 2018
Northeast
Nexstar's CBS affiliate WANE-TV (Channel 15, Fort Wayne) promotes Terra Brantley from morning anchor to evening anchor (5pm, 6pm, 11pm, weeknights) alongside Brett Thomas. Also, WANE-TV promotes "15 Finds Out" investigative reporter Alyssa Ivanson to succeed Ms. Brantley in mornings, alongside Pat Hoffman ("NewsChannel 15's First News"). Both promotions will be effective late next month.
Where Are They Now? Former WFFT-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter Mike Bundt now works in Rochester, New York as a news reporter for WROC-TV.
Northwest
In a story you'll first read here, Star City Media GM Tom Comerford and DOS Brian Green both exit. Mr. Comerford joined as GM in early 2017. Mr. Comerford last worked in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as Local Sales Manager for KOKH-TV and KOCB-TV. In the 1990s, Mr. Comerford was GSM at WXIN-TV (Channel 59, Indianapolis).
Mr. Green joined Star City last November after a lengthy tenure at Schurz Broadcasting (later Neuhoff Broadcasting) in Lafayette, where he rose through the ranks to the GM chair.
Veteran Lafayette DJ Bob Vizza died last Thursday, at the age of 64. Mr. Vizza began in Lafayette radio at what was then WXUS-FM (93.5fm) when Twin Cities Broadcasting owned it. Mr. Vizza (VEE-zah) joined WKOA (105.3fm, Lafayette) in 1989 and rose to midday host, before retiring last year.
Mr. Vizza is survived by his wife Chris Morisse Vizza (News Director at Star City Media), family and friends. Visitation will be on Tuesday April 24 from 4:00PM until 8:00PM at Faith Church Auditorium, located at 5526 State Road 26 East, Lafayette, Indiana. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday April 25 at 10:00AM. Complete obituary here.
Former Lafayette PD Mark Allen remembers Bob, "For those who don’t know Bob, he suffered with Lupus his entire life, had at least 3 kidney transplants and multiple surgeries. He was 4 foot nothing, 100 nothin [pounds]! And was the toughest son of a gun I’ve ever known! He’d been in Lafayette radio for 30 years before I had met him! He belongs in the country music Hall of Fame!! He was that freaking good!!"
Milner Broadcasting Enterprises sells its five radio stations, including Country/WIVR (101.7fm, Kentland) to Milner Media Partners. There's no sales price announced yet, Milner Media Partners will pay 5.374 times adjusted net operating income between April of last year and March of this year. Brokers for the seller on this family deal: Bob Heymann and George Reed, both of Media Services Group.
Central
Radio One CHR/WNOW-FM (100.9fm, Speedway) PD Brandon Satterfield exits after just two years. Before arriving in Indianapolis, Mr. Satterfield worked for Atlantic Records, as their East Coast Promotion Manager.
Cumulus promotes Adam "Kash" Kashner from weekends to APD at Country/WFMS (95.5fm, Fishers). Mr. Kash continues behind the microphone for both WFMS and sister Classic Hits/WJJK (104.5fm, Noblesville).
Tribune Broadcasting's FOX affiliate WXIN-TV (Channel 59, Indianapolis) meteorologist Danielle Dozier exits and heads to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where today, she joined WPXI-TV. Ms. Dozier earned a B.A. in Meteorology at The University of North Carolina, Asheville. Ms. Dozier joined FOX59 in December 2014.
Where Are They Now? Former WRTV-TV Morning EP Shawn Reynolds joins AccuWeather as Director of Network Programming.
That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.
Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch
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