Issue No. 249 | April 9, 2021 | View Online
Awards Nominations Due April 30
Do you know someone who deserves to be in the Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame or might be worthy of an MAB Lifetime Achievement or Young Professional awards? Nominate them before April 30. Click here to learn more.
Upcoming Events

April 13 | 12:00 p.m.
FREE Webinar: Over-The-Top - What Every Local TV and Radio Seller Must Know As You Sell For, Or Compete Against, OTT

April 13 | 7:00 p.m.
Detroit SMPTE Presents 'Watermarking for ATSC-3' (Learn More)

April 15 | 2:00 p.m.
FREE Webinar: How to Take Advantage of Email Marketing Without Overextending Your Staff (Register Now)

April 29-30
MAB State Capitol Day (Register Now)

April 30
Nomination Deadline: Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement and Young Professional awards. (Learn More)
Are You Taking Full Advantage of Your MAB Membership?
By: Karole L. White, MAB President/CEO
The MAB Sales and Leadership Helpline just launched last month is available to all MAB Member stations and staff. I thought you should see some of the great comments from people after they have spoken with Mark Levy, Revenue Development Resources, the person behind the MAB Sales & Leadership Helpline at 972-522-8570: Read More
MAB State Capitol Day: April 29- 30
Take a day to make virtual visits with your state legislators. It's easy. Just register for the free MAB State Capitol Advocacy Day and MAB does the rest. You will be paired with a couple of other broadcasters from your area. MAB will prepare the issue papers and a report on the economic impact of Michigan's Broadcasters on the state. We set the Zoom meetings for you. Read More
MAB's Broadcast Compliance Service Contract Conclusion
After several years of offering Broadcast Compliance Services (BCS) to our members, the MAB will not be renewing the contract. The BCS service is the free EEO tracking program we have offered members over the years. Read More
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Supreme Court Reinstates 2017 FCC Changes to Broadcast Ownership Rules Including the End to Newspaper-Broadcast Cross-Ownership Ban – But Radio Changes Yet to Come
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP
On April 1, The United States Supreme Court released its decision upholding the FCC’s 2017 changes to its ownership rules in the FCC v Prometheus Radio Project case. Read More
NAB Announces Leadership Transition: Curtis LeGeyt Named President & CEO
On April 7, National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon H. Smith announced his plans to transition to an advisory and advocacy role effective Dec. 31, 2021. The organization’s Chief Operating Officer Curtis LeGeyt has been named the next president and CEO of NAB effective Jan. 1, 2022. Read More
FCC Announces Freeze on FM Minor Change Applications Beginning April 28
The FCC's Media Bureau has announced that it will not accept FM commercial and noncommercial educational (NCE) minor change applications during the Auction 109 Form 175 application filing window. This window will open on April 28, 2021, and close on May 11, 2021. Read More
ENGINEERING & EAS
Detroit SMPTE Presents 'Watermarking for ATSC-3'
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Detroit Section will host a free virtual meeting open to all members, guests and non-members on Tuesday, April 13 at 7:00 p.m. The topic will be "Watermarking for ATSC-3." This virtual meeting is open to guests and non-members. Read More
Protect Your Station from Random FCC Inspections
You say they don't do that anymore! Not true, they do. It's easier than ever before. With so much of our business activities available in our public file and on electronic forms at the FCC, they can easily inspect a station without ever coming to your door. Additionally they still investigate complaints. Read More
IN THE NEWS
WDIV's Larry Spruill Honored among Michigan Chronicle's '40 Under Forty'
On April 1, the Michigan Chronicle honored 40 professionals who inspired others through vision and leadership, exceptional achievements and community service participation. WDIV-TV (Detroit) reporter Larry Spruill, was one of those recognized during the virtual ceremony. Read More
WKHM's Scott Clow Wears Dress to Raise Money for Charity
In an effort to promote Covid-19 vaccination on the first day it becomes eligible to anyone 18 and over, while also raising money for a good cause, WKHM-FM's (Jackson) Scott Clow of the K-105.3 Morning Show took a celebrity up on a special challenge. Read More
Future Journalists to Join Tim Skubick in Special 'Off The Record'
This weekend, on a special edition of WKAR (East Lansing) Public Media's Off The Record program, three current students in the School of Journalism at Michigan State University talk with senior capitol correspondent and Off the Record anchor Tim Skubick about why they are motivated to enter this profession, how they view the role social media has taken in the flow of daily news, and how their peers feel about politics. Read More
WDET Launches 'The Don Was Motor City Playlist'
WDET-FM (Detroit) has announced that Blue Note Records President, six-time Grammy Award Winner and music industry powerhouse Don Was is launching a weekly broadcast program Friday, April 16 in his hometown of Detroit. On the new two-hour show, “The Don Was Motor City Playlist,” Was will dig deep into his music archives to curate playlists and share personal stories about the artists whose songs he features. Read More
Flint's WFBE Returns Heritage Country Brand 'B95'
Cumulus Media has announced that Country radio station WFBE-FM (Flint) has rebranded as B95, Your Hit Country. The station, previously known as 95.1 Nash-FM, kicked off the next generation of Flint’s best Country music, with a return to its popular heritage brand. Read More
TRAINING & EDUCATION
FREE WEBINAR: Over-The-Top - What Every Local TV and Radio Seller Must Know As You Sell For, or Compete Against, OTT with Mark Landon, Co-Founder & Managing Principal at OTTBuyer.com and LBS Digital Expert

Tuesday, April 13, 2021 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
This fast-growing segment of media sales is doing more than taking your money.  In many ways, it's defining the future of advertising. So, drop in and find out the things you should consider and know about what's available to your clients on this "new TV" front. "But wait", you say, "OTT isn't television!" Really? Your advertisers think it is!  

OTTBuyer.com, a division of Recrue Media, supports TV and radio stations nationwide to successfully compete in the OTT space.  They are also a television media planning and buying company. They provide agencies and advertisers with high-quality video advertisement solutions. Unlike other providers in this space, they do not own inventory, they resell it.
FREE WEBINAR: How to Take Advantage of Email Marketing Without Overextending Your Staff
with Seth Resler, Jacobs Media Strategies

Thursday, April 15, 2021 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Email can be a powerful marketing tool for broadcasters, but many don’t have the manpower to take full advantage of it. In this webinar, Seth Resler will show you t how to automate your email campaigns to save your staff time.

You’ll learn:

  • How to create an automated campaign to email out new website content
  • How to create an automated campaign to recycle older email content
  • How to increase registrations of your email database
Ask LBS

It is common to run into difficult selling situations in the field.  Let us know what we can help with and we will get your question in front of our seasoned broadcast professionals who will get you a personalized response with real strategies for your specific situation!
The BEST Program

The BEST Program is designed for sellers who are new to broadcast. Each weekday for 5 weeks, you will receive a special email containing 3 videos. In less than 30 minutes per day, your new sellers will have built up a solid foundation for a career in selling broadcast!
Sales Ideas

Sometimes we just need a creative boost or an idea to take to a prospect tomorrow – or even today! The list contains 99 of the hundreds you can find on the site! Need a creative boost or some fresh ideas? This section of LBS is loaded with them!
FREE CALL: Sales & Leadership Helpline
For the next three months we are offering this free service to help our members get their station back on track after the long COVID year. Call 972-522-8570 during business hours Monday through Friday. Your call will be answered in 24 hours. Take advantage of this great service while we are offering it.
MAB FOUNDATION
Student Award Winners Announced

Thanks to all who tuned in LIVE April 7 and 8 for Michigan Student Broadcast Awards for High School and College Radio and Television. Don't worry if you missed it. You can see the award presentation videos and complete lists of winners at StudentBroadcastAwards.com.
Multimedia Journalist
WEYI.WBSF-TV (Flint)
Posted: April 9, 2021

President/CEO
Michigan Association
of Broadcasters
(Lansing) 
Posted: April 8, 2021

Part-Time Air Talent
WHMI-FM (Howell)
Posted: April 8, 2021

Politics & Civics Reporter
WKAR Public Media
(East Lansing)
Posted: April 7, 2021

Part-Time Air Talent
WRSR-FM (Flint)
Posted: April 6, 2021

MABF Student Advisory Committee Member Leonard Poole Accepts New Position at WILX
Adrian College student, and MAB Foundation Student Advisory Committee Member, Leonard Poole (@leodogjournalism), has accepted a new position as News Producer at MAB member station WILX-TV (Lansing). Read More
Radio Free Hillsdale Hour College Show Gets National Salem Network Distribution
The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour, Hillsdale College’s national, weekend radio show, is now being distributed via the Salem Radio Network.
The show, which launched in 2019, is one-hour long and divided into four segments. Read More
DIGITAL / SOCIAL / WEB
How Your Radio Station Can Host a Virtual Networking Night for Local Musicians
By: Seth Resler, Jacobs Media Strategies
As we enter year two of the COVID-19 pandemic, I find that one of the things I am missing most is meeting new people. While I have done a decent job of keeping up with previously established relationships through this period, I have not found many great ways to build new ones. Read More