WZZM-13 President GM Janet Mason Honored by Michigan National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

 WZZM-13 president and general manager was honored in Detroit last evening for her accomplishments in Television Broadcasting. Huge congratulations to Janet Mason. She was one of six Michigan broadcasters inducted into the prestigious Silver & Gold Circle of the Michigan Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

When Mason came to Michigan in 1997, she became one of the first (if not the first) Asian-American television station general managers in the United States and the first woman television station general manager in West Michigan.

Her television career began in 1975 at WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa, where she worked as a part-time reporter, photographer, editor and vacation relief weathercaster while in college at Iowa State University.

After graduating, she worked at WSAU-TV in Wausau, Wis., before moving to KARE-TV in Minneapolis. At KARE, she was a reporter and fill-in anchor to bureau chief and managing editor, before rising to news director and vice president/news.

She was the first woman news director for Gannett, which owns WZZM, USA Today, The Detroit Free Press, The Lansing State Journal, The Battle Creek Enquirer and many other media brands.

She spent a year as Gannett's broadcasting vice president/news executive before arriving in Grand Rapids to oversee WZZM 13, the Gannett-owned ABC affiliate.

Silver and Gold Circle members are honored for their enduring contributions to the vitality of the television industry and for achievement-setting standards.

Personal thoughts: Janet Mason has done an outstanding job at WZZM 13, and in our community. She is a true treasure in West Michigan, and a good friend.