JULY 18, 2024

Leitchfield's K105 recently commemorated a community staple for over 13 years as In The Know celebrated show number 3,000 at the historic, beautifully restored Alice Theatre.

Attended by family, friends, dignitaries, frequent contributors and guests, along with the return of longtime co-host Misty Embry Thomas (aka Misty Thomas), the two-hour program, hosted by MB (aka Mark Buckles, Founder/CEO of Heritage Media of Kentucky), offered a dose of nostalgia and behind-the-scenes scenarios on the genesis of the popular morning show.

First broadcast on May 17, 2011, the seed of an idea for In The Know came from Thomas a few years earlier following a KBA training conference she attended as K105’s news director.

“(Mark) decided to take me to a KBA conference for training. I remember sitting in the room with I don’t know how many other DJs and radio people,” Thomas said. “It was at a time that satellite radio was coming into our world and there was this fear that small town radio was going to become antiquated and maybe even dissolve. This was probably 2007 or 2008. And I remember coming back from that particular training, and the idea that I took away that they were really pushing was that you have to be so local that people want what you’re offering. You have to be so different than satellite radio, and I just knew that there had to be a show.”

Thomas noted that the station already offered a plethora of local content, but something, in her mind, was missing.

“We had local news, we had Community Calendar, we had Lodge Notes, we had Tradio, we had all those things, but there wasn’t a local talk show,” she said. “So I came to you and said, ‘Mark we need a local morning show.’ And I never once thought I would be on the show, I was just pushing. And you immediately … said, ‘No, no, no. Misty, go, go back to your office, no,’ jokingly and lovingly, and I just kept pushing, like the middle child I am, pulling on you and saying, ‘Mark I really think we need a local show.’”

It continued to be a hard “no” from Buckles …

“And then the ice storm hit in 2009,” Thomas stated. “And I’m in my office; we were living at the radio station, and I’m in my office and (Mark) popped (his) head in and said, ‘You remember that local morning show that you want to start?’ And I said, ‘I do,’ and (Mark) said, ‘Get your notes ready, it starts in an hour.’”

And just that quickly, the Grayson County community was introduced to what would become In The Know.

The show, born out of Buckles’ and Thomas’ experience providing vital information to listeners during the 2009 Ice Storm, two years later became an almost immediate must-listen for those who desired to stay informed on what was happening locally while featuring local leaders of industry, politics, law enforcement, and other areas of import and interest.

Pictured above (left to right): Mark Buckles, Christy Buckles, Misty Thomas, Sam Gormley and guest, KBA President Chris Winkle.

The Kentucky Broadcasters Association, in combination with the state broadcasters associations of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, filed Joint Comments (1) supporting the FCC’s efforts to more precisely delineate which agency employees work on non-broadcast matters and to ensure that the cost of those employees, as well as associated overhead costs of the FCC, are covered by the regulatory fees paid by the non-broadcast entities benefiting from those employees’ work rather than by broadcasters; (2) urging the FCC to annually review the fee categorization of its employees agency-wide prior to issuing proposed regulatory fees to ensure that broadcasters’ regulatory fees are not paying for non-broadcaster FCC services; (3) urging the Commission, as required by the RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018, to expand its base of regulatory fee payors so that the costs of operating the FCC are spread across all entities that benefit from the Commission’s activities, and not just those that hold an FCC license and which are regulated by one the bureaus the FCC deems “core”; (4) urging the Commission to reexamine its practice of utilizing a single regulatory fee category for all transmit earth stations, causing a significant fee increase this year without any change in the benefit received by broadcasters utilizing such authorizations; (5) urging the FCC not to terminate its regulatory fee relief policy for silent and bankrupt stations; and (6) urging the FCC to make permanent temporary fee relief measures adopted during the pandemic, such as waiving the FCC’s downpayment requirement for installment plans, partially waiving the FCC’s ban on delinquent payors seeking fee relief, using its discretion to reduce the interest rate charged on installment plans, and allowing payors seeking relief to supplement their initial requests with additional documentation where needed.

READ THE FILING

Josh Good has been named the new General Manager for Forcht Broadcasting & Digital London stations (WFTG/WWEL/WANV). Josh began his broadcasting career in his hometown with the London stations as a part time board-op in high school. He worked his way to morning show host and then program director at our Somerset stations. He then began a 13-year career in television with roles that included reporter, anchor, producer, digital content producer and news director in Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisianna and Virginia. 

Your active KBA membership grants you exclusive access to the RAB's live monthly webinars, including the next presentation on Wednesday, July 31st. To join, simply click HERE on the day of the webinar.

You also have on-demand access to past RAB webinars. Click HERE to login and view the archive of past webinars.

The 14th annual Swings for Soldiers golf classic was held earlier this week in Lexington. Swings for Soldiers is hosted by former UK and NFL football player Jacob Tamme and his wife Allison. All proceeds raised go directly to Homes For Our Troops, supporting specially-adapted home builds in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia. The KBA has been a co-sponsor of the event since its inception.

Pictured above (left to right): Tom McMakin, Mike Stoops (UK football assistant coach) and Chris Winkle

We want to promote YOU! Send us your staff additions, promotions and special events. Email Chris at chris@kba.org

THANKS, I NEEDED THAT!

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a television commercial for a men’s aftershave called Skin Bracer. In the commercial, men would slap their faces and say, “Thanks, I needed that.”  They knew that putting alcohol on a freshly shaved face was going to cause pain, so it was their way of taking the worst attribute of the product, the pain, and turning it into a positive – a little pain meant conditioned skin and ready to face the day – thanks, I needed that.

The point is that sometimes, things that cause pain are good for us.  Think “no pain, no gain,” the mantra of weightlifters. One of the greatest joys of my role at the RAB is engaging with managers and sellers daily, discussing their challenges, and thinking of solutions.

In our Leadership MasterClass, we have a lot of discussions on the difference between wishes and standards.  The main difference is that a standard has a consequence for non-performance.  This means that if a seller isn’t performing to the level expected, some form of discipline is required.  Discipline is something you do FOR someone, not TO someone. Because you care, you provide the discipline, coaching, and course correction required.  In discussions with sellers, they usually have two primary questions:

1. How am I doing?
2. How can I get better?

Sellers, or anyone in any role, want to know how they are doing. It’s called Job clarity. In my experience, we all want to get better and must understand how we are doing in our current role. Managers and leaders often feel ill-equipped or even downright scared to have “the conversation” with someone not meeting performance standards.

With the right mindset and technique, these “difficult” conversations can lead to significant improvement in performance, a shared commitment to growth, and greater employee satisfaction.  “Thanks, I needed that.”

In her recent Harvard Business Review article, How to Talk To An Employee Who Isn’t Meeting Expectations, Jenny Fernandez offers some tips for treating difficult performance conversations into opportunities for additional collaboration:

• Set the Stage for Collaboration - You can start by stating, “We should have an honest and open dialogue. My goal is to give you clear feedback and ensure we are collectively working toward your development.”

• Take A Look Back - I’d like to invite you to self-reflect and assess your own performance. Did you accomplish all your goals and meet the expectations set? Can you share your perspective on what’s working well and what isn’t? 

• Understand Their Values - Employees often prioritize purpose, impact, and meaningful work, which influences their sense of engagement and commitment to the organization. Before initiating a conversation about performance improvement, take the time to understand the employee’s values. 

• Give Constructive Feedback - Deliver feedback with clarity and specificity. Provide clear examples, not hypotheticals, to ensure the employee understands exactly how the work they’re delivering isn’t aligning with what’s expected of them. Avoid ambiguity.

• Give Positive Reinforcement – Now that you’ve taken the time to look back and assess what’s happening, reset the focus to the present state. Set the tone of the conversation by acknowledging the employee’s strengths and desire to do well. 

• Provide an Actionable Path Forward - “How would you handle a situation if…?” This forward-looking reframing of feedback helps remove the stigma of criticism and puts your direct report in a state of mind where they’re able to accomplish a different result; after all, we can’t change the past.

Role-playing isn’t just for sellers. If you’re a manager who needs to have a “difficult conversation” with one of your team members, consider practicing first with a colleague, partner, or friend. Rehearsing these critical conversations can be the difference between having them go smoothly or going off the rails.

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.

Your active KBA membership entitles you to complimentary access to RAB's online certifications.

AUGUST 15, 2024

9:00am - KBA Board of Directors Meeting - Louisville, KY

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KBA Annual Conference - Central Bank Center in Lexington

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