Osborne Named Director of Community Affairs at WJR

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, October 6, 2025 | 1:42pm CT

Marie Osborne

Cumulus Media elevates veteran broadcast journalist Marie Osborne to the newly created position of Director of Community Affairs & News for News/Talk WJR-AM in Detroit. Osborne steps up from her previous role as Senior News Analyst at the station.

A Detroit native and graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy, Osborne has built an esteemed 40-year broadcasting career, including two decades with WJR. Her work has earned her multiple national honors, including three Edward R. Murrow Awards, a Headliner Award, and the Neal Shine Award for Media Commitment to Philanthropy. She is also a three-time recipient of the Women in Communications Award, along with numerous accolades from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and the Associated Press.

Osborne's extensive career has included reporting assignments across the U.S., Europe, and China, with her work featured on ABC, CBS, Fox News, News of the World, and the BBC. In 2018, she and her family created the John T. Osborne Plaid Pig Culinary Scholarship at Schoolcraft College in memory of her late son.

"Marie Osborne is one of Michigan's most respected broadcasters," said Steve Finateri, Regional Vice President and Market Manager for Cumulus Detroit-Ann Arbor. "Her high standards for broadcasting integrity have earned her this important role with WJR."

Ann Thomas, Program Director at WJR, added, "Marie has a deep commitment to journalism and community engagement. She brings a powerful voice and a wealth of experience to this vital role."

Reflecting on her promotion, Osborne said, "Being able to help our listeners process all that is unfolding in this impactful moment in history is a privilege -- and being able to do it at WJR is an honor. The commitment to community and news here runs deep, and I'm looking forward to carrying on this vital tradition in my new role."