Indiana RadioWatch: January 13, 2016

One additional point from our Monday story regarding the Indiana Broadcasters Association: Gwen Piening remains with the IBA as an Executive Consultant to the IBA Board of Directors. Ms. Piening also works part time for Local Broadcast Sales as their Midwest GM. Ms. Piening will retire at the beginning of September this year.

Northeast

LIN Television Corp. CBS affiliate WANE-TV (Channel 15, Fort Wayne) VP/GM Alen Riebe retired. In 2003, he became GM (up from GSM). Mr. Riebe graduated from Ball State University in 1972 worked at radio stations in Indiana and Ohio. He moved into TV, by taking a sales job at WFFT-TV on March 30, 1981 (the day President Reagan was shot). He then worked at the Asher Agency and joined WANE-TV in 1992.

Northcentral

Weigel Broadcasting's ABC affiliate WBND-LD (Channel 57, South Bend) Weekend anchor and reporter Marissa Kynaston exits and joins KTNV-TV in Las Vegas as a reporter.

Northwest

LIN Television Corp. CBS affiliate/WLFI-TV (Channel 18, Lafayette) morning/noon anchor/reporter Alex Maragos exits and becomes a general assignment reporter at WMAQ-TV in Chicago, Illinois.

Eastcentral

Kit Osborne exits as Market Manager for both Cumulus/Kokomo and Cumulus/New Castle, and joins the Ledger Media Group in Lakeland, Florida, as their Advertising Manager.

Brewer Broadcasting's Country/WQLK (96.1fm, Richmond) and AC/WHON (930am, Centerville) and translator W269BP (101.7fm, Richmond) GM Dave Strycker retires after 36 years with the radio stations. Mr. Strycker will remain in a transitional/advisory role in 2016. Succeeding Mr. Strycker is Amy Dillon, who returns to Brewer Broadcasting from the GM chair at the Midwest Broadcasting/Terre Haute radio stations.

Central

We don't have much to add to the Kristi Lee story: As most know, she exits as News Director of "The Bob and Tom Show," and her last on-air appearance was co-host Bob Kevoian's last day on December 17, 2015. Ms. Lee joined the show nearly 28 years ago. Ms. Lee also has a statement on The Bob and Tom website. No word yet on a permanent successor.

Tribune Broadcasting's FOX affiliate WXIN-TV (Channel 59, Indianapolis) reporter Marisela Burgos exits and joins WFTS-TV in Tampa, Florida in the same role.

Southwest

Withers Broadcasting and its affiliate WYNG, LLC sells their AC/WYNG (94.9fm, Mount Carmel, Illinois) to Educational Media Foundation for $450,000. WYNG will become a "K-Love" satellite Christian AC format affiliate. That sale adds more of the Evansville market to the K-Love footprint, as EMF already has the format on its WKVN (95.3fm, Morganfield, Kentucky).

Tommy Mason exits radio (WLFW, then WXCM) and joins Bayou City Broadcasting's CBS and FOX affiliates WEVV-TV (CBS: Channel 44.1, FOX: Channel 44.2, both Evansville) as morning anchor and producer.

Former WEVV-TV GM Tim Black joins WNIN Tri-State Public Media's NPR affiliate WNIN-FM (88.3fm, Evansville) as VP/Development.

Nexstar ABC affiliate WEHT-TV (Channel 25, Evansville) and Mission Broadcasting's CW affiliate WTVW (Channel 7, Evansville) promotes VP/ GM Arika Zink to VP/GM of WFXR-TV and WWCW-TV in Roanoke, Virginia. Ms. Zink joined Nexstar/Evansville in February 2012.

Townsquare/Evansville OM and Country/WKDQ (99.5fm, Henderson, Kentucky) morning co-host Jon Prell retires after 13 years with WKDQ and 21 years in Evansville radio.

David Fields replaces Mr. Prell in mornings, and will program "The Tri-State's Country Station." Mr. Fields last worked at the Powell Broadcasting radio stations in Panama City, Florida (OM and mornings at their Country/WKMK). Also, afternoon host Eric Cornish exits, and joins the morning show at WXMA-FM in Louisville, Kentucky. Melissa Brooks moves from middays to afternoons, replacing Mr. Cornish. Ms. Brooks also becomes Promotions Director. Finally, weekender Travis Sams becomes full time as APD and in middays.

Townsquare Media's N-T/WOMI (1490am, Owensboro, Kentucky) replaces the defunct Dennis Miller show with Marilu Henner (5pm until 8pm) and adds an hour of Free Talk Live (8pm until 9pm).

Employment Opportunities

Indiana Country - WKKG - South Central Indiana's #1 country heritage station, is looking for our next morning show superstar. If you can deliver an upbeat, LOCALLY relatable, music-driven show then send me your best stuff. Local is how we win, so you'll be expected to seek out ways to get involved in the community. We offer a competitive salary, great benefits including 401(k), excellent work environment and an exceptional community. E-mail your resume and demo to John Foster, Station Manager at jfoster at wkkg dot com. White River Broadcasting is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.

That's it for this issue. See you in a week!

Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch

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All pages Copyright Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and other contributions should be e-mailed to the editors.