WJR is proud to announce a special honor for two members of the WJR family who will be inducted into the Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
First, Frank Beckmann who you hear on WJR from 9-12 each weekday morning: It’s an honor bestowed on Frank by his peers. A committee of officers from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters voted Frank into the hall, which represents the highest honor among the members of our industry in Michigan. Here’s what the notation says which accompanies Frank’s placement in the hall: Frank Beckmann started his on-air career in 1972 at WJR, where he was the youngest newsman the station had ever hired at the age of 22. In 1981, Frank created the first Radio Sports Talk Show in Michigan, “Sportswrap.” Frank went on to serve as the main substitute for legendary WJR morning show host, J.P. McCarthy, before becoming the radio voice of the Detroit Tigers. For seven years he broadcast the Tigers on television, while remaining at WJR in a sports capacity. In 2004, he began hosting The Frank Beckmann Show, a news/talk program during the mid-morning hours. He has received numerous awards for the show and it has regularly been the top rated program at WJR.
In addition to Frank, we are proud of another beloved member of the WJR family who is also inducted into the 2015 class of the broadcasting hall of fame. Mike Fezzey, our longtime general manager, has also been elected to the hall of fame. Mike passed away earlier this year. The MAB notation for Mike reads: Mike Fezzey served as president and general manager of Detroit’s WJR-AM radio, beginning in 1994 and was with WJR until 2011. He was most recently, and at the time of his death, President of Huntington’s Southeastern Michigan Region in Troy, Michigan. In addition to his WJR history, Fezzey launched and ran Radio Disney Detroit programming for ABC. Feezey has also been honored with community awards for his service, in addition to his broadcasting career.
Also inducted is Larry Patrick who serves as Managing Partner of Patrick Communications, LLC, a media investment banking and brokerage firm. He also owns 14 small market radio stations and is an investor in another 26 stations. Patrick has co-authored three books on broadcast station management and finance, as well as several journal articles. He is also currently an adjunct professor at both Georgetown University Law Center and Central Michigan University
Frank and Mike join other WJR figures in the hall of fame… Glenn Hague, Mike Whorf, Jim Branstatter, Bob Reynolds, Jim Quello, Ernie Harwell and J.P. McCarthy.
Here is the audio from this morning’s announcement on WJR
