WDIV-TV Honored Across Multiple Categories at Michigan Association of Broadcasters Awards

WDIV-TV in Detroit, MI, a part of Graham Media Group, received recognition in various categories at the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) Awards, showcasing the station's excellence in broadcasting.

Bob Ellis, Vice President and General Manager of WDIV-TV expressed immense pride in the station's talented team and their dedication to delivering exceptional content. "These awards are a testament to our unwavering commitment to high-quality journalism and meaningful community engagement," Ellis remarked. "We are honored to be recognized by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and remain steadfast in our pursuit of excellence."

WDIV-TV's achievements include:

• Best Feature/Use of Medium: "Drawing Dad" by Sarah Mayberry, Justin DePrekel, and Ben Bell.

• Best Photojournalist: Justin DePrekel

• Best Special Interest Programming: "Empowering Girls" by Olive Hathikhanavala.

• Best Use of New Media (All Encompassing): "Building for the Future of Streaming" by Ro Coppola, Erin Fleming, Christy McDonald, and Ian Rhodes.

• Best Breaking News Story: Recognized for reporting at Michigan State University.

• Best Weathercast: "Science of Weather and Baseball" by Ashlee Baracy,

In addition to these honors, WDIV-TV also received Merit Awards for outstanding achievements in various categories, including Continuing Coverage, Investigative Story, News Reporting, Use of New Media, Community Involvement, Newscast, and Weathercast.

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters promotes the well-being, cooperation, and prosperity of the owners, managers, employees, and specialists engaged in the business of broadcasting by helping members better serve their community, audience, advertisers, and staff through providing solutions to their problems and satisfying their needs.

WDIV's Investigative Report Reveals Concerns Over Aging Oil Pipeline Threatening Michigan's Water Supply

In a groundbreaking investigative report, WDIV, Graham Media Group's NBC affiliate in Detroit, revealed alarming details about the aging Line 5 oil pipeline, raising significant concerns about its potential threat to Michigan's water supply.

Led by Karen Drew, WDIV's investigative reporter and anchor, the in-depth examination brought to light the risks associated with the 645-mile pipeline that carries 22 million gallons of oil daily, 4.5 miles of which lie underwater in the volatile currents where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan converge.

The investigation sheds light on the pipeline's critical condition, surpassing its intended 45-year lifespan by more than 25 years. The company that owns Line 5 had a previous pipeline spill in 2010, involving over a million gallons of oil, stands as one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history. Drew uncovered that many viewers were unaware of the pipeline's existence, emphasizing the broader impact on the community.

"The way the currents shift, you could have an oil problem in many ways," says WDIV's VP and general manager Bob Ellis. "You're talking about the most precious resource we have in the state of Michigan, which is water."

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, WDIV took an unprecedented step by dedicating a 15-minute investigative package to Line 5 during its 5:30 evening newscast, airing without commercials as reported by TV NewsCheck. Karen Drew employed innovative storytelling techniques, incorporating 3D animation and dynamic visuals to maintain viewer engagement throughout the extended report. The station also utilized its digital streaming platform, Local 4+, to broadcast a half-hour special, reaching audiences on multiple platforms.

To further engage the community, WDIV has scheduled a town hall meeting for later this month. The meeting will feature the oil pipeline company, environmental groups, elected officials, and community experts, with the Line 5 investigation taking center stage to kick off the program.

The Line 5 investigation by WDIV underscores the importance of investigative reporting in bringing critical issues to the forefront and mobilizing communities for positive change.

WDIV VP and GM Bob Ellis Named Top Local TV Leader By Radio + Television Business Report

Bob Ellis

Bob Ellis, Vice President and General Manager of WDIV-TV, has been named the #1 Top Local TV Leader in the Fall 2023 edition of Radio + Television Business Report (RBR+TVBR).   

Ellis began his tenure as VP & GM at the Graham Media Group NBC affiliate in Detroit, Michigan, in October 2021, following his 12 year run as VP & GM at WJXT-TV/WCWJ-TV, GMG’s duopoly in Jacksonville, Florida.  

“When I was growing up, WDIV was my station," Ellis commented, having started his career at the Detroit station as a young producer soon after he graduated from Michigan State University. "When I was coming up in the industry, WDIV is where I learned what it meant to produce great TV every day and serve a community.”   

Radio + Television Business Report highlighted Ellis’ recognition of the significance of local news and its impact on the community. He told RBR+TVBR that he believes that live coverage provided by the local TV station is more reliable and trustworthy than any other medium, including apps or social media. According to him, they can deliver real-time news from a reliable source the community trusts. He emphasizes that it is crucial to embrace this concept and focus on providing live coverage since people still prefer it. In times of natural disasters or unfolding tragedies, the local TV station still serves as the lifeline for the community, and this role is just as crucial today as ever. 

“There’s never been a better time for our industry to serve the desires of our consumers by producing great content,” Ellis said. “Learning about how each platform can be used most effectively is what excites me about our future. It should excite all of us who work in local broadcast. The local television station with a great local website and now a great local streaming channel has an enormous role to play in the future. It has the opportunity to become more relevant than ever if we use each platform effectively to inform and educate in our communities.” 

The RBR+TVBR introduced its inaugural Top Local TV Leaders list in 2019. This honor roll recognized the tireless efforts and unwavering dedication of local television station leaders during a time when the United States faces unprecedented challenges. 

WDIV-Local 4 Honored With National Edward R. Murrow Award

WDIV-Local 4, a Graham Media Group station, won the prestigious 2022 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast (Local 4 News at 11 p.m.) for coverage of the Oxford High School shooting.

National winners were announced Thursday, Aug 11, by the Radio Television Digital News Association.

“We are truly honored to be the recipient of this national award that holds newsrooms to such high standards in journalism,” said WDIV News Director Kim Voet. “Our team handled the coverage of this tragic event with compassion and sensitivity for the Oxford community.”

“This day will forever be etched in all of our hearts,” said Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis. “Although our news team had an important job to do during that horrific time, they covered it with grace, compassion, and respect. Since then, we have built relationships with the families and school community in Oxford, and we will always be here to tell their stories as they continue to recover and heal.”

The RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow's pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name.

This honor comes after receiving a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award in May and another distinguished tribute in March -- the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Station of the Year Award – which WDIV-Local 4 won for the eighth year in a row.

About WDIV-Local 4

Local 4 News is currently the No. 1 newscast at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. in Nielsen ratings for the Detroit television market and is honored to be named Station of the Year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for the eighth year in a row. WDIV is the No. 1 NBC affiliate in the top 20 LPM markets. In addition, Local 4's ClickOnDetroit.com is a top breaking news and weather website in Michigan and the No. 1 news website in Metro Detroit.

Local 4 honored with nine awards at the 2022 Michigan Emmys

WDIV-Local 4, a Graham Media Group station, was recognized for its exemplary work at the 44th Annual Michigan Regional Emmy Awards.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our team, both in front of and behind the camera,” said News Director Kim Voet. “They give it their all every single day to bring viewers the important news that affects their lives.”

Congratulations to the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Michigan Emmy award winners:

Sports Story, News Feature (Catching up with Mike Utley)

• Justin DePrekel, Ben Bell, Bernie Smilovitz, Ro Coppola

Children/Youth/Teen, News (A Mascot’s Moment)

• Nick Monacelli

Weather, News - single shift (125 Years Ago: The Great Cyclone Hits Oakland County)

• Paul Gross

Team Coverage (Night of the Tornadoes)

• Mia Balbin-Cuesta & Mary Burson

Reporter, Specialty Assignment (Royal Oak Remembered)

• Rod Meloni

Religion, News (All-American Muslim)

• Paula Tutman & Justin DePrekel

Breaking News (Metro Detroit deals with overnight flooding)

• Mary Burson

Investigative (Missing in the Morgue)

• Karen Drew, John Pompeo, Benjamin Bell

Reporter, Daily News

• Rod Meloni

WDIV takes home 2 Digital Innovation Awards from the Local Media Association

WDIV has been honored with two Digital Innovation Awards from the Local Media Association: A first-place win for the station's "Vote 4 The Best" campaign, and second-place honors for "4Frenzy."

The LMA contest recognizes the best in local digital media in 15 categories, such as best local website, best virtual event, best branded content strategy and more.

"Vote 4 The Best" and "4Frenzy" were honored as contests/promotional campaigns.

"Vote 4 The Best" was a highly anticipated contest that turned out to be not only successful but award-winning. It allows locals to nominate and vote for all different kinds of their favorite Michigan businesses. It builds in a bit of free advertising for area businesses, with a spot on the website and the ability to share a direct voting link.

The voting ballot remains a go-to guide of local businesses all year long. Additionally, "Vote 4 The Best" provides window clings to storefronts, and digital graphics to the top five winners in each category, which totaled about 940 in the main contest alone.

Here's a judge's note: "They took a yearly contest and added categories that were specific to the pandemic, to honor businesses that were doing great work, like (in) customer safety. This inclusion of categories that recognized added challenges of the past year led to more engagement and revenue."

As for "4Frenzy," these traditional campaigns have always been about celebrating high school students' hard work and passion surrounding sports, academics and school spirit (with a nomination and voting period each season), but this year, they needed to do something different because the pandemic changed the lives of so many seniors.

Here's another judge's note: "This news (organization) made the effort to change their yearly promotion/contest to highlight seniors who had not gotten their usual chance to sign through graduation and events."

WDIV-Local 4 names Dianna Sharpe as new Business Manager

WDIV-Local 4, the Graham Media Group-owned NBC affiliate in Detroit, has announced the appointment of Dianna Sharpe as the station’s new Business Manager. Sharpe will replace Kathy Salazar, the current Vice President and Business Manager, who announced her retirement in August. Sharpe and Salazar will work in tandem until the end of the year.

Sharpe will lead and analyze all financial reporting requirements, be responsible for all revenue recognition and reporting and support the General Manager and Department Head team in forecasting, budgeting, expense management and other business activities at the station.

For the last 13 years, Sharpe has worked for the accounting firm KPMG, most recently as a manager in Resource Management. She has demonstrated success in various areas of operations, project management, human resources, recruitment and retention, conflict resolution, change management, diversity and inclusion, and resource scheduling. Prior to KPMG, Sharpe worked for Deloitte Services, DaimlerChrysler Financial Services, and Kelly Services.

“Dianna is the right leader to continue to build an engaged, high performing, and inclusive culture at WDIV-Local 4. She has the enviable combination of great business acumen and expertise in human relations. I’m excited to have her join our leadership team,” said Vice President and General Manager Marla Drutz. “The community is who we serve as a news and information leader, so I’m thrilled that Dianna is also committed to contributing to our region in so many various ways.”

Sharpe believes in empowering the youth of today with the skills and tools to face the challenges of tomorrow. For this reason, she is currently the Treasurer of the Michigan PTA and a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Davenport University.

Sharpe lives in Southfield with her husband and children.

WDIV-Local 4 hosts virtual Education Town Hall on return-to-school plans

WDIV-Local 4 hosted a virtual town hall Aug. 13 all about education and the return to school amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Anchors Devin Scillian and Paula Tutman were joined by education leaders from across the state to answer questions about the complicated decisions being made by schools and parents heading into the 2020-21 school year.

It’s part of an all-encompassing station campaign.

Education 4 All is a multiplatform reporting and community engagement commitment by WDIV-Local 4/ClickOnDetroit.com to extensively cover the complicated issues of education, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of what the station does now will have a far-reaching impact on our children’s physical and mental health, achievement, policy and state’s trajectory.

An “Education 4 All” special is planned for Aug. 31.

Currently, WDIV-Local 4/ClickOnDetroit.com is doing daily Education 4 All stories and has multiple digital reports delving into the complex issues from every angle.

Education 4 All will include:

• News reports

• Digital content

• Digital town halls and more

To watch the recording of WDIV's "Education 4 All Town Hall," click the or tap here.

WDIV, ClickOnDetroit launches effort to help local restaurants, frontline workers

Frontline workers across the country are putting their lives at risk in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak, working nonstop -- sometimes without even thinking about a meal.

WDIV Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit.com have launched Food4Frontline – a community-wide effort to help both frontline workers and local restaurants.

“Let’s support our amazing first responders that are on the front lines and working to keep us safe,” said Marla Drutz, WDIV's vice president and general manager. “At the same time, we can support our local restaurant and store workers. This is one small thing we can do as a community to mobilize behind those that are on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus.”

The Food4Frontline effort will accomplish three things:

1. Solicit: The station has heard from so many in the community who are eager to contribute in some way. This is a chance to give back to those who are working so hard to save the people's lives. These heroes without capes are putting their lives at risk while they work long shifts. WDIV -- with the community's help -- wants to feed them.

2. Serve: WDIV is partnering with local restaurants to order meals that will be distributed to those on the front line. The hope is that this partnership will assist Detroit-area restaurants and their staffers. Partners will uphold high standards in food preparation -- always and now, during this COVID-19 pandemic. Meals for the frontline workers will be individually packaged.

3. Support: These collective efforts will show those on the frontline – hospital and health care workers, emergency responders or staff keeping store shelves stocked -- that they are appreciated for the hard work.

To donate meals to Metro Detroit-area hospitals through Food4Frontline, you can start the process here.

WDIV would like to give a special thank you to the food partners: Andiamo, Tubby’s, Antonio’s, Big Boy, Roman Village, Zingerman’s Deli, Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Miss Kim, Mario’s Italian, Slows and Detroit Bold Coffee Co.

WDIV named ‘Station of the Year’ by Michigan Association of Broadcasters for 6th year straight

WDIV-TV Local 4, a Graham Media Group station, is honored to be recognized as Station of the Year for the sixth year in a row. The station won for broadcasting excellence in 14 categories from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters -- 11 best and 13 merit awards for Market 1.

“We all do this work because we love it and we think it’s important,” Vice-President and General Manager Marla Drutz said. “It’s the people in our communities that help us strive to provide the best information possible because we know they rely on us for that. And getting recognition for what we do is always gratifying.”

First Place/Best In Category

• Breaking News: Devastating Floods
• Community Involvement: THAW, Mental Health Day, Blood Drives, Weather Radios, Help Me Hank Shutdown Survival Guide
• Investigative Story: “Trashing the City” – Local 4 Defenders (Karen Drew) ride along as Detroit Police arrest illegal dumping suspects
• Newscast: Local 4 News at 6 p.m.
• News Anchor: Kimberly Gill
• News Special: “Child Killer”
• News Reporter: Shawn Ley
• Special Interest Programming: Live in the D – “Out on the Town”
• Marketing Materials & Promos: Local 4Casters App
• Use of New Media: “Child Killer”
• Sports: Steve Yzerman Returns Home

Merit Awards

• Breaking News: Seniors Escape Raging Fire
• Investigative Story: “Charging the City”
• Newscast: Local 4 News at 11 p.m.
• News Anchor: Devin Scillian
• New Special – “Hoffa”
• Weathercast: Ice Forecast
• News Reporter: Nick Monacelli
• Photojournalist: Alex Atwell
• Mini-Documentary or Series: “Guard Rail Danger”
• Marketing Materials & Promos: Local 4 Moments
• Special Interest Programming: “All 4 Pets”
• Use of New Media: “Hoffa”
• Sports: One-On-One with Ice Cube

The Broadcast Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievement in broadcasting by Michigan radio and television stations each year. The awards were announced at the MAB’s annual Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference in Lansing.

Click or tap here to view links to each story, project or anchor and reporter.

WDIV-Local 4 wins 2 prestigious 2019 Regional Murrow Awards

WDIV-Local 4 is honored to receive two coveted Regional Murrow Awards for Excellence in Social Media and Excellence in Sound.

Regional winners were announced Tuesday by the Radio Television Digital News Association.

“The social media Murrow win is especially gratifying. It reinforces that we are leading the way in multi-platform content distribution. This newer medium is the wave of the future and Local 4 is leading the charge,” Local 4 news director Kim Voet said. “Winning the Murrow for sound three years in a row shows our photographers’ commitment to being the best storytellers possible.”

“Our amazing news team puts out this effort on a daily basis, so it’s very rewarding to be recognized with this prestigious award that celebrates the best in our industry,” Vice-President and General Manager Marla Drutz said.

Station awards:

Excellence in Social Media

Social media manager Ken Haddad’s strategy is a multi-platform approach to covering the big stories of the day, and frequently, the station’s posts land at the top of the social media charts compared to those from across the country. Highlights include: coverage of Aretha Franklin’s passing, the meteor in Michigan, 2018 election coverage, the digital Jason Carr Live show, the Boblo Boat fire and the Central Michigan University lockdown.

Excellence in Sound: Criss Cross Crash

Video Journalists Alex Atwell and Hans Ihlenfeldt enhance the viewers' experience of this story using multiple cameras, multiple microphones and sounds of the crowd’s reaction to car and school bus racing in Flat Rock, Michigan. This is the third year in a row the station has won this award.

WDIV-Local 4 is the only large-market TV station in Michigan to win in our region. Both entries will now go head-to-head with the other regional winners for the National Murrow Award.

The RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow's pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name.

This honor comes at the heels of WDIV-Local 4 winning the MAB Station of the Year award for the fifth year in a row.

Graham Media Group, WDIV-Local 4 announces new season of 'Shattered' podcast

Graham Media Group and WDIV-Local 4 (Detroit) have announced the new, eight-episode season of “Shattered,” an original true-crime podcast series.

Season 3, hosted by Jeremy Allen, takes listeners through the heartbreaking and riveting story of Michigan’s Oakland County Child Killer case that remains unsolved 40 years later.

Between February 1976 and March 1977, four children were abducted and murdered with their bodies left in various locations within or just outside Oakland County, Michigan. The ensuing murder investigation was the largest of its kind in U.S. history at the time.

“WDIV-Local 4 has covered this case since 12-year-old Mark Stebbins first went missing in February of 1976,” Allen says. “When we opened our archives, there was raw footage of our original reporting, with interviews of the parents and key people in the investigation. We’re telling this story because we hope someone has information that can finally solve these cases.”

A five-part docuseries called “Child Killer” is also available to stream on ClickOnDetroit.com and the WDIV-Local 4 app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and most smart TVs.

“These murders put Oakland County and the whole metro Detroit region on high alert in the late 1970s and early 1980s," says Marla Drutz, WDIV’s vice president and general manager. "It was a defining moment for a whole generation of children who grew up with great fear of stranger danger. We hope that reopening the vault of video and investigating every angle will help investigators solve these cases.”

From a suspected cover-up by a local millionaire to a father’s undying love, ”Shattered: Child Killer” spotlights relatives of the murdered children, investigators who worked the case, and the journalists who covered, and are still covering, the story. In the search for truth and justice, egos and confusion take over in a seemingly endless pursuit for answers.

”Shattered: Child Killer” premieres on March 19, 2019. The eight-episode season will release a new episode every Tuesday. The entire series will be available for free on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast listening platform.

The first two seasons of “Shattered” have garnered 2.1 million downloads. Season 1 investigates the 2010 disappearance of three brothers in Morenci, Michigan. Their father said he gave the brothers to an underground organization. Seven years later, the boys’ whereabouts is not known. Season 2 takes listeners through the life of Richard Wershe Jr., also known as “White Boy Rick,” the youngest ever FBI informant turned drug dealer.

For more information, visit shatteredpodcast.com.

For all press inquiries, email Donna Harper at donnah@wdiv.com.

About WDIV-Local 4

Local 4 News is currently the No. 1 newscast at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. in Nielsen ratings for the Detroit television market, and is honored to be named Station of the Year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for the fifth year in a row. WDIV is the No. 1 NBC affiliate in the top 20 LPM markets. In addition, Local 4's ClickOnDetroit.com is a top breaking news and weather website in Michigan, as well as the No. 1 news website in Metro Detroit.

About Graham Media Group

Graham Media Group, a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC), owns seven local television stations - each in a top-70 market and all recognized as news leaders: KPRC–Houston, WDIV–Detroit and WSLS–Roanoke (NBC); KSAT–San Antonio (ABC); WKMG–Orlando(CBS); WJXT–Jacksonville (fully local), and WCWJ–Jacksonville (CW), as well as Social News Desk, a leading provider of social media management tools designed to connect newsrooms with their users.

The stations also broadcast digital channels that focus on classic television and lifestyle programming, in addition to operating market-leading websites, mobile sites and mobile apps delivering breaking news, weather and community news, reaching millions of users across each platform. All are deeply involved in local initiatives and public service projects designed to serve, inform and improve their respective communities.

WDIV-Local 4 named station of the year by MAB for 5th year in a row

WDIV-TV Local 4, a Graham Media Group station, is honored to be recognized as station of the year for the fifth year in a row. The station won for broadcasting excellence in 14 categories from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters: 14 best and 11 merit awards for Market 1.

“It’s all about teamwork, and this reflects a station-wide effort to make sure our viewers get the best news and information possible,” said general manager and Vice President Manager Marla Drutz. “To win five years in a row tells us we’re on the right track, and we are all so grateful to be recognized with this prestigious award.”

First place/best In category:

• Breaking news: (Larry Nassar: Judgment Day)
• Community involvement: Your Soapbox; It’s OK Not To Be OK; Giving the Gift of Warmth
• Investigative story: Help Me Hank investigation “Who Need a Dentist?” sparks state investigation into Detroit basement braces operation
• Newscast: “Simon Steps Down”
• News anchor: Devin Scillian
• News special: “Black Friday”
• News reporter: Nick Monacelli
• Mini-documentary or series: “Defenders: Threats Among Us”
• Special interest programming: Generation Under Fire
• Marketing materials and promos: “Moments” campaign
• Use of new media: “Shattered: Black Friday”
• Sports: Bernie Smilovitz with Ice Cube

Merit awards:

• Breaking news: Murderer Manhunt at CMU
• Investigative story: “Defenders: Threats Among Us”
• Newscast: Honoring the Life of Aretha Franklin
• New anchor: Sandra Ali
• New special – “Korea Rising”
• Weathercast: Severe Weather Alert: Tornado Touches Down
• News reporter: Koco McAboy
• Photojournalist: Alex Atwell
• Mini-documentary or series: “Black Friday: Morenci Boys and Skelton Case”
• Special interest programming: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
• Use of new media: Mixed Reality

MAB’s Broadcast Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievements in broadcasting by Michigan radio and television stations each year.

WDIV-Local 4 to premiere 'Child Killer' primetime special, plus 5-part digital docuseries on Feb. 13

WDIV-Local 4 (NBC, Detroit) is set to premiere a primetime special: “Child Killer” -- and a five-part digital docuseries of the same name -- that follows the heartbreaking and riveting true-crime story about Michigan’s Oakland County Child Killer case that is still unsolved 40 years later.

Both the “Child Killer” special and the digital docuseries chronicle the story from its very beginning when the first boy’s body was found and features never seen before video and interviews from the crime scenes.

From a suspected cover-up by a local millionaire to a father’s undying love, “Child Killer” also spotlights relatives of the murdered children, investigators who worked the case and the journalists who covered, and are still covering, the story. In the search for truth and justice, egos and confusion take over in a seemingly endless pursuit for answers.

WDIV-Local 4, a Graham Media Group station, has been working on this case since 1976, when 12-year-old Mark Stebbins of Ferndale was found dead, fully clothed in the outfit he was wearing when he was last seen alive.

During a 13-month period, four children -- two boys and two girls -- were abducted and murdered with their bodies left uncovered in the snow. The boys' bodies showed evidence of sexual assault. Their deaths triggered a murder investigation, which, at the time, was the largest in U.S. history.

“These murders put Oakland County and the whole region on high alert in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was a defining moment for a whole generation of children who grew up with great fear of stranger danger,” said Marla Drutz, WDIV’s vice president and general manager. “We hope that reopening the vault of video and investigating every angle will help investigators solve these cases.”

Local 4 producers combed through hours and hours of raw station footage from 40 years ago through current times.

ClickOnDetroit.com is set to premiere the five-part digital docuseries "Child Killer” on February 13 at 11 p.m., following the primetime special at 10 p.m. on WDIV-Local 4, which will also streamed on ClickOnDetroit.com., as well as via the station’s app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and most smart TVs.

“Local TV stations are uniquely positioned to tell these stories, because we cover them until they are solved. We have reels and reels of footage, relationships with the community and a true desire to see justice,” Drutz said.

“Child Killer” is the latest project in WDIV-Local 4’s slate of original programming for a multi-platform audience. Both the special and docuseries are produced by Jeremy Allen and executive produced by Ro Coppola. To complement the special and docuseries, the third season of the “Shattered” podcast, also focusing on the Oakland County Child Killer, will debut in March.

Season one of “Shattered” followed the open case of three missing brothers from Morenci, Michigan, and season two covered the notorious case of White Boy Rick. Combined seasons of “Shattered” have garnered more than 1.7 million downloads.

For more information, click here.

WDIV-Local 4’s specials double the North American International Auto Show excitement

Photo taken Jan. 15, 2019, by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

DETROIT – Technology is taking center stage at the North American International Auto Show and WDIV-Local 4/ClickOnDetroit is covering the show from all angles. Viewers will get a trip to the show floor with two specials -- “Dateline Detroit: All About Autos,” airing Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and “Charity Preview” airing Friday at 7 p.m.

Local 4 News anchors Devin Scillian and Kimberly Gill host “Dateline Detroit: All About Autos,” from Cobo Center covering auto reveals, the latest breaking auto news and more.

“All About Autos” highlights:

· The significance of this marking the last of the January auto shows

· Autonomous vehicles and the moral ethics of artificial intelligence

· Will your compass also act as a moral compass?

· Driving in a “hangover” suit with Ford Motor Company -- and why it’s sometimes just as dangerous as driving drunk

“Charity Preview” takes viewers live to one the most exclusive and high-profile events in the nation.

Scillian and Gill host this one-hour special, along with Rhonda Walker, Evrod Cassimy, Ben Bailey, Jon Jordan and Kim DeGiulio. The special showcases concept cars of the future, the latest reveals and high-fashion glamour at this black-tie affair, benefiting a wide range of children’s charities. Local 4 talks one-on-one to the local and international auto industry leaders who make this world-class event happen.

The Official App of the North American International Auto Show, powered by Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit, is the navigation link to it all. The NAIAS app is a must-have tool for car enthusiasts heading to the Auto Show. Users have the information they need right at their fingertips -- and it’s free to download on Apple or Android devices by searching “WDIV Auto Show” at the app stores.

The app provides:

· Map of the Auto Show floor at Cobo Center

· Livestream video of vehicle unveilings on your phone

· Official news updates from ClickOnDetroit and the NAIAS

· Information about the show, ticket sales and more

The Official NAIAS app is presented by the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, WDIV-TV Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit.com and is sponsored by Oakland University.

ClickOnDetroit.com sets record for unique visitors to website

Jason Carr anchors for Local 4.

WDIV-Local 4 had more viewers than any other Metro Detroit TV station on Election Day. Starting in the morning and going throughout the night (6 a.m. on Nov. 6 to 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 7) the station averaged 100,000 people (adults ages 18 and older), and peaked as high as 200,000 (in the same demographic) during the evening coverage.

WDIV-Local 4’s website, ClickOnDetroit.com, set a record with the highest number of unique visitors for the year, with nearly 1.1 million users.

More than 800,000 Facebook users engaged with Local 4’s election videos and stories, and nearly 50,000 people viewed WDIV’s livestream coverage online.

“The number of people looking for election information on all of our platforms, whether it was watching it on TV, online or through social media was phenomenal,” said Marla Drutz, Local 4’s vice president and general manager. “The night was a culmination of two things -- our commitment to encouraging voter participation prior to the elections and on being a station that provides news on any device people want.”

“It’s a massive effort, and everyone’s dedication is what makes it all come together,” news director Kim Voet said. “From our reporters out on the streets to our newsroom team compiling results throughout the night, this is the good, honest journalism that our community craves.”

Added digital executive producer Dustin Block, “Months of planning led to a record night on ClickOnDetroit. Every department at WDIV and our Graham Media Group digital team came together to deliver accurate, timely results.”

ClickOnDetroit.com is also the No. 1 TV website in Metro Detroit, according to the most recent comScore delivery (September 2018).

Mara MacDonald reports for Local 4.

WDIV-Local 4/ClickOnDetroit to host Gubernatorial Debate between Bill Schuette, Gretchen Whitmer

WDIV-Local 4 will host “Decision 2018: Gubernatorial Debate” between candidates Bill Schuette and Gretchen Whitmer at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24.

Devin Scillian and Kimberly Gill will moderate the hour-long debate at the WDIV-Local 4 studios in downtown Detroit. Questions will be determined by the moderators and include opening and closing statements.

The live event will air on WDIV-Local 4 and stream live on ClickOnDetroit.com.

The debate is expected to be simulcast in most parts of the state on other television stations.

ClickOnDetroit Wins Big in 2017 Top News Website in Metro Detroit

ClickOnDetroit.com is Metro Detroit's No. 1 news website for 2017 according to the comScore data (2017 average). The website beat out all other newspaper and television websites in the DMA.
 
"2017 was a huge year for ClickOnDetroit. We had a goal to not just be Detroit's top TV website but to be top choice for news and information for our local community and beyond," said Local 4 Vice President and General Manager Marla Drutz. "We did it."

The station took an ambitious and pragmatic approach to create opportunities for growth and to make WDIV more interactive with digital users.  

"ClickOnDetroit's success literally starts every day with managing editor Dave Bartkowiak and social media producer Ken Haddad planning for and executing breaking news coverage," said Digital Executive Producer Dustin Block. "They work with the WDIV newsroom to expand coverage and take stories and ideas in new directions to engage and inform our audience. They've turned ClickOnDetroit into an indispensable source for local news in Metro Detroit."

ClickOnDetroit 2017 highlights include:

*    Owning huge multi-day stories like the October 2017 power outage and leading the coverage of White Boy Rick, the teen drug dealer paroled after 30 years in prison.
*    Increased engagement with "Vote 4 the Best," a local user-voted competition that encompasses 173 categories, involves 2,500 local businesses and generated participation through more than 480,000 votes.  
*    Big, live events like "The Ford Fireworks" and "America's Thanksgiving Parade" garnered online viewers from more than 100 countries. Online viewership was up significantly for both shows from the prior year.
*    Multiplatform engagement stories like "Ignore the Snore" dovetailed off of broadcast segments and connected users who have snoring problems with specialists to help.  "Opioid Nation" tackled the issue of the opioid crisis with a help hotline for addicts.
*    Increase in original digital programming with daily shows like "Jason Carr Live" and "Midday Live." Specials and interactive features: Defenders investigative journalism shows; "LITD Extra" Live in the D viewer input segments; live weather updates; Help Me Hank consumer specials; missing children webcasts; and "Car Cast" continuous online weather and traffic updates during severe weather.
*    Through a commitment to community and engagement via "4 Frenzy," more than 60 schools are involved, generating onsite tailgating events, thousands of votes, newsletter signups, student liaison partnerships with the Local 4 and other points of engagement.

ClickOnDetroit, a Graham Media Group website, with 871,439 unique visitors beat its nearest TV and newspaper competition (Freep.com/853,164), (MLive.com/833,456), (WXYZ.com/643,906), (DetNews.com/522,430) on average during 2017. The site continues to increase its share of unique visitors on mobile platforms, desktop and the ClickOnDetroit app.

Local 4's ClickOnDetroit app is an important part of the station's digital commitment, sending push alerts that notify users when breaking news is happening in their communities.

WDIV-TV Receives NAB’s Service to America Award

WDIV-Local 4 has been honored, above all local broadcast stations in the country, with the National Association of Broadcasters Service to America Award.  The prestigious award presented by the NAB Education Foundation acclaims WDIV's ongoing commitment to outstanding community service.  

The NAB Service to America Award recognizes the efforts of the entire station as a leader in serving the public with significant contributions from every department.  
Hallmarks of this station-wide commitment:

*    Year-long coverage of the Flint Water Crisis which included an unwavering news focus, a primetime special and travel to Washington, D.C. to cover developments on Capitol Hill. Using the power of local television and the support of a strong and caring community, the station organized the Flint Water Crisis 4 Our Families statewide telethon and raised $1.13 million.
*    Help Me Hank: The School Project is a commitment to improve the physical environment of Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School in Detroit.  The station's consumer unit, Help Me Hank, partnered with the Detroit Public School Community District to identify a school that was in crucial need of building renovations.
*    Arab in America with Sandra Ali is a series of news reports showcasing the personal stories of Arab Americans in Metro Detroit.  
*    True Blue is a series of stories dedicated to showing life as a police officer and putting a face with the badge. The Local 4 Defenders are trying to bridge the gap between police and the community to stop future violence.
*    Support of The Heat and Warmth Fund, Komen's Race for the Cure, Red Cross, JDRF, Bookstock and other community organizations.
*    Strong locally produced long and short-form programming that showcases the heart of our community. Highlights include the North American International Auto Show, America's Thanksgiving Parade, Live in the D, The Ford Fireworks, Flashpoint and the Local 4 Film Challenge.

"This award reflects the hard work and contribution of every single member of our WDIV/ClickOn Detroit team.  I couldn't be more happy and proud of what we do here at this station," said Vice-President and General Manager Marla Drutz.

In the NABEF's press release announcing the award recipients it was stated, "Through news coverage, philanthropy, and community service, WDIV puts the needs of viewers first."

More Info