WASHINGTON, DC-- The National Association of Broadcasters Joint Board of Directors held meetings in Washington, DC on June 15 and 16. Below is a summary of their actions.
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ACTIONS OF THE NAB BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JUNE 15-16, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC
JOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NAB Joint Board Chairman Steve Newberry, president and CEO of Commonwealth Broadcasting, called the meeting to order. After a call of the roll, the minutes of the January 2010 Board meeting were approved.
ELECTIONS
NAB Radio Board Vice Chair Caroline Beasley, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Beasley Broadcast Group, nominated Sen. Gordon Smith as NAB president and CEO. After the nomination was seconded, it was approved unanimously by the Board.
NAB Television Board First Vice Chair Lynn Beall, executive vice president of Gannett Broadcasting, nominated NAB Chief Operating and Financial Officer Janet McGregor as secretary/treasurer. After the nomination was seconded, it was approved unanimously by the Board.
NAB Television Board Chair Paul Karpowicz, president of Meredith Corporation, nominated Steve Newberry as joint board chairman. After the nomination was seconded, it was approved unanimously by the Board.
REPORTS FROM JOINT BOARD CHAIR AND PRESIDENT/CEO
Mr. Newberry and Sen. Smith updated the Board on association activities, including legislative and regulatory issues facing the broadcast business. Smith provided the Board with his insight on specific legislative and regulatory issues related to broadcasting, and detailed his vision for the future of NAB, stressing the importance of unity and prioritization.
Mr. Newberry recognized new members of the NAB Board of Directors, praised the return of CBS and FOX, and offered a special thanks to members of the executive committee - particularly NAB Radio Board Chairman Charles Warfield, president and COO of ICBC Broadcast Holdings; TV Board Network Representative Doug Kranwinkle, executive vice president of law for Univision Communications; and Lynn Beall - whose terms expire at the adjournment of the June meeting.
LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY ISSUES
NAB Executive Vice President of Government Relations Laurie Knight and NAB Executive Vice President of Legal & Regulatory Affairs Jane Mago briefed the Board on legislative and regulatory issues facing the broadcasting business, specifically RIAA-backed performance tax legislation, the National Broadband Plan and spectrum reallocation proposals, the DISCLOSE Act, media ownership, advertising, and the Telecom Act update.
FREE AIRTIME
NAB Executive Vice President of Media Relations Dennis Wharton briefed the Board on the importance of promoting stations' free political airtime initiatives.
BROADCAST INNOVATION
NAB Senior Vice President of Science & Technology Lynn Claudy briefed the Board on innovations in broadcasting and noted new developments that will allow broadcasters to complement their over-the-air signal with Web-based applications.
NAB SHOW UPDATE
NAB Executive Vice President of Conventions and Business Operations Chris Brown provided highlights from the 2010 NAB Show, and updated the Board on activities related to the 2011 NAB Show.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Janet McGregor updated the Board on financial matters.
NABPAC UPDATE
NAB Political Action Committee Chairman Larry Patrick updated the Board on NAB's fundraising efforts and encouraged members to contribute.
NAB EDUCATION FOUNDATION
NABEF President Marcellus Alexander provided highlights from the 2010 Service to America Celebration, and noted activities and initiatives of the NAB Education Foundation.
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TELEVISION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JUNE 15, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
Television Board Chairman Paul Karpowicz called the Television Board to order. After a call of the roll, minutes of the January 2010 Board meeting were approved.
ELECTIONS
Scott Blumenthal, executive vice president of Television for LIN Media, nominated Paul Karpowicz as chairman of the Television Board. After the nomination was seconded, it was approved unanimously by the Television Board.
Dispatch Broadcast Group Vice Chairman and CEO Michael Fiorile nominated Marci Burdick, senior vice president of Broadcast and Cable for Schurz Communications, as first vice chair of the Television Board. After the nomination was seconded, it was approved unanimously by the Television Board.
Ray Cole, president and COO of Citadel Communications, nominated Hearst Television President and CEO David Barrett as second vice chair of the Television Board. After the nomination was seconded, it was approved unanimously by the Television Board.
Mr. Karpowicz noted that Susan Fox, vice president of Disney Government Relations for The Walt Disney Company, will assume the designated network seat on the executive committee.
LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY ISSUES
Jane Mago, Laurie Knight, and NAB Chief Strategy Officer Chris Ornelas briefed the Television Board on policy initiatives including spectrum reallocation and retransmission consent. NAB Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications Michelle Lehman highlighted several advertisements placed to bolster NAB's advocacy efforts. Lynn Claudy noted the technical aspects regarding proposals to reallocate broadcast TV spectrum.
Laurie Knight and NAB Deputy General Counsel Ann Bobeck briefed the Television Board on legislation aimed at improving technology accessibility for disabled Americans.
Laurie Knight, Jane Mago and Ben Ivins, senior associate general counsel for NAB, briefed the board on the impact of recently enacted legislation, the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA).
Laurie Knight briefed the Television Board on the details of the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act.
TELEVISION MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES
Marcellus Alexander briefed the board on membership status and ongoing activities related to television. Board member Madelyn Bonnot Griffin, managing partner of National Communications, briefed the Board on the upcoming Small Market Television Exchange Sept. 23-25 in Scottsdale, Ariz. and encouraged members to attend.
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RADIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS JUNE 16, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
NAB Radio Board Chairman Charles Warfield called the meeting to order. After roll call the minutes of the January 2010 Board meeting were accepted.
ELECTIONS
Following a nomination from Ben Downs, vice president and general manager of Bryan Broadcasting Corporation, Caroline Beasley was elected Radio Board Chair by unanimous vote.
Following a nomination from Don Benson, president and CEO of Lincoln Financial Media, Rick Cummings, president of programming for Emmis Communications, was elected Radio Board First Vice Chairman by unanimous vote.
Following a nomination from Bill McElveen, vice president, South East Region for Citadel Broadcasting Corporation; Randy Gravley, president and CEO of Tri State Communications, was reelected Radio Board Second Vice Chairman by unanimous vote.
Following a nomination from Entercom Communications President and CEO David Field, Cumulus Media Chairman, CEO and President Lew Dickey was elected to the Radio Board's major group representative seat by unanimous vote.
LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY UPDATE
Gordon Smith and Laurie Knight provided the Radio Board with a detailed update on the status of several legislative issues including the performance tax and low power FM.
Jane Mago and Lynn Claudy provided an update regarding NAB initiatives to increase the adoption of FM radio receivers in cell phones and other mobile devices. Mago also updated the Radio Board on the status of petitions to reconsider FCC adoption of a power increase for HD Radio and AM radio on FM translators.
Jane Mago and Ann Bobeck updated the Radio Board on a recent memorandum of understanding related to tower lighting and migratory birds.
RADIO SHOW
NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David and Chris Brown updated the Board on initiatives related to the Radio Show, which will be jointly produced by NAB and the Radio Advertising Bureau.
RADIO MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES
John David briefed the Board on new members and activities related to the radio department.* * *
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.