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Mike Stone (radio personality)
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Stone, is an on-air host for 97.1 The Ticket WXYT-FM. He is the former host of the Stoney and Wojo radio show on WDFN
in Detroit, Michigan
until it was canceled on January 20, 2009. He was a blogger and chat host on mlive.com until signing with 97.1 in December 2009. Stone also appears weekly on WXYZ-TV
's Sunday night sports newscast to offer his editorial opinion on the latest sports issues.
Stone began his sports journalism career as a television producer for The George Michael Sports Machine
in Washington, D.C.
. He attended American University
and worked at WRC-TV
for George Michael
after graduating. He came to Detroit to work as the sports producer for WDIV-TV
. He was an original on-air personality of WDFN when it changed its format to all sports on July 11, 1994. He first worked with Detroit News reporter Rob Parker
. Beginning in the late 1990s, he partnered with Detroit News columnist
Bob Wojnowski
. Prior to joining WXYT-FM, Stone worked with Detroit Free Press
columnist Mitch Albom
on The Sunday Sports Albom, Albom's sports talk radio show which at that time was being broadcast on WLLZ, a now defunct Detroit FM rock station. Personally, Stone is Jewish and married to Cindi, an occupational therapist
, and has twin daughters. They live in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He is a dedicated Bruce Springsteen
fan.
The Stoney and Wojo show was a three hour radio broadcast
that included listener call-in segments, regular guests, and current affairs
talk slanted towards the Detroit and Michigan
sports fan. The tone of Stoney and Wojo was light-hearted, with Stone playing straight man to Wojo's more clownish comments. The heart of the show was sports and the breaking news of the Detroit sports market was paramount. Included were interviews, where the professional journalism strengths of both Stone and Wojnowski come to the fore. Occasionally, political news was featured: Governor Jennifer Granholm
appeared several times, for example.
Stone had a distinctive, entertaining and knowledgeable on-air presence that came to represent WDFN and the Detroit sports market. He often appeared on national media outlets to discuss Detroit sports events, such as the Pacers–Pistons brawl. He had been a guest several times on the nationally syndicated Jim Rome Show. Additionally, on July 13, 2007 Stoney and Wojo filled in as hosts for Rome
's show.
Stoney and Wojo conducted an annual 28 hour radiothon in support of research for a cure of leukemia
and lymphoma
. The event was started when Sabrina Black, WDFN update reporter, was diagnosed with lymphoma, and continued after her long battle with the disease lead to her passing in 2006. It was typically held in a Metro Detroit
restaurant and includes many regular guest appearances including Tony Dungy
and Joe Dumars
, among many others.
In August 2009, rumors of a revived WDFN
live local sports talk line up surfaced; however, in September Stoney and Wojo's time slot was filled by Matt Shepard and Drew Sharp.
In January 2010 he was listed as a possible replacement to Jay Towers on the 97.1 The Ticket Morning show.
WDFN
WDFN is a sports-talk radio station in the Detroit, Michigan, market. It broadcasts in the AM radio band at 1130 kHz. WDFN is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and until the end of the 2008-09 NBA season, was the flagship station for the Detroit Pistons....
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
until it was canceled on January 20, 2009. He was a blogger and chat host on mlive.com until signing with 97.1 in December 2009. Stone also appears weekly on WXYZ-TV
WXYZ-TV
WXYZ-TV, channel 7, is an ABC-affiliated television station in Detroit, Michigan, USA. WXYZ-TV is owned by the E.W. Scripps Company, and is the media company's largest-market TV station property...
's Sunday night sports newscast to offer his editorial opinion on the latest sports issues.
Stone began his sports journalism career as a television producer for The George Michael Sports Machine
The George Michael Sports Machine
The George Michael Sports Machine is a syndicated, sports-related television program which aired from 1984 until 2007. The show was hosted by George Michael, a former radio disc jockey-turned television sports anchor, and was produced at WRC-TV, the NBC-owned station in Washington,...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He attended American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
and worked at WRC-TV
WRC-TV
WRC-TV, channel 4, is an owned and operated television station of the NBC television network, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
for George Michael
George Michael (sportscaster)
George Michael was an American sportscaster best known nationally for The George Michael Sports Machine, his long-running sports highlights television program. Originally named George Michael's Sports Final when it began as a local show in Washington, D.C...
after graduating. He came to Detroit to work as the sports producer for WDIV-TV
WDIV-TV
WDIV-TV, virtual channel 4, is an NBC-affiliated television station based in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is owned by Post-Newsweek Stations and is the flagship station and home base of the group with the offices of the group located alongside WDIV's studios; the "Local" branding now...
. He was an original on-air personality of WDFN when it changed its format to all sports on July 11, 1994. He first worked with Detroit News reporter Rob Parker
Rob Parker (sports journalist)
Rob Parker is an American sports columnist for ESPNNewYork.com and ClickOnDetroit.com. Parker is also a regular on ESPN's First Take, where he debates Skip Bayless on the 1st and 10 segment...
. Beginning in the late 1990s, he partnered with Detroit News columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
Bob Wojnowski
Bob Wojnowski
Bob "Wojo" Wojnowski is an American reporter and columnist for the Detroit News and former co-host of the Stoney and Wojo radio show on WDFN in Detroit, Michigan...
. Prior to joining WXYT-FM, Stone worked with Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
columnist Mitch Albom
Mitch Albom
Mitchell David "Mitch" Albom is an American best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, dramatist, radio and television broadcaster and musician. His books have sold over 30 million copies worldwide...
on The Sunday Sports Albom, Albom's sports talk radio show which at that time was being broadcast on WLLZ, a now defunct Detroit FM rock station. Personally, Stone is Jewish and married to Cindi, an occupational therapist
Occupational therapist
An occupational therapist is trained in the practice of occupational therapy. The role of an occupational therapist is to work with a client to help them achieve a fulfilled and satisfied state in life through the use of "purposeful activity or interventions designed to achieve functional...
, and has twin daughters. They live in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He is a dedicated Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
fan.
The Stoney and Wojo show
Broadcast
Broadcast or Broadcasting may refer to:* Broadcasting, the transmission of audio and video signals* Broadcast, an individual television program or radio program* Broadcast , an English electronic music band...
that included listener call-in segments, regular guests, and current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
talk slanted towards the Detroit and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
sports fan. The tone of Stoney and Wojo was light-hearted, with Stone playing straight man to Wojo's more clownish comments. The heart of the show was sports and the breaking news of the Detroit sports market was paramount. Included were interviews, where the professional journalism strengths of both Stone and Wojnowski come to the fore. Occasionally, political news was featured: Governor Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm is a Canadian-born American politician, educator, and author who served as Attorney General and 47th Governor of the U.S. state of Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor...
appeared several times, for example.
Stone had a distinctive, entertaining and knowledgeable on-air presence that came to represent WDFN and the Detroit sports market. He often appeared on national media outlets to discuss Detroit sports events, such as the Pacers–Pistons brawl. He had been a guest several times on the nationally syndicated Jim Rome Show. Additionally, on July 13, 2007 Stoney and Wojo filled in as hosts for Rome
Jim Rome
Jim Rome is an American sports radio talk show host syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications....
's show.
Stoney and Wojo conducted an annual 28 hour radiothon in support of research for a cure of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
and lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
. The event was started when Sabrina Black, WDFN update reporter, was diagnosed with lymphoma, and continued after her long battle with the disease lead to her passing in 2006. It was typically held in a Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
restaurant and includes many regular guest appearances including Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
and Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars III , nicknamed Joe D, is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, and currently the Detroit Pistons' President of Basketball Operations....
, among many others.
In August 2009, rumors of a revived WDFN
WDFN
WDFN is a sports-talk radio station in the Detroit, Michigan, market. It broadcasts in the AM radio band at 1130 kHz. WDFN is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and until the end of the 2008-09 NBA season, was the flagship station for the Detroit Pistons....
live local sports talk line up surfaced; however, in September Stoney and Wojo's time slot was filled by Matt Shepard and Drew Sharp.
In January 2010 he was listed as a possible replacement to Jay Towers on the 97.1 The Ticket Morning show.
External links
- Sabrina Black Fund for research in Leukemia and Lymphoma.