Mid-Atlantic Broadcasters Conference Registration Open

Registration for our June 8-9 conference is open and we are already getting a great response from our members!  Please note:  This year, all registrations will be processed at the Broadcast House.  You can either download a copy of the registration form from our website or call the NJBA office 1-888-657-2346 and request a copy.  Please make sure to book your room at Trump Plaza for our conference by May 17, 2010 to take advantage of our special reduced room rate. Be an NJBA “Early Bird” and register/book by May 10^th and be eligible to enter a drawing for a special prize to be awarded at our Beach Party Opening Reception on Tuesday night.  It’s gonna be fun! Simply click https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=2500996 to make your reservations on online or call 1-800-677-7378 and mention the NJBA Conference. This year’s conference will be jam-packed with super speakers, great educational seminars, wild prizes, and a fun filled Awards Luncheon featuring our Best of the Best winners and many notable policy makers and industry leaders. Check out our schedule of activities on our web site www.njba.com  and make sure you get “tuned in” for this must attend event by registering early for all of your activity selections today.  

Valli, Nicholson, Sarandon, DeVito, Les Paul and More Now in New Jersey Hall of Fame

Last Sunday, the Garden State was celebrated in extraordinary fashion when Bruce Springsteen introduced Danny DeVito into New Jersey's Hall of Fame. DeVito said the Jersey influence runs through all of his work. Then the two teamed up to perform "Glory Days" in tribute to their home state. Actors Jack Nicholson (a Neptune native) and Susan Sarandon, author Judy Blume and 10 other prominent New Jerseyans were also inducted into the New Jersey Hall in Newark on Sunday. Nicholson, a devout Los Angeles Lakers fan, skipped a playoff game to attend.  Rounding out the class were Olympian Carl Lewis; architect Michael Graves; singer Frankie Valli; astronaut Wally Schirra; musicians Les Paul and Count Basie; author Philip Roth; former President Woodrow Wilson; former Supreme Court Justice William Brennan; baseball player Larry Doby; and women's rights advocate Alice Paul. NJBA President Paul Rotella shared a few laughs backstage with Governor Christie, both of whom are big fans of the Boss. The Gov did pretty good too, receiving an original Gibson Les Paul guitar from the legendary artist’s son, both of whom are NJ natives. “Where else can you go and see the Jersey Boys and the Boss perform and extol their love for their native state…and perform, for a little more than what you would pay for the movies? This is what makes Jersey so great!” said Rotella, who commended former Football Giant Bart Oats, who serves as Chairman of the Hall of Fame, and Executive Director Don Jay Smith, for the best event that has ever celebrated New Jersey! Special thanks to NJ 101.5,Gary Gellman and Eric Johnson for their contributions to the event.  The NJBA congratulates our prestigious Hall of Fame and the 2010 class for an extraordinary evening and all of their stellar accomplishments. 

Peter Smyth Looks to the Future of Broadcasters

Radio is in danger of walling itself off from the new Internet-based competition that has emerged”, says Peter Smyth. The Greater Media CEO’s latest “Corner Office” essay for May expounds on the industry’s need for “new blood.” Peter says “we need new thinkers on our staffs who will challenge the traditional truths…and find ways to co-opt and learn from our competition, rather than avoiding and ignoring it.” He says it’s “time to question everything.” But, as we decide to post for an opening, I want us to consider not just the need that we have today, but also the long-term contribution that these new recruits must make to the radio business.  Peter says stations should take advantage of the new blood and new ideas that our industry demands to reformulate itself for the future.  “We need recruits who are not only high-charging doers, but also thinkers who are driven to re-imagine our industry.”

Future of Broadcasting Summit a Success

And speaking about the future of broadcasters, the 22nd annual “Future of Broadcasting” summit was held at an undisclosed location in the Garden State this week, bringing many of the country’s most prominent and influential industry leaders, past, present, and future, together once again to share their views on world events, and such. This year, an extraordinary number of very special awards were presented by the Mayor (who oversees the diverse assemblage) to many in the august group of attendees.  In grand tradition, this unofficial shindig of legendary broadcasters, entertainers and celebrities will go down as an unqualified success and the NJBA is grateful to be a new member of this wonderful select commission.

Free EEO Webinar May 11^th for NJBA Members

The NJBA is providing its members with the opportunity to participate in a special EEO Webcast hosted by the MAB with Davis, Wright, Tremaine’s Brendan Holland on May 11^th, from 1PM-3PM. The Webcast is free to all paid NJBA members and may be accessed by contacting Mary@njba.com for authorization pass codes to view this informative presentation.  This paid NJBA member benefit will highlight and detail the FCC’s current Equal Employment Opportunity rules.  This session will provide a primer on the FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity rules, including the outreach required for the opening of jobs at the stations, the non-vacancy related activities that stations should be engaging in, and the recordkeeping requirements to make sure you keep all the necessary documents to support what the station did.  The goal of the session is to refresh your understanding of the rules, provide insight into the FCC’s enforcement and guidance in the past few years, and highlight some common pitfalls.  Please take advantage of this free member benefit and join us on May 11th for this informative session. Printed materials will be provided to all attendees who register by May 10th.

NJ Senators Call for Reform in Midst of Oil Spill

New Jersey’s Senators have filed legislation that would make firms found responsible for oil spills have to pay a lot more in economic damages. Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez want to raise the liability cap for economic damages from $75 million to $10 billion. Under current law, responsible parties must pay all cleanup costs but aren’t required to pay more than $75 million to help economies in affected areas return to normal, the senators said in a statement.

The Trenton Report: From the Marcus Group 

Radio Wars! The battles over the state budget moved from the hallways of Trenton to the airwaves of New Jersey. Interest groups who feel they will be harmed by Governor Christie's proposed budget cuts and the Governor himself, through the Republican State Committee, have hit the airwaves with commercials advocating their points of view. Look for more paid ads on the broadcast media as the budget battles escalate, up against a hard June 30 deadline to adopt a state budget. And, a new legislative impasse has developed in Trenton over Governor Christie’s nomination of Anne Murray Patterson to replace Justice John Wallace on the State Supreme Court. Interestingly enough, for the first time in our state’s history, a majority of the New Jersey Supreme Court Justices will be women. But, Senate President Steve Sweeney has pledged to not allow the nominee to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. With no Senate action on the horizon, Justice Wallace must leave the Court on May 22. Chief Justice Stuart Rabner is permitted to fill that vacancy on a case by case basis by temporarily assigning a sitting Judge or a retired Judge to fill in as an Associate Justice.

New Jersey Engineer Petitions FCC to Increase AM Power

Radio Broadcast Engineer Richard F. Arsenault has filed two petitions with FCC requesting significant power increases for AM radio. The Garden State activist’ most recent petition  addresses the serious interference issues for AM radio that have developed over the last couple decades from new technologies such as computers, digital devices, fluorescent lighting and virtually all other electronic devices.   All of these devices have increased the sum amount of interference to the reception of AM radio to the point of near uselessness in many areas were AM stations once provided adequate service. The primary factor limiting reception of AM radio during daytime hours is no longer interference between stations, but interference from electronic devices and power lines.  The sources of electromagnetic interference are part of our current lifestyle and will only continue to increase with each new technology.  New Jersey radio broadcasters generally have lower powered stations and/or reduced coverage areas due to short-spacing when compared to other stations in New York City, Philadelphia and even in neighboring states.   Rich believes the only solution to this matter is to permit virtually every AM station in the United States the option of participating in a substantial across the board power increase.  Adoption of a substantial power increase option for AM stations would allow AM stations to penetrate virtually every remote area, break through all but the worst interference and fill most AM radio dials with numerous selections of strong stations instead of limited choices lost in static. Higher powered operation will also deliver improved AM radio service to remote areas that are not adequately served due to variables such as distance or mountainous terrain. None of the participating stations would lose coverage as co-channel and adjacent channel stations that elect to maximize power would NOT see any change in their interference ratios, but all participating stations would dramatically improve overall coverage by improving the ratios between the desired radio signals and the undesired electronic interference. The NJBA has forwarded a letter of support for such increases in AM power to the FCC and supports his intuitive provided no existing NJ radio station is harmed from any resultant interference.  A full copy of both petitions filed with the FCC are available for review on his website: http://www.radio-broadcast-engineer.com 

Broadcasters Air Gripes With Political Ad Bill   

Television station owners are mobilizing against a new Democratic campaign finance bill that would force them to slash prices for many political advertisements.  This according to Matthew Murray of CQ-Roll Call. The National Association of Broadcasters confirmed late last week that it will oppose provisions of the DISCLOSE Act, an attempt by House and Senate Democrats — and a handful of House Republicans — to roll back elements of the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The bill would require television, cable and radio outlets to offer the Republican National Committee, the Democratic National Committee and other political party committees the same deeply discounted price — the “lowest unit rate,” in industry jargon — that television stations are now required to offer only to political candidates. Consultants who specialize in purchasing airtime for political campaigns were split on what the bill may mean for TV station owners. While political committees may pay lower prices, media buyers say the bill could force members, their challengers and open-seat candidates to cough up more dough for their televised spots. With demand ultimately setting a commercial’s price, a post-Citizens United influx of advertising dollars may inflate the already-discounted rate.   “When you get to prime time, there are only a certain number of breaks, and [stations] don’t want to put four political [ads] back to back,” a consultant said. “Groups could come in and suck up all of the time and set the lowest unit rate.”

Just When You Thought it Was Safe to Go Surfing Again

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has outlined plans to regulate broadband services under the rules that apply to phone and cable lines, clearing the way to impose Net neutrality standards. In response a recent federal court ruling that cast doubt on the agency's authority, the FCC said Genachowski would set "meaningful boundaries to guard against regulatory overreach." The Net will now be re-classified as a “utility”. The moral of the lesson? In Washington, where there is a will to regulate, there is always a way to regulate. QuickNews Question: Is anyone paying too little to the electric, gas or water utility companies? Stay tuned.

Deadline for Streaming Royalties Payment is May 15^th

Copyright Royalties for Internet Streaming are due by May 15. Webcasters, including radio stations simulcasting their programming on the Web, must pay the monthly royalty fee to SoundExchange for music streamed by the webcaster during the month ending March 31, 2010, by this date and report the songs they streamed.

Our Thoughts and Prayers

The NJBA extends its condolences to our friend and Board Member Art Camiolo and his family this week. Art’s family was beset by two particularly sad and unfortunate events over the weekend when Art’s Mother-in-Law, and then his Mom, both passed away. Especially with Mother’s Day around the corner, this sad news is very hard to bear and the NJBA sends our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Art and his family at this very difficult time. We pray for God’s grace, mercy, and healing touch at this terrible time of sorrow for Art and his Family.

The NJBA wishes all of our Moms, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers a very happy and healthy Mother’s Day! They say that no one will ever love you like your mom, so please don’t forget her, today and every day, because she’ll never forget you!