Vermont Association of Broadcasters 500A Dalton Drive Colchester, VT 05446 (802) 655-5764 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vab.org The VAB NEIL DREW 1941—2013 Voice

March, 2013 CONGRESS GEARS UP TO FIGHT PERFORMANCE TAX Last month, Reps. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Gene Green (D-TX) introduced H. Con. Res. 16, the Local Radio Freedom Longtime North Country radio and TV broadcaster Neil Drew Act, in the House of Representatives. The resolution is passed away February 5 in Bur- co‑sponsored by 73 members of Congress and is expected to lington. He was 71. garner broad bipartisan support, as in previous Congresses A native of Newport, VT, Drew where it attracted upwards of 200 cosponsors. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) worked at two radio stations in Radio's free promotion translates to as much as $2.4 billion Maine before taking a job with annually in music sales for record labels and artists. And this doesn't even in- WIRY-AM in Plattsburgh in 1961. clude the enormous revenues they receive from concerts, merchandising, en- He soon transferred to affiliate dorsements and other licensing arrangements. station WIRD-AM in Lake Placid, and, outside of a short stint at We thank the representatives who have signed on to the resolution. They rec- WNBZ-AM in Saranac Lake, ognize the harm performance tax legislation would cause to local radio stations stayed at WIRD as News Direc- and their listeners. tor until 1972, when he was of- fered the anchor job at WPTZ- DENNIS SNYDER TO “POWER DOWN” AFTER 50+ YEARS TV. He had a successful ten year run Dennis Snyder, longtime Chief Engineer for agents as Humphrey took part in a satellite at WPTZ and served as a news in and long- interview from England. producer for NBC during the time VAB Treasurer, has announced he will But Snyder says he missed radio, so he ap- 1980 Winter Olympic games in retire from radio on May 31. plied for a job at WJOY AM/FM in Burlington. Lake Placid, where he witnessed A native of Catawba Island, the “Miracle on Ice” USA hockey “Frank Balch made me an offer I couldn't re- Ohio, Snyder studied elec- game. Drew, however, declined fuse. November 1968, Diana and I became a full-time job offer from NBC tronics while in the Navy in Vermont residents.” Hawaii and worked part-time News, preferring to stay in the Balch wanted WJOY-FM (now WOKO) to be for radio stations there. On North Country. the first FM stereo station in Vermont, and a visit home to see his par- Over the years, he interviewed Dennis made it happen. Hall purchased the ents, he was offered a radio newsmakers as diverse as Indira two stations from Balch in 1983, and Dennis Gandhi, Kate Smith and Col. Dennis Snyder engineering job for a group later oversaw the additions of WKOL-FM, Harlan Sanders. He served as in Port Clinton, Ohio. He took the job and WIZN-FM and WBTZ-FM. longtime local host of the Jerry soon constructed a 500 watt directional AM Lewis MDA telethon on WPTZ. for the company. He has served on the NAB Engineering Con- Drew also owned and operated ference Committee, the NAB Engineering “They had never done a remote broadcast the restaurant now known as the Advisory Committee, and the NAB Digital before, and I talked the GM into broadcasting Red Fox Restaurant in Saranac Audio Broadcast Technical Advisory Group. live at the County Fair. It so happens, that is Lake from 1967 to 1975. He also served many years on the South Bur- where I met my future wife Diana, she was He left TV to form a production lington School Board. company in 1982 but returned to the County Home Extension Agent. We were broadcasting in 1997, when he married in less than a year,” Snyder recalled. He was inducted into the VAB Hall of Fame in 1999 and has served as VAB Treasurer since became News Director for WICY- A visit to watch Diana do a TV show on AM in Malone and its affiliate 1981. The VAB thanks Dennis for his invalu- Channel 11 in Toledo resulted in a job offer stations in the Martz Communi- able help over the years, and we wish Dennis from the TV station. While in Toledo, he was cation Group. He continued in and Diana the most “JOY”-ful of retirements. that job until his recent illness. once locked in a studio with Vice-President Hubert Humphrey and his Secret Service Thank you, Dennis! Thursday, May 16, 2013 SQUIER GETS HIS OWN AWARD 58th Annual VAB Convention Capitol Plaza, Montpelier, VT VAB Hall of Fame member Ken Squier picked up an- Help Your Station Stand Out! other award last month as he and fellow auto racing The VAB wants to help you and your station become as broadcaster Barney Hall profitable as possible. We’ve lined up some valuable were honored at the Fourth seminars for this year’s VAB Convention on May 16 to Annual NASCAR Hall of help you do just that! Fame ceremonies.

One of our three morning semi- Squier and Hall were presented with the inau- nars this year will feature sales gural Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Ex- trainer Katey McGuckin- cellence. The award will become a permanent Woolam of P1 Selling. She’ll part of the annual Hall of Fame awards. help your station cut through the clutter of competition. VPT’S MERONE HONORED

In a mid-sized market you will have a daily newspaper, a Belated congrats to VPT cable provider (or two), three television stations, twelve Senior Producer Joe Mer- plus radio stations, three plus phone books, a business one, who was inducted into journal and direct mail. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the the National Academy of Tel- new media of satellite, Google AdWords, Smartphones, evision Arts and Sciences and internet radio and television. New England Chapter’s 2012 Silver Circle late last year in Boston. The Silver Let’s face it, we are not alone and it’s your job to stand Circle recognition honors television profession- out from this ever-increasing crowd of marketing als who have performed distinguished service “experts”. So what’s your strategy? In this session, we for more than 25 years. will take a look at 10 techniques to enhance your person- al brand. The objective is not only to survive but to thrive Joe Merone began his professional career at in today’s competitive environment. Vermont Public Television in 1980. He has

Before joining P1 Selling, Katey was a been a production technician, staff director, pro- ducer and executive producer. He has been longtime top-rated radio personality in nominated for multiple Emmy awards. Kansas City and a winner (and six-time finalist) for the NAB’s Crystal Award for TYMECKI NEW PBS TECH CHAIR Public Service. She knows what stations .VPT Chief Technology Officer need to succeed in promotions and sales. Joe Tymecki of Fairfax has been P1 Learning is an online video based program that gives elected chair of the PBS Enter- you the ability to train your entire team 24/7. The online prise Technology Advisory Com- program offers a complete set of training modules and mittee. The group represents services to meet the needs of your station, and starting the technology interests of the this year you will have free access as a VAB Member. 350 PBS member stations. An afternoon session at the convention will introduce you A graduate of VTC, Tymecki has been head of to this great new member benefit. Registration for the May 16 convention will begin soon at www.vab.org. engineering at Vermont’s statewide public tele- vision network since 2008. Good luck, Joe!

Entries for the VAB Commercial of the Year Awards must be post- marked no later than March 15, 2013. Contest rules and entry forms are available at our website: www.vab.org.