Monday, Dec. 4: IN PERSON:  Veteran broadcaster Mike Royer.  Many of you know Mike, and have watched him for years.  He was born in Indiana, served in the Indiana and Tennessee National Guards, and received a B.A. with a dual major in history and psychology at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga.  He began his broadcasting career in Terre Haute, Indiana where he was honored as the Indiana Broadcaster of the Year in 1978.  A year later he moved to Birmingham to work alongside Tom York and Pat Gray under general manager Nick Bolton at WBRC 6—“Your Clear Picture Channel.” He was soon joined by legendary newsman Joe Langston. Mike was five-time winner of the AP Best Weathercaster in Alabama.  In 1990 he was hired away by WVTM general manager Jeff Rosser (and was replaced at Channel 6 by James  Spann). Mike worked with program director Everett Holle to create the Top O’ The Morning Show on Channel 13.  After 2 ½ years Mike was given the anchor’s desk for the evening news.  He produced a continuing series “Spirit of Alabama” with special reports highlighting individuals, special places, events and traditions across the state.  He won two regional Emmy Award and the Edward R. Murrow Award for Broadcast Excellence.  Mike has worked as a motivational speaker and a master of ceremonies at numerous events, and provided play-by-play coverage for Samford Bulldogs baseball and basketball games from 1999-2001.  Active in his community, he was a founding board member of Camp Smile-A-Mile and has served on the boards of the Birmingham Chapter of the American Cancer Society and the AIDB Foundation supporting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.  Until his retirement his summer, Mike spent the past seven years as Managing Editor at WVUA 23 at The University of Alabama, where he taught, mentored, and trained Alabama’s next generation of journalists.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Jeff Lyons.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Admin Jeff.