An Electronic Publication of the National Association of Broadcasters

NAB President and CEO Spotlights Broadcasters' Vaccine Education Efforts in Senate Hearing

Last Thursday, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband at a hearing titled "Shot of Truth: Communicating Trusted Vaccine Information."

The hearing examined the role of the media in disseminating vaccine safety and COVID health related information to encourage Americans, particularly those in rural areas and in communities of color, to get vaccinated.

Smith highlighted the important work broadcasters have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to keep their communities safe, informed and connected in addition to broadcasters' efforts to fight misinformation about vaccines and shine a light on the facts.

"Despite facing major economic and physical challenges created by the pandemic, local broadcasters stepped up to provide their communities with accurate and timely information on COVID-19 on every platform - on air, online and through social media," said Smith in his prepared remarks.

"Now, as hope abounds and vaccines roll out across the nation, broadcasters are once again leading the way in serving the public. Stations are serving as critical partners to government agencies and the public health and medical communities to arm listeners and viewers with timely, accurate information about vaccines. We are helping Americans protect themselves and others by getting inoculated, and helping our nation reopen and return to normalcy - something we all desperately crave," said Smith.

Smith reminded senators that as Americans' most-trusted source for news, local radio and television stations understand their responsibility to deliver reliable, fact-based journalism and have demonstrated their indelible value. He also encouraged Congress to direct federal advertising dollars to broadcast stations which are the best message carriers to reach vulnerable populations where vaccine hesitancy is highest.

Click here to read Smith's full testimony.

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NAB Announces Leadership Transition

NAB President and CEO Gordon H. Smith announced his plans to transition to an advisory and advocacy role effective Dec. 31, 2021. Chief Operating Officer Curtis LeGeyt has been named the next president and CEO of NAB effective Jan. 1, 2022.

In a video message to members, Smith said, "It has been my great honor to give the lion's roar for broadcasters - those who run into the storm, those who stand firm in chaos to hear the voice of the people, those who hold to account the powerful - and to stand with those of the fourth estate who have the hearts of public servants."

NAB Board Election Results Announced

NAB has announced the results of the 2021 NAB Radio and Television Board elections. The two-year terms of the elected board members will begin in June 2021.

Charlyn Stanberry Joins NAB as Vice President of Government Relations

Charlyn Stanberry has joined NAB as vice president of Government Relations. Stanberry comes to NAB after serving as chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), for whom she previously served as legislative director and counsel. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of the District of Columbia where she teaches Foundation Civics and Ethics and Values.

NAB Show Premiere Continues

Join us on NAB Amplify for week two of NAB Show Premiere's highly anticipated product announcements now through April 23. NAB Amplify users will see top brands in media and entertainment offer exclusive education and demonstrations of the latest innovations to hit the market. Plus, the week is full of educational sessions and unique networking opportunities.

New at the NAB Blog: Foreign Sponsorship ID and Employee Tax Credit

Today on the NAB Blog, NAB Executive Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs Rick Kaplan writes about how now is not the time to burden broadcasters that have nothing to do with foreign government-sponsored content with foreign sponsorship ID rules.

Plus, don't miss last week's discussion of the employee retention tax credit and how this important COVID-19 relief initiative could help your business.

Crystal Radio Award Winners Announced

The 10 winners of the 34th annual NAB Crystal Radio Awards were announced last week during NAB Show Premiere, available exclusively on NAB Amplify. Since 1987, the NAB Crystal Radio Awards have recognized radio stations for their year-round commitment to community service. Five-time NAB Crystal Radio Award winning station WHUR-FM Washington, D.C., also received the esteemed Crystal Heritage Award during the special event. Only nine other stations have received this honor.

New Voices From the Field: Mariela Romero

Mariela Romero, regional community empowerment director with Univision Atlanta, Philadelphia and Raleigh, shares her personal journey in broadcasting and discusses the many ways Univision stations are helping educate Spanish speaking audiences about the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging communities to get vaccinated.

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The NAB Marconi Radio Awards nomination window will open soon. Open to NAB member stations across the country, the Marconi Radio Awards honor stations and individuals for their excellence and performance in radio over the past year. Visit nab.org/events to learn more about the award categories and entry requirements.

Become an NAB Broadcast Ambassador

NAB recently launched the Broadcast Ambassador Program, a new volunteer initiative designed to enhance communication between NAB and our member stations' employees at all levels to ensure stations are taking full advantage of the benefits that come with NAB membership.

Helping Stations Navigate the Pandemic

While new vaccines and their deployment are giving Americans hope of brighter days ahead, broadcasters continue to serve as a lifeline to communities during the pandemic.

NAB's Vaccine Toolkit is designed to share information and resources to help you create news reports, access public service announcements and other efforts to promote vaccination. The toolkit is continually updated with new information and resources as they become available, including:

• Public service tools from the Ad Council's "It's Up to You" campaign, including television and radio spots and digital resources.
• Talking points from the Department of Health and Human Services for help increasing vaccine confidence while reinforcing basic prevention measures.
• Updated nationwide research conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation regarding Americans' attitudes towards the vaccines, what information the public is seeking and the potential effectiveness of various educational messages.
• Information about "The Conversation: Between Us and For Us" - a new campaign sponsored by Greater Than COVID to reach Black audiences with specific vaccine education messaging.

Additionally, VaccineFinder.org is being updated by the CDC to help Americans find and sign up for vaccines in their communities.

NAB's toolkit will continue to be updated often as new research and information becomes available. It is free to all newsrooms and available in English and Spanish.

Spotlighting How Broadcasters Bring Critical News and Information to Their Communities

NAB regularly shares with members of Congress examples of how local broadcasters are providing their communities with the critical news and information they need most. America's broadcasters are working around the clock to bring the latest, most accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout to their viewers and listeners. Read more here. Broadcasters' efforts to bring factual vaccine information to their communities are also highlighted on WeAreBroadcasters.com/vaccine.

To help us continue to educate Congress on the important work of broadcasters, please air NAB's We Are Broadcasters spots, which showcase stations' important role in delivering critical news and information to your communities. Air them as often as possible and keep posting stories of your public service on social media to send a strong message to policymakers.

Don't forget to tag your social media posts with #WeAreBroadcasters or reach out to WeAreBroadcasters@nab.org so we can help amplify your station's work.

Latest Podcast: Marketron shares Digital Strategy Tips for Radio and Television

Todd Kalman, senior vice president of sales, Marketron, discusses creating organizational workflows, executing successful platform and product launches and utilizing effective performance trackers in this deep dive into how broadcasters can structure digital to maximize revenue potential.

ICYMI: Spotlight Series with Rep. Karen Bass

NAB recently hosted a live Q-and-A discussion with Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37), moderated by NBCUniversal's KNBC4 Los Angeles reporter Beverly White. This was the inaugural event for NAB's recently announced Spotlight Series, a series of virtual, exclusive events featuring members of Congress discussing key initiatives they are leading to advance diversity, equity and inclusion and their perspectives on broadcast media. NAB members can watch now for free, and stay tuned for the next Spotlight Series event.

Stay Connected with NABPAC

This Wednesday, April 21 at 4:30 p.m. ET, NABPAC will host special guest Sen. Jerry Moran (KS) at a complimentary virtual event for our NABPAC community. Click here to learn more and to find out how you can receive these complimentary invites. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Jenn Flemming at jflemming@nab.org.

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The First Time Manager Series provides you with the skills, tools and resources to navigate the transition, identify your leadership style and effectively lead a team with confidence. If you're interested in bundle pricing, please contact Senior Marketing and Events Manager Jessica Stevens.