MARCH/APRIL 2021 WBA Awards Gala Update on Page 3! Sen. Smith to visit Summer Conference CHAIR’S COLUMN The President and CEO of the National Association Positivity important as end to pandemic nears of Broadcasters is coming to the WBA Summer Con- ference in August. Is it spring? As I write this, we are experiencing mild weather and many parts of Wisconsin have hit 50 Senator Gordon Smith will be the keynote speaker degrees. After the bitter cold temperatures we had in on Aug. 26, the second day of the conference at the February how can a person not think of spring. Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan. Sue Keenom, Senior Vice President, State, Interna- We are steadily showing signs of ending the COVID Smith tional, and Board Relations for NAB, will be joining pandemic. There was a recent article from Dr. Marty him. Makary of John Hopkins University that read the U.S. could reach herd immunity early in the second “We’re thrilled to have Sen. Smith join us as we celebrate the 70th Chris Bernier quarter this year and may already be reaching it. He year of the WBA,” said WBA President and CEO Michelle Vetterkind. WBA Chair states that COVID cases have dropped 77 percent in “This will be our first opportunity to gather since the pandemic and the Untied States in the last six weeks. We try to provide positive facts a perfect occasion to celebrate.” like this to our staff, particularly our salespeople. When making sales Smith joined the National Association of Broadcasters as president calls, I want our people to be positive. The last thing a business owner and CEO in November 2009. Prior to joining NAB, Sen. Smith served wants is a salesperson with depressing news and we recommend that as a two-term U.S. senator from Oregon and later as senior advisor in they do not participate in negative conversations with the business the Washington offices of Covington & Burling, LLP. owner or agency. An upbeat sales rep is much more welcome at the Please plan to join us in showing Sen. Smith and Sue Keenom some business. As managers we need to try and create a positive environ- fabulous Wisconsin hospitality! ment for the entire staff. Continued on page 3> CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Diversity Committee formed .......2 In-person events returning this summer Awards Gala plans set .................3 Rarely do we talk with a WBA only two weeks before Broadcasters Clinic, there Report from CES ..........................4 member who doesn’t mention their will not be a “traditional” Engineering Day run- desire to get back to networking with ning concurrent with the conference, however, Radio vets resurrect station .........5 their fellow broadcasters. We most we will continue working with our Clinic Chair Stations making a difference ... 5-6 Michelle definitely share in that desire and are and MTI Chair on plans for a smaller event for Vetterkind, very excited to return to in-person our engineers, including some form of our Media Member news .............................7 CAE events with the return of our Summer Technology Institute (MTI). Conference and Broadcasters Clinic. WBA membership roster .............8 WBA President Please look for an agenda soon for the Summer and CEO Statewide tornado drill ...............9 Our WBA Summer Conference will Conference! take place Aug. 25-26 at the beautiful Broadcasters Clinic planning underway Names in the News ...................10 Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan on the shores of Broadcasters Clinic has also changed dates, but in In Remembrance .......................11 Lake Michigan. As you’ll notice above, we’re honored to welcome Senator Gordon Smith who will be our the opposite direction. Because the NAB Show is Student Seminar report .............12 keynote speaker. now running during Clinic’s traditional meeting time, Clinic is being moved up to Sept. 8-10, WBA Foundation contributors ...13 Moving the conference from June to August gave us which means we’re getting a jump on planning the best chance at having a Summer Conference that Jowett Fellowship available ......13 that event as well. We’ve already opened registra- best resembles our traditional conferences. Plus – it’s tion to exhibitors and will soon have an agenda Scholarship winners ..................14 our WBA 70th Anniversary celebration! The hope is to share. We know this group, as well, is also very that by delaying the conference for 10 weeks, we will Student Leadership award.........14 excited to get back to meeting in person! be providing more time for distribution of the vaccine Student Award winners .............15 so that more of you might be comfortable attending Inspiration from students, broadcasters in person. Calendar of Events .....................16 You can’t help but be inspired whenever broad- Because the new dates put our Summer Conference Continued on page 2> PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Continued from page 1 casting students and broadcasting professionals for broadcasting in Wisconsin. Stay tuned. are in the same space. While they couldn’t meet Thank you to Mark Strachota in person this year, the virtual version of the Student Seminar sought to give students some- Mark Strachota recently retired as general Wisconsin Broadcasters Association thing the pandemic has deprived them of… manager of WDJT-TV in Milwaukee. He was a time with professionals. The students always member of the WBA Board and we thank him Officers & Board of Directors come with great curiosity and the professionals so much for his service to the OFFICERS 2020-2021 are reinvigorated with the spirit of ambitious board. Chair of the Board Chris Bernier Radio Plus, Marinette/ students. Mark will be recognized at Fond du Lac our WBA Summer Confer- I’m sure everyone will be excited to get together Vice Chair - TV, Chair Elect in person next year, but please know that this ence when we will also hold Don Vesely WMTV-TV, Madison elections for the Board at the year’s Student Seminar was a huge success. A Vice Chair - Radio heartfelt thank you to all our valued members annual membership meeting. Lupita Montoto La Movida WLMV Radio, (as professionals and sponsors) who made it Because of changes to the WBA Madison possible. bylaws, the members of the Strachota Treasurer current executive board have Jan Wade WISN-TV, Milwaukee Diversity Committee begins work served an extra eight months in their roles. We Secretary Your WBA Board recently established a Diversity also thank them very much for their service. Michael Wright Midwest Communications, Committee which met for the first time in Febru- Green Bay/Wausau The months ahead will be busy and exciting ary. You can read more about the group below. Immediate Past Chair for your WBA. Like you and your stations, we’re From the first meeting I can already tell you that Steve Lavin WBAY-TV, Green Bay committed to building back even better. We we’re extremely fortunate to have those who know that our strength comes from our mem- BOARD OF DIRECTORS volunteered to be a part of this group. They bers, and of course, that bodes well for you and Judson Beck WLAX-TV/WEUX-TV, each have their own experiences that will come your WBA! La Crosse/Eau Claire together to shape an effective and dynamic plan Brian Burns Morgan Murphy Media, Madison Paul Cameron The Family Radio Network, Group to address diversity in broadcasting Appleton Herb Cody QueenB Radio, Platteville A new committee within the WBA is forming to promote diverse voices within the WBA and broadcasting Sean Dwyer WXOW-TV, La Crosse in Wisconsin. Stevens Point The WBA Board of Directors voted last fall to Anna Engelhart WKOW-TV, Madison create the committee as described here: Aleese Fielder NRG Media-Wausau/ Stevens Point This committee will seek to expand the diver- Andy Gille Midwest Communications, sity of voices represented in conversations Green Bay about issues related to broadcasting in Wis- Dean Kallenbach Wisconsin Public Radio, consin. The primary focus will be on promot- Senior Regional Manager, Eau Claire ing diverse voices within the WBA through the Mike Smith WFRV-TV, Green Bay WBA committee structure, with a view toward Colleen Valkoun iHeartMedia, Milwaukee how those efforts will address systemic racism Jeff Welton Nautel, Hackett’s Cove, within broadcasting more broadly. Diversity Nova Scotia in all forms should be promoted, including, Ex Officio - NAB Board but not exclusive to, consideration of ethnicity, Tom Koser Koser Radio Group, Rice Lake sexual orientation, socio-economic back- ground, and physical and cognitive impair- ments. WBA Team The following nominees named to join the committee (left to right): President & CEO Michelle Vetterkind, CAE • Carina Abrego-Koch – Outreach Specialist, Wisconsin Public Radio, Green Bay [email protected] • Lyle Banks – VP and General Manager, WISC-TV, Madison NCSA/PEP Coordinator • Latonya Lucas – Marketing/Promotions Director, Milwaukee Radio Group Liz Boyd • Wendell Ray – Director of Radio Services, WRST-FM, Oshkosh [email protected] • Marcela Tapia – Creative Services and Promotions Manager, WEAU-TV, Eau Claire Director of Operations and Public • Miguel Villarreal – VP/Market Manager, Midwest Communications, Wausau Affairs Kyle Geissler The committee will be chaired by: [email protected] • Lupita Montoto - On Air Personality and Marketing Specialist, La Movida Radio, Madison • Jan Wade – General Manager, WISN-TV, Milwaukee WBA Board minutes are always available for members. Please email Kyle Geissler at [email protected] to request Montoto and Wade are members of the WBA Board and have been involved with the formation of the a copy. committee since its inception. The committee held its first meeting in February. 2 Wisconsin Broadcaster | wi-broadcasters.org Socializing returns to WBA Awards Gala in 2-night online event Nobody does an awards gala Stations participating in this year’s competition: like the Wisconsin Broad- CBS3 Duluth WISM FM Eau Claire WPVL FM Platteville casters Association.