News
BACK IN JANUARY WE learned that local television station ABC10 had been purchased by Morgan Murphy Media of Madison, Wisconsin. We hadn’t seen or heard much since then… until this week, when we learned Morgan Murphy has also purchased WJMN-TV from Nexstar Broadcasting.
Without a lot of specific details regarding how the new format will look to viewers, it’s been announced that ABC10 (WBUP) and WJMN will be combining their news departments and operate under the umbrella of programming called My UP News.
In a press release announcing the move, Mark Overstreet, General Manager of both WBUP and WJMN said, “We are thrilled to expand our local news offerings and share something uniquely designed for people in the Upper Peninsula.”
That’s pretty much a boilerplate statement and what you’d expect to hear from the guy who’s been charged with the ambitious task of taking a bite out of the market’s big dog… TV6. When Morgan Murphy bought WBUP we were looking forward to what the seasoned media company would do with that station’s underfunded and unpolished news programming. And now we know.
Rather than attempt a wholesale revamping, they’ve made the bold move to team the news departments of WJMN and WBUP and add much needed relevance to both stations. Remember, back in January of 2022, WJMN lost its CBS network affiliation to newcomer WZMQ and somehow, by sheer grit and determination, survived long enough to be thrown a life preserver by Morgan Murphy.
The time might be ripe for an innovative approach to local news. TV6 no longer has the veteran team that built and maintained their market dominance for 30 plus years, while relative newcomer WZMQ just lost popular anchor Sarah Blakely.
More News
According to Overstreet and News Director Ben Raymond, starting September 9th, My UP News will offer 20 hours of live, local news per week across both stations. We can expect to see My UP News at the customary news program times, before and after prime time, when they’ll go head to head with TV6 and WZMQ. One thing that caught my eye is the addition of two hours of live news every weekday morning from 5 to 7 on WBUP. TV6 has owned the mornings with both their morning news and Upper Michigan Today, so it’ll be interesting to see if there’s room for one more at the kitchen table.
In front of the camera, we can expect to see most of the same faces we’ve come to know at WJMN. And why not? They’ve got a pretty good team there, experienced and, by now, familiar. Other than that, My UP News will probably debut with a new look, unlike anything we’ve seen from either WJMN or WBUP. At least, that’s what I would anticipate.
Regarding the commitment to more and more news, from all of our local stations, the question is… why? It’s not like the U.P. is a hotbed of “breaking news” activity. Besides, many of the stories we see at 6 and 11 have already been vetted by the social media community. No… it’s not our need to know. It has more to do with local programming and station identity.
Local stations are known for their news, and news programming is where they know they get reliable viewership. They also get to sell all the ad time, as opposed to network shows where they only get a small share. So, going back to the original question of why… it’s all about the Benjamins, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Other than their novel news partnership, both WBUP and WJMN will continue with their current program schedules, at least for now. Overstreet acknowledged some things are still in flux and other changes may be in the hopper. As they say in the TV biz… stay tuned.
Dine to Donate at Texas Roadhouse
I hesitate to single out a particular fundraiser being held by a business here in town, but this one is unique due to its benefactor and beneficiary. Texas Roadhouse will be donating a percentage of sales to another restaurant!
This Monday, Labor Day, from 11am to 10pm, Texas Roadhouse will be donating 10% of your bill to Jeffrey’s Restaurant as they work to reopen after a fire earlier this year. One restaurant running a fundraiser for another restaurant? I’d say that’s unheard of, but… it’s happening!
According to Texas Roadhouse store marketer Mandy Anglen, Dine to Donate is one of a number of corporate-wide programs in which local stores can choose to participate. “Our first one was for the Northern Lights Child Advocacy Center and our second was for the Alzheimer’s Association. We have several more on the books already for the rest of the year.”
Why Jeffrey’s?
While his own restaurant has been shut down during its rebuild, Jeffrey’s owner, Jeff Erickson, has been pitching in at Texas Roadhouse. To show their appreciation, the Roadies are returning the favor. Nice to see competitors working together, huh? If a rising tide does indeed lift all boats, this should work out for both of them.
The reason I’m reluctant to call attention to this fundraiser is because I don’t want it to seem like Texas Roadhouse is the only business in town giving back. Far from it. Most of our non-profit agencies and activities rely on the largess of local businesses to make ends meet.
Next time you’re able to take advantage of a community improvement project, take a look at which businesses are helping make it happen. Then you can also… return the favor!