Issue #211 |  September 4, 2020  |  View online
Highlights In This Issue:
More news below!

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
NAB Tells Congress Competitive Power of Technology Platforms Threatens Future of Local Journalism
The dominant marketplace power of a handful of digital technology platforms puts local broadcast radio and television stations at a competitive disadvantage for advertising revenue and impedes broadcasters' ability to effectively monetize their own content online, said National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) President and CEO Gordon Smith in a filing submitted to the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law. Read More

Oregon Congressman Looks to Resurrect FCC Incubator Program, Includes TV in Bill to Grow Ownership Diversity
A federal appeals court stuck down an FCC radio incubator program before it even began last year. That effort has found new hope in Congress, where U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) has introduced a bill that would not only revive an incubator for radio but include television too. Read More

FCC Releases Order on Regulatory Fees - No Widespread Waivers of Fees But Some Deferred Payments Possible - Payment Dates Coming Soon the Choice
By: David Oxenford,
Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP

The FCC's order on this year's annual regulatory fees was released by the FCC this week.  The FCC rejected calls to forgive broadcast regulatory fees because of the economic fallout of the pandemic, noting that only Congress could pass such relief, as the FCC is required by law to collect fees sufficient to cover the costs of its operations. Read More

ENGINEERING & EAS
ABIP Inspector Will Travel Through Thumb, Northern Lower Michigan in September
The MAB has limited openings still available in our 2020  Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program, (ABIP) season. Our inspector will travel through Bay City, the Thumb Area, Ludington, Traverse City, Cadillac, Petoskey, Alpena, Chalevoix and Harrisville from September 14 to 21. Read More



IN THE NEWS
MHSAA Council Reinstates 2020 Football Season; Full Fall Competition Schedule Authorized
The Fall 2020 football season was reinstated Thursday (9/3) by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) after Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Executive Order 176 lifted restrictions that previously did not allow the sport to be played. Read More

Contact Your High School AD, Coaches NOW!
Following up on last week's MAB Newsletter article about high school sports. I want to urge you and your sports director to contact your high school AD, coaches, etc. to firm up your relationships and discuss any plans you have for your station to carry sporting events live on the air. Read More
Terri DeBoer Celebrates 25 years at WOOD-TV
Storm Team 8 meteorologist and eightWest co-host Terri DeBoer celebrated 25 years at WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids) this past Tuesday (9/1). DeBoer started at the station in 1995 as a co-anchor on Daybreak with Rick Albin. Read More

JT Tarrants Named Director of Content at Townsquare in Kalamazoo
Townsquare Media has announced the appointment of Jerry 'JT' Tarrants as Director of Content for its Kalamazoo cluster, following the retirement of Mike McKelly in August. McKelly joined the cluster's WRKR-FM in 2002 and was later promoted to Operations Manager. Read More

WRSR Celebrates 20 Years of Rockin' Flint!
Krol Communication's 103.9 The Fox, WRSR-FM (Owosso/Flint, is celebrating 20 years of playing classic rock in the Flint market.  As current Program Director Jeremy Fenech tells it, then-Cumulus-owned station, under the local direction and leadership of Flint radio legend Jeff Wade, made the switch at noon on September 14, 2000. Read More

WCMU Public Media hosts Back-to-School Virtual Conversation
On September 2, WCMU Public Media (Mt. Pleasant) hosted a "virtual conversation" on Zoom, offering insight on how local Michigan communities are approaching both online and in-person learning while keeping their communities safe. Read More

Study Finds Commercials Airing After Political Ads Helps Sell Nonpolitical Products
According to new research from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, companies that run ads immediately after political TV commercials should not worry about the spillover of political opinion tainting their messages. Read More

Nice Hardware!
This past week, Alpha Media's WSGW (Saginaw) received a package with two awards recently won. The 2020 NAB Leadership Foundation Service to America Award (left), which was announced August 22. Also in package was the NAB Crystal Radio Award (right), which the station was honored with back in May.
MAB FOUNDATION 


2021 Student Awards Contest
Opens September 14


The MAB Foundation is pleased to present the
2021 Michigan Student Broadcast Awards
You can review the category list below, and read
full category descriptions and the complete list of rules at



Looking for Sales Professionals?

The MAB Foundation Board of Directors approved a new partnership with Central Michigan University's School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts for the Fall 2020 semester.
The partnership will focus on developing mentoring relationships between students with an Electronic Media Sales Minor and broadcast industry professionals. 
Contact Rachel Krause for more information.

TRAINING & EDUCATION
Webinars are FREE to MAB members and all are archived for later viewing. Questions? Contact Jayne Hodak at 1-800-YOUR-MAB.
How to Give Your National
Superstars Home Court Advantage
with Kipper McGee, Media Brandwith Strategies

Thursday, September 17, 2020 | 1:00 p.m.

Are any of YOUR stations running syndicate programming? Whether a weekend countdown, or a weekday mainstay, ALL formats are airing more network programming. That leaves two options. SMART or NOT. Veteran broadcast exec Kipper McGee unveils how he took WDBO/Orlando to its first #1 book in decades, and kept WLS/Chicago Top 5 by integrating network programming to be part of the local 'team'. Learn HOW you can, too (with music, sports or talk formats) in this one-hour webinar! Register Now

Writing and Speaking for Broadcast
with Joe Little,KNSD-TV (San Diego)

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 11:00 a.m.

Writing and Speaking for Broadcast captures a lot of the writing and performance aspects. SO MANY reporters speak like police officers and use words lifted from a press release. Yet, broadcasting is supposed to be a conversation. It needs to be HUMAN. We shouldn't sound like we're reading a newspaper out loud, which is awful. Register Now

Digital Marketing: Assisting Your Clients as They Reopen in Today's Environment
with Greg Gibbons, LBS Digital Expert

Tuesday, September 8, 2020 | 12:00 p.m.

In this extraordinary session, managers and sellers will discover a practical and useful understanding of how to integrate digital into their station's selling culture. Why should we approach businesses with digital strategies during these stressful times? Why is a digital strategy necessary today? How can I keep a digital schedule from moving money away from my advertisers' broadcast budgets? What percent of an advertiser's budget should you recommend for digital marketing? How can my advertisers not get lost in all the political advertising activities? Plus, you'll see examples of successfully integrated broadcast and digital campaigns. Make your reservation today, and don't miss this one! Learn More and Register

Prospecting
Greg Gibbons, Digital Manager at Cumulus Media, discusses principles and tips on how to make the most of your prospecting time and offers some insight into how to use various tools that are available to you!


The MAB is excited to share that Local Broadcast Sales (LBS) is available free to members in 2020.
DIGITAL / SOCIAL / WEB
What is Google Analytics Telling You About the Impact of COVID-19 on Your Radio Station's Website?
By: Seth Resler,
Jacobs Media Strategies

Google Analytics is a powerful tool for measuring the performance of your radio station's digital strategy. I think of it as the Nielsen ratings of the digital realm. If you don't have Google Analytics installed on your radio station's website, here's a guide to using it. If you do have it installed, hopefully you have continued to review the metrics regularly even as our work routines have been disrupted. Read More

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CALENDAR
September 8
Free LBS Webinar: "Digital Marketing: Assisting Your Clients as They Reopen in Today's Environment" with Greg Gibbon (Learn More)

September 14

New C-Band Lump Sum Payment Deadline

September 17 | 1 pm.

Free MAB Webinar: "How to Give Your National Superstars Home Court Advantage" with Kipper McGee (Learn More)
CAREERS

Promotions Director
WILX-TV (Lansing)
Posted: September 4, 2020

Assignment Editor
WJRT-TV (Flint)
Posted: September 2, 2020

Executive Producer
WNEM-TV (Saginaw)
Posted: August 24, 2020

Share Your News!

We know your station is great. Now lets show all the other broadcasters across Michigan just how great you are. Send pictures, video and news releases about your station's accomplishments to be featured in the 
weekly MAB News Briefs


MAB FOUNDATION
The MAB Foundation's mission to encourage, support, and sponsor educational activities for students interested in broadcasting cannot be accomplished without supporters like you. The Foundation wouldn't exist without your continued support and interest in the mission. The Broadcasters must work together to sustain the future of this industry by encouraging the brightest, most creative and energetic students to choose broadcasting as a career. You can make a difference by MAKING A DONATION TODAY at MABFgive.com


THANK YOU 
Foundation Supporters

Kenneth Baynard
Dena Blair
Dan Boers
Julie Brinks
Kristin Burns

Scott Clow
Rob David
Detroit Radio 
Advertising Group
Marla Drutz
Susanne Elkins
Rebecca Falk
Bruce & Sue Goldsen
Colleen Grant
Tom Hahn
Wendy Hart
Bill Keith
Dan Kelley
Dick Kernen
Julie Koehn
Fred Jacobs
Paul Jacobs
Mark Libke
Jim Lutton
Pam Manor
Stephen A. Marks
Janet Mason
John E. Fetzer Memorial Trust
Christopher Meller
Dr. Peter Orlik
Robert F. Ottaway
David Oxenford
Lawrence Patrick
Jam Sardar
AnnMarie Scaramuzzino
Stephen Schram
Dirk Spillemaeckers
Jason Springer

Rick Sykes
Peter Tanz
Jacquelen Timm
Denise Weston
Karole White
Jon Whiting
Jennifer Williams
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Michigan Association of Broadcasters | 517-484-7444 | mab@michmab.com | MichMAB.com
820 N. Capitol Ave. | Lansing, MI 48906