My very first NAB Show was 1974 in Houston. I was working as a studio tech, director, announcer at KTVA-KBYR-KNIK in Anchorage. I asked our owner, Augie Hiebert if he would let me use the station NAB membership to register if I paid my own way and he agreed. I convinced my friend Larry Lauer, the afternoon radio guy at KFQD in Anchorage to go too and we had a great time.
The highlight: A Richard Nixon press conference. We arrived at the Houston Opera House early to make sure we'd get in. When Dan Rather was called on, the crowd applauded quite loudly. Mr. Nixon jokingly asked him if he was running for something. Mr. Rather replied, "No Mr. President, are you?"
I've attended many NAB Shows since then, learning more and more about our great business, but will never forget that first one in Houston. My second NAB, 1979 in Dallas, was memorable because of the NCAA Final Four with Larry Byrd vs. Magic Johnson. I loved watching Magic play and was so happy when Michigan State won it all on the second night of the conference. Oh, about the conference. I was working for Wometco's KVOS-TV at the time, and we purchased our first ENG packages at this conference to replace 16mm film. 2 Ikagami HL-79's, 3 Sony portable decks-I think they were BVU-50's and 4 Sony BVU-200'S. Good times. I love this business and will see you in Las Vegas.
The 1974 NAB Show, held in Houston. Photo courtesy of Jim Koonce.
– Jim Koonce | Yakima, Wash.
Jim Koonce is promotion/production director at KAPP KVEW TV, Morgan Murphy Media.
You were just glued to the screen. That song came on the radio. The best NAB Show you ever attended.
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