| Letter from the Editor |
Early in “It’s a Wonderful Life” Pa Bailey says to George, “You've got talent, son. You get yourself an education. Then get out of here.” In 2014, I want you to do just that. Get yourself an education and get better at doing your job. We’ll even pay for it!
In 2013 the MBA paid out a small percentage of our allotted funds for the Continuing Education Reimbursement Program. This “free” money can’t go to waste any longer. The Continuing Ed Program reimburses individuals at MBA member stations for the continuing education costs that stations just can’t afford to pay for any longer.
That means you can pay for webinar series, books, DVDs, CDs, college classes, whatever, and the MBA will send you a check for up to $500. This program, along with LocalBroadcastSales.com and our annual seminars at Sound Bites exhibits a firm commitment from the MBA Board of Directors in your future and the future of our industry.
Please, please, please take advantage.
The 2014 Continuing Education applications will be available in early January on our website. It’s really easy to use the program. Download the application, pay for your continuing education program, send us the application and a receipt and we cut you a check in return. If you have a question as to whether or not we’ll reimburse you, just call or email. We’ll gladly pre-approve your purchase.
Don’t let 2014 go by without making yourself better at your job. Programmers, sellers, managers, traffic personnel, engineers, the program is for you and it won’t cost you a thing.
Happy Holidays,
Jordan Walton
Executive Director |
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| Winter 2013 |
vol 1• No. 4 |
| In This Issue |
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| Sound Bites 2013 |
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Thanks for attending this year's Sound Bites 2013! We hope you had a blast mingling, learning and winning awards!
If you couldn't make it this year, here's what you missed. Awards were handed out to broadcast stations in eleven categories. The winners of the night in the Station of the Year category were WMRC-AM and WCVB-TV for radio and television, respectively. This is the second consecutive year that WMRC-AM has taken home this honor. WNBP-AM and WWLP-TV were runners up in the Station of the Year category.
Best On-Air Personality for radio went to WMAS-FM & WHLL-AM’s Kellogg Krew, and WSHM-TV’s Nick Morganelli for television. First place awards for best Public Service Campaign went to WQRC-FM for their work on “Cape Cod Broadcasting Falmouth Prevention Partnership Drug Take Back” and WCVB-TV for their “Grinch Stuff a Truck” campaign.
WCVB-TV was the night’s biggest winner with 5 first place awards. A complete list of winners can be found here.
Check out photos from the night on our website, or on our Facebook page!
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| Broadcasting Scholarship Winner Lands with The Sports Hub
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 Each year the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association gives out thousands of dollars in scholarships to the best and brightest college students in Massachusetts who are pursuing a broadcast related degree. In 2013, a former MBA Broadcasting Scholarship winner saw his career take a major step. A step into Boston.
Matthew McCarthy, who graduated from Ithaca College in 2013, won MBA scholarships in back to back years in 2011 and 2012. In July, McCarthy was proclaimed the winner of 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Search for Boston’s Next Weekend Co-host,” winning a weekend shift on the top-rated Boston sports station.
Mike Thomas, Vice President of Programming for CBS Radio Boston said that he felt that the Sports Hub had enough of a following to give this type of contest a try. The response was fantastic.
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| MBA Gives to the Broadcasters Foundation of America |
Each year, the Massachusetts Association of Broadcasters donates to the Broadcasters Foundation of America. The humanitarian mission of the Broadcasters Foundation is to give financial assistance to radio and television professionals who, because of debilitating illness, advanced age, or other tragic circumstances, are in acute financial need and can no longer provide for themselves or their family. Grant recipients are hard-working, dedicated broadcasters like you who had vibrant careers and productive lives, but are now destitute, unable to pay for necessary medications, or support themselves. The Broadcasters Foundation also provides emergency assistance, when necessary.
Currently, the Foundation is helping two Massachusetts broadcasters, and three more who have worked in Massachusetts. If you know a broadcaster who you think might qualify for a grant from the Broadcasters Foundation, please share this with them. You can get more information, or make a contribution, by visiting broadcastersfoundation.org. |
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| Advertising Tax Deductibility Challenge Looms in 2014 |
The New Year brings a laundry list of legislative issues facing Massachusetts broadcasters. The “usual suspects” are still present; retransmission consent, the television spectrum auction and reallocation and radio’s performance tax.
The biggest legislative fight for broadcasters in 2014, however, may not have anything to do with any of those issues.
Congressman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) have each introduced proposals that would drastically affect businesses ability to deduct advertising costs on their tax returns.
Camp, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced his proposal in late September which calls for businesses to take only a 50% deduction for advertising costs in any given year, with the remaining 50% amortized over the course of the following ten years.
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| Broadcasters in the Community |
| It’s the holiday season, and the MBA wants to know if your station did anything to give back to your community. Did you and your team collect food for a local food bank, raise funds for families in need, or come up with an original way to make someone’s holiday a little brighter? We want to hear from you! Send your station success stories along with any photos to Anne Everitt. |
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| New Member Benefits in 2014! |
| Exciting new things are coming to the MBA in 2014! Along with all the great member benefits we already provide, the MBA will be holding a Management Seminar in conjunction with the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters. Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page for all the information as it becomes available. |
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