MacDonald Broadcasting

MacDonald Broadcasting
Limited liability company
Industry Radio broadcasting
Founded 1962
Headquarters Saginaw, Michigan
Key people
 Kenneth MacDonald, Sr.
Services Radio, Digital media
Owner Kenneth MacDonald, Jr.
Website http://greatlakesbayregionadvertising.com/

MacDonald Broadcasting is a privately held radio broadcasting company in Michigan owned by Kenneth MacDonald, Jr. The family owned broadcasting group is headquartered in Saginaw and owns eight radio stations across Mid-Michigan, including stations in the Tri-Cities and Lansing markets.[1]

Under the name MacDonald Audio Communications, Kenneth MacDonald also owns a MUZAK service delivering commercial free music to retail stores across the region.

The company previously owned stations in the Petoskey and Cadillac radio markets, however those stations were spun off to MacDonald-Garber Broadcasting. Prior to the split of the company, MacDonald Broadcasting was the largest privately held and family owned broadcaster in the state.[2]

History

MacDonald Boracasting began in 1962 when Kenneth MacDonald (Sr.) moved from Ann Arbor to Saginaw and put WSAM on the air.[3] The station broadcasts on AM 1400 from their transmitter and studios on Whittier Street on Saginaw's east side. WSAM had a top 40 CHR format at the time. In 1968, "Sam" got a sister station at FM 98.1. It was originally known as WSAM-FM and its call letters were changed to WKCQ, and has had a country music format since its inception.

MacDonald would go on to buy stations in the Petoskey and Cadillac markets in the 1970s. He befriended WMBN founder Les Biederman, who needed to divest himself of his Petoskey properties in order to increase the power of WTCM in Traverse City. MacDonald, who vacationed in Petoskey and was familiar with the stations was able to purchase 1340 WMBN and 96.3 WMBN-FM (WLXT) from Biederman. MacDonald also was able to pick up Biederman's Cadillac stations, 1240 WATT and 96.7 WLXV. Later, in 1994, MacDonald was able to buy up Charlevoix's 1270 WMKT and 105.9 WKHQ form Midwest Family Broadcasting.[4]

The Northern Michigan stations of MacDonald were eventually spun off into a separate company called MacDonald-Garber Broadcasting in 1998, headed up by Kenneth MacDonald's daughter Patricia MacDonald. The group would later acquire WKAD, WZTC, and a cluster of stations in Colorado.[5]

MacDonald expanded to the Lansing-East Lansing market in 1992 with the purchase of 1320 WILS and 101.7 WHZZ. WILS at the time had an adult standards format and later flipped to news/talk. MacDonald changed the format for WHZZ from country music to CHR and then to variety hits as 'Mike FM.

Back in Saginaw, FM stations 104.1 WSAG and 97.3 WMJO were added to the MacDonald Broadcasting portfolio. WMJO of Essexville was purchased by MacDonald in 1998 and flipped its format form country to classic rock, and most recently to a variety hits format branded as Joe FM. WSAG was bought by MacDonald in 2005 and its City of License was changed from Pinconning to Linwood. WSAG simulcasts WSAM 1400's current soft adult contemporary format known as The Bay.

Most recently in Lansing, MacDonald acquired 1180 WXLA and 96.5 WQHH in 2006. WXLA, licensed to Dimondale was broadcasting a contemporary R&B format at the time became a satellite-fed adult standards station following WILS's switch to talk radio. WQHH of DeWitt continued to keep its hip hop and urban contemporary format. In 2008, 1320 WILS launched its new 25,000 watt transmitter, making MacDonald the owner of Mid-Michigan's most powerful AM radio station.[6]

Both Kenneth MacDonald Senior and Junior have been inducted into the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.[7]

MacDonald Senior died in 1989,[8] leaving the family business to his son Kenneth (Mac) MacDonald, Jr. and daughter Patricia (Trish) MacDonald-Garber. Archives from the MacDoanld's broadcasting career, known as the Kenneth MacDonald Papers have been donated to the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan.

Radio stations

Tri-Cities

Lansing-East Lansing

References

  1. ↑ http://www.michiguide.com/dials/owners/macd.html
  2. ↑ http://www.michiguide.com/dials/owners/macd-g.html
  3. ↑ http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/saginaw/index.ssf/2011/07/ken_macdonald_jr_enters_michig.html
  4. ↑ http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-j/wkhq.html
  5. ↑ http://upnorthlive.com/news/local/macdonald-garber-broadcasting-acquires-12-new-stations?id=992470
  6. ↑ http://www.media-brokers.com/local-radio/ratecard/wils-am-1320-1359698.aspx
  7. ↑ http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/saginaw/index.ssf/2011/07/ken_macdonald_jr_enters_michig.html
  8. ↑ http://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhlead/umich-bhl-90135?rgn=main;view=text
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