Michigan Radio Network

The Michigan Radio Network (or MRN) was a satellite-distributed news service that provides actualities, newscasts, and talk shows to affiliates in Michigan. It was most recently owned by Learfield Communications and had headquarters in Lansing, Michigan. Over the years MRN had been around in various forms and names, and is a sister network to the Michigan Farm Radio Network.

This article is about the commercial radio network. For the public radio network in Michigan, see Michigan Radio. For Michigan Wolverines sports radio network, see Michigan IMG Sports Network.
Michigan Radio Network
TypeRadio network
Country
United States
Availabilitystate of Michigan
SloganMichigan's oldest and largest news network
OwnerLearfield Communications
Former names
Michigan News Network
Official website
http://michiganradionetwork.com/

History

The Michigan Radio Network can trace its roots to the Michigan Regional Network, the first radio network in Michigan.

The modern incarnation of the Michigan Radio Network began in 1970 with the formation of the Michigan Farm Radio Network (MFRN) in Milan. The network that came to be known as the Michigan Radio Network was first called the Michigan News Network (MNN). The MFRN and MNN were owned by a company called the Great Lakes Radio group, headded up by Jim Rayl.

The Michigan News Network split from the Great Lakes Radio group in the 1980s and moved to Caro. The MNN was bought by former Detroit Tiger Denny McLain and headquarters moved to Lansing. McLain, convicted of embezzlement and stealing from workers pensions,[1] went bankrupt. The network was sold to back to Jim Rayl, still called the Michigan News Network, and now owned by Full Circle Broadcasting.

Full Circle sold the MNN to Grosse Pointe Farms based Saga Communications, headed by Ed Christian. The name of the network was changed to the Michigan Radio Network.[2]

The Michigan Radio Network (MRN) and MFRN was sold to Learfield Communications in December, 2014.[3]

In March 2016, it was announced that Learfield would end the Michigan Radio Network on March 31 due to financial reasons, and sell MRN's Lansing studios.[4]

Programs
  • Michigan Radio Network News, hourly one and two-minute newscasts.
  • Michigan Radio Network Sports, morning and afternoon sports updates.
  • Capital Pressroom with Rob Baykian, a thirty-minute weekly public affairs program.
  • Outdoor Magazine with Mike Avery, a three-hour weekend program about hunting and fishing, originating from WSGW.

Special Events

The Michigan Radio Network covers events related to the Michigan Legislature, including the annual State of the State address and election night coverage.

Affiliates
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References
  1. https://books.google.com/books?id=2CoDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA68&dq=baseball%20digest%20denny%20mclain&pg=PA68#v=onepage&q=baseball%20digest%20denny%20mclain&f=false
  2. "Corporate Profile | Saga Communications". ir.sagacom.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  3. "Media Confidential: Saga Sells News Networks to Learfield". mediaconfidential.blogspot.com. 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  4. "Michigan Radio Network Closing Its Doors". MAB News Briefs. Retrieved 2016-04-10.


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