KBA WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 24, 2022

NAB is asking radio stations to air spots opposing performance fee legislation as often as possible starting immediately and through the August Congressional recess, which ends September 6.

The record labels are aggressively pushing the so-called American Fairness Music Act (AMFA) – legislation that would funnel resources away from local radio stations and into their own pockets. We expect the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by longtime performance tax proponent Jerry Nadler (NY-10), to consider and most likely pass this bill out of committee in the coming weeks.

To stop the bill from going further than this committee, we are urging every station to join us in this campaign. NAB has also cultivated strong opposition to a performance tax in Congress: more than 230 members of Congress are cosponsoring the Local Radio Freedom Act – a bill that opposes a performance tax on local stations.

The :30 spots, available in English and Spanish, include a call to action for listeners to make their voice heard with Congress. NAB is also providing scripts, talking points and digital assets to help stations voice radio's opposition to the AMFA and its harmful impact on listeners.

Because this is an issue ad, the Federal Communications Commission requires your station to fill out a PB-19 form and place it in your station’s political file within 24 hours or one business day. Please make this a priority.

DOWNLOAD SPOTS & RESOURCES

Local radio stations need your help! Congress is considering legislation that would force radio to pay new fees simply for playing music. The foreign-owned, billion-dollar record labels are pushing this bill to get more money from radio stations, funneling resources out of your hometown and potentially putting your favorite stations out of business.

Don’t let radio go silent. Take action now to remind Congress you rely on your local stations to deliver the news, weather, traffic, emergency information and entertainment you need every day.

ACT NOW

KBA SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MAY 1ST

Applications are being accepted for both the KBA High School Senior Scholarship Fund and the Harry Barfield Scholarship thru May 1, 2022.

To learn more about KBA's scholarship opportunities and to submit an application, click the button below.

LEARN MORE

MIRANDA COMBS NAMED NEWS DIRECTOR AT ABC36 IN LEXINGTON

ABC 36 General Manager Chris Aldridge announced this week the hiring of a new leader of the news department for WTVQ ABC 36. Longtime TV journalist Miranda Combs will take the post.

“We’re looking at changing times in the landscape of television news. Miranda brings extensive experience in tv, government and private sector work that led us to this decision,” Aldridge said. “We are thrilled to have her caliber of journalism and friendships with people all over the state on our team.”

Combs comes to ABC 36 after helping to build a news operation at WDKY in Lexington from the ground up. She was assistant news director there.

Before that, Combs spent 18 months as communications director for the Kentucky Secretary of State.

For close to two decades, Combs worked for CBS affiliate WKYT, where she earned a regional Emmy for her investigative work, along with an Edward R. Murrow award and “Reporter of the Year” by the Kentucky Associated Press.

“We’re going to do big things at ABC 36,” Combs said. “News is what I know best, and we’re going to show viewers ABC 36 is the place they will trust and love to be a part of each day.”

LBS WEBINAR: WEYLAND WEDNESDAYS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30TH @ 12PM EASTERN

REASONS TO KEEP ADVERTISING EVEN DURING INVENTORY AND LABOR ISSUES

Do you have clients or prospects who say they have no reason to advertise because they are experiencing retail inventory and labor issues? Paul Weyland has some concepts for you to consider and adapt to use in your local sales calls. You’ll be surprised at how many compelling responses to this common objection can be ready to share and discuss throughout your day! Hey, this almost sounds like a competitive advantage through some professional preparation that will help you to outshine your competitors.

Provided as a complimentary member service to KBA member stations.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

CLAIM YOUR COFFEE GIFT CARD BEFORE MARCH 31ST

BE PREPARED FOR CYBER ATTACKS

8 STEPS TO PROTECT YOUR STATIONS

As many of you have already heard, the US Government has issued warnings to all American companies about looming cybersecurity threats tied to the current political climate with Russia.

The KBA advises all Kentucky broadcasters to assume they remain a high-profile target subject to cyber attack. Broadcasters are already on the front lines of cybersecurity warfare. In recent weeks, Russian state-run media has been hacked multiple times. There's no reason the reverse couldn't happen here.

Even without this warning, many broadcasters both large and small have been plagued by cyber criminal issues over the past year.

The US Government advises 8 key steps that all businesses should take ASAP to protect themselves from any immediate threat.

8 STEPS:

Mandate the use of multi-factor authentication for all computer/system logins to make it harder for attackers to get onto your system.
Deploy modern security tools on your computers and devices to continuously look for and mitigate threats (virus software, security updates).
Check with your cybersecurity professionals to make sure that your systems are patched and protected against all known vulnerabilities, and change passwords across your networks so that previously stolen credentials are useless to malicious actors.
Back up your data and ensure you have offline backups beyond the reach of malicious actors.
Run exercises and drill your emergency plans so that you are prepared to respond quickly to minimize the impact of any attack. This is especially key for broadcasters in case your signal is hacked.
Encrypt your data so it cannot be used if it is stolen.
Educate your employees to common tactics that attackers will use over email or through websites, and encourage them to report if their computers or phones have shown unusual behavior, such as unusual crashes or operating very slowly.
Engage proactively with your local FBI field office or CISA Regional Office to establish relationships in advance of any cyber incidents. Please encourage your IT and Security leadership to visit the websites of the FBI and CISA where they will find technical information and other useful resources.

The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has also launched a new "Shields Up" resource page with detailed guidance for businesses to consider.

In addition, The National Association of Broadcasters has made various cybersecurity resources available here.

JEFF SCHMIDT'S SALES TIP OF THE WEEK

LESSONS FROM A BIRD BRAIN...

Living in Wisconsin, one of the best times of the year is spring. Spring represents new beginnings, rebirth, and leaving the ugly days of winter behind. Metaphorically, it feels like we are in the spring of the COVID-19 crisis. There are signs of new life and indications that the ugliness may be moving to the rear-view mirror.

In my morning walk, I noticed a bird had built a home under our 2^nd level deck. What I found most interesting is that there were no inhabitants of this newly constructed abode. With no technology and a minimalist approach, this bird had created a perfect home for the coming eggs. In other words, the bird, not needing this space now, was preparing for the future.

Wondering, are we as smart as a bird when it comes to preparing for the future? This can take many turns of course, personally and professionally, but we’ll focus on the professional here.

The commonality? Preparation. Are you prepared? Preparation requires thinking and planning and assembling the necessary resources to deploy when the situation calls for them. One major difference between top performers and moderate performers in sales is the way they prepare to do their jobs. Pre-meeting planning is essential for preparation. Spend time thinking about the prospect or the client, do research about the business about the category and develop questions to ask yourself about the meeting. Mack Hanan in his book: If You Don’t Have A Plan, Stay In The Car writes about the importance of pre-meeting planning.

Here are some questions to ask yourself, to get you started, before your next meeting:

At what stage in the process (7-steps) am I with this prospect/client?
Have I given the customer a pre-meeting assignment or agenda?
If this meeting is to be successful, what will need to happen?
What business information can I provide for this client?

Spending time thinking about your meeting and asking some questions will not only prepare you for the meeting but will set you apart. It will put you in the top 8% of sellers in terms of preparation.

By the way, the number one complaint of buyers in survey after survey regarding salespeople is lack of preparation. Thinking and planning are easy solutions.

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development at the Radio Advertising Bureau. You can also connect with him by email JSchmidt@rab.com or on Twitter and LinkedIn.