MAB Conference Offers Directions for Today’s Broadcasters. Plan to attend: July 14-16, 2008 at Crystal Mountain Resort

With the Digital Future right around the bend, the MAB has dedicated this year’s Annual Meeting and Leadership Retreat to helping guide stations through informational sessions, knowledgeable speakers and networking events.

Sessions will focus on how to best prepare stations for the future, with updates from the national scene, and how to maximize website revenue immediately.

Special events such as the Welcome Reception, MAB Foundation fundraisers and the Chairman’s events offer attendees prime networking opportunities.

Make plans today to create your map to success by attending this year’s conference Monday, July 14 and Tuesday, July 15 at Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville, MI.
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2008 Annual Meeting and Leadership Retreat
by Bart Brandmiller, Chairman, Michigan Association of Broadcasters - Clear Channel Radio - West Michigan
What would you say if you had the opportunity to learn from the nation’s best on how to bring in more revenue for your station and how to effectively reach your audiences through the Internet? How about a forum in which you can comfortably network among other broadcasters dealing with the same issues as you? All of this at a beautiful Northern Michigan resort location?

You’ll have that opportunity - during the 2008 Annual Meeting and Leadership Retreat at Crystal Mountain Resort.
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DTV Awareness Update
Recently the DTV Sub-Committee met to discuss upcoming DTV Public Awareness Projects for 2008 and through the transition in February of 2009. To better promote DTV awareness, MAB President/CEO Karole White has participated in several speaking engagements. Recently, members of our DTV Team and Karole White partnered with Congressman John Dingell (MI-15th) to speak to seniors in Monroe regarding the transition to digital television.

Other speaking engagements included the Michigan Rotary Club of Lansing and other groups. Several events are already being reserved for the months ahead.
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Broadcast/Cable DTV Work Group
On April 30, MAB station management and engineers attended a broadcasters & cable work group meeting in East Lansing hosted by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the Michigan Cable Television Association (MCTA), and the MAB. The meeting was designed to foster collaboration between broadcast engineers and cable engineers to make sure the transition to digital television goes smoothly for all the cable viewers across the state.
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Michigan AP Broadcasters Association Names WXYZ-TV “Station Of The Year”
WXYZ-TV received the “Station of the Year” award from the Michigan Associated Press (AP) Broadcasters Association. The event recognized and celebrated outstanding news, programming and public service stories by Michigan radio and television stations. The award was presented to Channel 7’s Assistant News Director Glenn Bar at a ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel in Southfield, MI.
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Local Newsman Runs in 51st
Michael J. Thorp, a 35-year television newsman, has filed to run in the competitive 51st District House seat. Thorp is the host and producer of WJRT-TV/ABC 12's "Newsmaker" feature. The Goodrich resident faces Democratic primary opposition from Thomas McGee and Harold Ward.
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People News
Greater Media, Inc. announced that John F. Gallagher has been named Market Manager of its Detroit-based radio properties, including rock WRIF-FM, classic rock WCSX-FM and soft rock WMGC-FM. He takes over the role previously held by Tom Bender, who was promoted to the director of parent company Greater Media's new media operations.

Becky Butcher was named General Manager at WBSF-TV and WEYI-TV. Her previous position was General Sales Manager.

Sean Ash has joined WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 Action News in Detroit as weekend meteorologist. The announcement was made by WXYZ-TV News Director Andrea Parquet-Taylor. Ash joins Channel 7 from WISH-TV, the CBS affiliate in Indianapolis where he was the weekend evening meteorologist.

FOX 17/WXMI Grand Rapids has hired Smita Kalokhe as a general assignment reporter for FOX 17 News at Ten. Prior to coming to FOX 17, Smita was the weekend news anchor at WREX-TV in Rockford, Illinois where she worked for two years
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10 Habits Of Successful PDs
by Gary Berkowitz, Berkowitz Broadcast Consulting
Have you ever wondered what makes one PD better than another? Over the years, I have worked with hundreds of program directors all over the U.S. and Canada. Over the next two months, I will review the common positive habits used by the most successful group of PD's. This month is the first installment of two that will review these strategies.
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Customer-Focused Solutions Must Always Be #1
by Judy Crockett, Owner, Interactive Marketing and Communication - Broadcast Consulting and Sales Training
Over 15 years ago, I learned a lesson from a sales trainer friend that has stayed with me all this time: WIFM “What’s In It For Me?”

If I am running a small retail business facing escalating costs, reduced sales, and staffing cutbacks, why do I care if your radio or television station has too many avails? Your quotas are not my concern today. I have enough problems of my own.
Rather than bring your avails issues to your customers, teach your sales staff to bring solutions to your customers.
download pdf here

Reaching Retirement--Now What?
by John Gingas, QPA – Financial Technology, Inc
You've worked hard your whole life anticipating the day you could finally retire. Well, that day has arrived! But with it comes the realization that you'll need to carefully manage your assets so that your retirement savings will last.
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The New Michigan Business Tax: How Is It Affecting You?
It’s that time of the year again. The season where the weather warms, flowers bloom and the birds sing. In recent years, a less inspiring spring ritual occurring in Michigan has been the recurring fiscal crisis in Lansing, complete with its traditional budget shortfalls, fee increases and the inevitable talk of tax hikes.
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MAB Welcomes Dave Jessup as Government Relations Manager
The Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) is pleased to announce that it has hired Dave Jessup as its Government Relations Manager. In his new role, Jessup will be responsible for legislative and regulatory issues and overall government relations with MAB President/CEO Karole White. Additionally, Jessup will serve on the MAB’s DTV Transition team.
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Broadcasters and the Regulatory Pendulum - Swinging Toward More Regulation?
by David Oxenford
In recent months, the broadcast industry has experienced one of the most active periods of regulatory activity in recent memory. Since November, the FCC has adopted enhanced disclosure obligations concerning the public interest programming of television broadcasters and requirements for an online public inspection file; rejected most calls for increased deregulation of broadcast ownership (allowing only the cross-ownership of broadcast stations and newspapers in the largest markets)...
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WGRD-FM "Million Penny Roof Sit" Benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities
It was ONE MAN -ONE ROOF and ONE MILLION PENNIES collected - as WGRD Program Director /mid-day host Jerry (JT) Tarrants ascended the roof of the McDonalds on Plainfield Ave in Grand Rapids to collect ONE MILLION Pennies all for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Outstate Michigan.
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WXYZ-TV Airs Education Town Hall Meeting Featuring Bill Cosby
On April 30, WXYZ-TV/Detroit offered viewers a town hall meeting titled "Higher Education and the Economy", featuring an audience of parents, students and educators and comedian/educator Bill Cosby.
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Michigan Radio Wins National And Regional News Awards
Michigan Radio, the public radio service of the University of Michigan, has been recognized by the National Society of Professional Journalists. The station was awarded the 2007 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service in Radio Journalism for "Grading Michigan Schools," Michigan Radio's multi-part series of reports about education in the state. The Public Service in Radio Journalism Award recognizes a radio news organization that renders public service through extensive coverage of an issue facing the community it serves.
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MPRN and the State Bar of Michigan Host “Newsroom Training”
Several public and commercial broadcasters took part in “Newsroom Training” hosted by the Michigan Public Radio Network (MPRN) and the State Bar of Michigan. Morning session topics included a State Bar Newsroom discussion of issues with Lansing District Court Judge Louise Anderson and a defense briefing from Laura Sager, director of Michigan Campaign for Justice. A special luncheon with Supreme Court Chief Justice Cliff Taylor also provided discussion on an array of topics affecting broadcasters.
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Skubick Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Tim Skubick, senior capitol correspondent and host of WKAR-TV's Off The Record was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame last month. Skubick’s career began at Michigan State University in 1963, followed by a succession of jobs before being hired at WKAR.
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Caring for the Elderly and Depression among Caregivers Focus of New WCMU Outreach
Two national grants for community outreach that extend the impact of Public Television programming have been awarded to CMU Public Television. Community outreach efforts are being created to supplement the PBS television programs, “Caring for Your Parents” and “Depression: Out of the Shadows.”
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GSA Messages on ATXchange.org Help the Disabled Community
Nearly two million Michigan residents have disabilities. Many require tools, equipment or assistive technology (AT) to perform day-to-day activities. These tools are often expensive and sometimes hard to find. There is a resource that can help Michigan citizens with disabilities through ATXchange.org, a nonprofit, Michigan-based web site, operated by the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition.
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MAB Foundation Heats Up The Summer with Fundraisers
With summer right around the corner, why not make plans to join the MAB Foundation and support the future of broadcasting during one of our summer fundraisers?
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WANTED: Donated Items For The MABF Online Auction
Do you have an extra set of baseball, football or basketball tickets that will not be used this year? How about a golf, spa or ski package or overnight stay that you could donate? The MAB Foundation is seeking donated items for the 2008 Online Auction…anything from tickets to sporting events, travel packages to signed memorabilia and unique experiences.
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Thank You 2008 MAB Associate Members!
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