Issue #208  |  August 14, 2020  |  View online
Highlights In This Issue:
More news below!

Request FEMA Masks For Your Station
The MAB has received the face masks promised by FEMA! If you have not yet requested masks for your station, click here to submit your request. Questions? Contact Denise Weston at weston@michmab.com.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
FCC Panel Political File Rules Webinar
with Robert Baker, Gary Schonman, Sima Nilsson

Wednesday, August 19 | 1:00 p.m. 

There has been a growing concern that many stations may not be in compliance with the Commission's on-line political file rules. You can expect the FCC to continue monitoring stations. This webinar features the FCC's team that oversees the on-line political file rules. They will discuss the steps needed to comply with the rules, the impact on a station's renewal and the FCC's new consent decree process. The panel will take Q&As from participants. Learn More

Sen. Stabenow, Congress Upton Thank Michigan Broadcasters During MAB's ABM
During the MAB's Annual Business meeting on Tuesday (8/11), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Fred Upton (R-6) thanked Michigan broadcasters who participated in the Zoom event for their tireless work in service to the state's citizens during the ongoing COVID-19 crises. The lawmakers also took questions and spoke off-the-record as they update participants on Congressional efforts to support struggling small businesses and producing vaccines as the pandemic continues into the fall. 

Broadcasters Make Final Push Against FCC Fee Increases
Broadcasters have increased the pressure, and their rhetoric, in their final attempts to get the FCC to hold off on increasing the regulatory fees it charges TV and radio stations, especially during a pandemic that has done a number on revenue, according to a recent report in Broadcasting+Cable. Read More

FCC Issues Reminder of Obligations to Make Televised Emergency Information Available to Viewers with Disabilities
By: David Oxenford,
Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP

About this time each year, as hurricane season ramps up, the FCC issues a notice reminding television broadcasters and other video providers of their obligations to make accessible emergency information to all of the populations which may be using their services - especially if parts of the audience cannot see or hear the emergency information that the service is transmitting. The FCC this week released that notice for this year, with a couple of new wrinkles. Read More

IN THE NEWS
Entercom Launches 'Breaking Down the Barriers' on WWJ News Radio 950 in Detroit
Entercom has announced the launch of "Breaking Down The Barriers," a two-part community programming initiative on WWJ-AM (Detroit) to celebrate the diversity of the city and its surrounding suburbs. The initiative will include two segments, "Voices of the Community" and "Black Business Minute," both began August 10. "Breaking Down the Barriers" is part of Entercom's commitment to elevating diverse voices in the communities and across its platforms. Read More

WCMU Public Media Hosts Town Hall on Moving Forward from Flooding
On August 11, WCMU Public Media and the Midland Center for the Arts hosted a one-hour virtual town hall titled "Moving Forward: Midland."  The town hall was a forum to talk about how businesses, nonprofits and families are moving forward, following millions of dollars of flood damage in the Midland area which occurred on top of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More

NPR's '1A' to Takeover Michigan Radio's 'Stateside' Next Week
The speculation about Governor Whitmer as a potential vice presidential candidate has been put to rest, but Michigan is still in the national political spotlight for the November election. Next Tuesday, Jenn White, host of NPR's national 1A program, will be taking over Michigan Radio's Stateside show to talk with Michigan listeners about the state's battleground status in the presidential election. Read More

WKHM Debuts The Chamber Show
McKibbin Media Group has announced the debut of "The Chamber Show," a monthly program to air on the company's WKHM-AM (Jackson).  Presented in partnership with The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the show hosted by Pat O'Dowd, Business Development Manager and Tim Booth, Events and Legislative Affairs Manager will tell the story of the Chamber, its members, and the positive impact the organization has on prosperity in the Jackson community. Read More

WIKB Presents Virtual Livestock Auction
With the COVID-19 Pandemic here, Iron River Community Broadcasting's WIKB-FM (Iron River) conducted avirtual livestock auction on August 7 in conjunction with the Iron County Youth Market Livestock Council (ICYMLC). Read More

Gordon Smith Health Update: 'Prognosis Is Extremely Positive'
The MAB Newsletter reported last Friday (8/7) that NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith suffered a stroke on the Wednesday prior. However, it was not a stroke, with Smith releasing a statement late Thursday (8/6) through the NAB saying, "I am delighted to tell you that after a very extensive MRI last night it was discovered that I did have a blood clot, but thanks to the quick medical intervention I received, an actual stroke was averted." Read More

NAB Show New York Presents 10-Day Virtual Experience for 2020
The 2020 NAB Show New York will transform for this year into a ten-day virtual event offering a myriad of opportunities for education, discovery and engagement, October 19 - 29, 2020. Registration will open in early September at NABShowNY.com. Read More



YOUR MAB 
Stephen A. Marks Elected MAB Chairman
Stephen A. Marks, President/CEO of The Marks Group (Alpena), was elected Chairman of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) Board of Directors during the organization's  Annual Business Meeting on Tuesday (8/11). Read More

4 Broadcasters Join MAB Board During Annual Business Meeting
WWMT-TV (Kalamazoo) General Manager Fred Corbus, WJBK-TV (Detroit) General Manager J. Greg Easterly, WNEM-TV (Saginaw) General Sales Manager Ken Frierson and McKibbin Media Group General Manager Jamie McKibbin were elected to the MAB Board of Directors during Tuesday's (8/11) Annual Business Meeting. See the full MAB Board of Directors here.

Thank You ... 


Thank you, Zoe Burdine-Fly, Market President for Townsquare Media (Lansing/Flint), who served as the 2019-2020 MAB Board of Directors Chair and now becomes the executive committee's Immediate Past Chair. 

Thank you, Gary Baxter, General Manager for Fox 47 WSYM-TV (Lansing) E.W. Scripps Co., who leaves the MAB Board of Directors as his final term as Immediate Past Chair expired following the Annual Business Meeting on Tuesday (8/11).  

MAB FOUNDATION 


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.
What It Takes to Walk on
to a Film Set Strong
with Mark Adler, Michigan Production Alliance

Thursday, August 16 | 1:00 p.m. 

What does it take to work on a film, corporate or commercial set? Mark Adler will provide a glimpse at what you can expect and what is expected of YOU!. Register Now

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

Auto Q&A
LBS Auto Expert, John Tkac takes LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session: How do we drive business to a dealership and show that it came from our station? Are most newly-shipped vehicles going to a certain part of the country or spread out to all dealers? How do you handle it when a dealer is on board to advertise, but their agency is telling them no due to our ratings? We have a massive news website, about 200,000 unique visitors per month. What/how do we sell a combo of radio ads and our news website?

Be a Genius
Paul Weyland talks about the importance of helping your customers to come across naturally in their spots. He also covers the concept of explaining to advertisers that they need to teach people to use their products and services.


The MAB is excited to share that Local Broadcast Sales (LBS) is available free to members in 2020.
DIGITAL / SOCIAL / WEB
Your Radio Station Should Try Instagram Reels
By: Seth Resler,
Jacobs Media Strategies

While the fate of TikTok mobile app in the U.S. is in legal limbo, leading to a spike in downloads for TikTok clones like Byte, Triller, and Zynn. Instagram has seized the opportunity by introducing Instagram Reels, which offers many of the same features as TikTok. Like TikTok, videos are capped at a maximum length of 15 seconds. A suite of editing tools is provided for content creators. Let's take a closer look: Read More

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CALENDAR
August 19 | 1 p.m. 
Free Webinar: FCC Panel  Political File Rules Webinar (Learn More)

August 20 | 1 pm.
Free MAB Webinar: "What it Takes to Walk on to a Film Set Strong" with Mark Adler
(Learn More)
CAREERS

Associate Account Executive
WXMI-TV (Grand Rapids)
Posted: August 12, 2020

Public TV Producer/Host
WNMU-TV (Marquette)
Posted: August 12, 2020

Associate Producer
WWTV & WFQX (Cadillac)
Posted: August 10, 2020

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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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Support the MAB Foundation, and stay in touch about upcoming events, awards programs, scholarships and more, by following the MAB Foundation on our social media pages!

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Thanks for the Support of Our Associate Members!

Michigan Association of Broadcasters | 517-484-7444 | mab@michmab.com | MichMAB.com
820 N. Capitol Ave. | Lansing, MI 48906