KBA'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JUNE 24, 2021

ADVOCACY ALERT

PLEASE ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL RADIO FREEDOM ACT

We have received very credible information that a new performance tax bill pushed by former Rep. Joe Crowley and MusicFirst will be introduced soon - as early as this week. Broadcasters across the country are working hard on getting to 218 Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA) cosponsors in the House, but it is imperative to hit harder than ever and get as many as we can NOW.

First, we would like to thank the following Kentucky Members of Congress who have already signed on to co-sponsor the Local Radio Freedom Act.

Rep. James Comer

Rep. Brett Guthrie

Rep. Thomas Massie

Rep. Hall Rogers

Secondly, we are asking for your assistance in encouraging Rep. Andy Barr and Rep. John Yarmuth to sign on to the LRFA. Please copy and paste the letter below to the following telecomm staff email addresses.

Rep. Andy Barr

Matthew.Jackson@mail.house.gov

Rep. John Yarmuth

erica.dicio@mail.house.gov

Rep. Andy Barr

Rep. John Yarmuth

Recently, advocates for a performance tax have made clear that they intend to seek legislation that would achieve their goal. We expect such a bill to be introduced in the House soon, and encourage you to oppose this legislation, as we and the National Association of Broadcasters will.

As you know, local radio broadcasters in Kentucky provide a great free service, both to your constituents who tune in as well as to the artists for whom they provide exposure. This free promotion is worth more than $2.4 billion annually to performers and their record labels. Local radio not only continued this promotion during the pandemic over the last year and three months, but also provided invaluable information and other content for their communities, at a time many were fighting to keep their own lights on.

A performance tax would financially cripple Kentucky's local radio stations, harming the millions of listeners who rely on local radio for news, emergency information, weather updates and entertainment every day. Recognizing the promotional value of free radio airplay, Congress has repeatedly rejected the record labels' attempts to impose a harmful performance tax on local radio stations. In fact, last Congress’s performance tax bills had exactly one sponsor in each chamber, with no cosponsors joining. Compare that to the majority of the Members of the House who cosponsor the bill to keep local radio free and oppose a performance tax each Congress.

We urge you to support your local radio broadcasters and oppose any bill that would impose a devastating performance tax on them. Thank you for your support.

Signed,

[Your name]

[Your title]

[Your station]

[Your City]

RAB'S LEADERSHIP MASTERCLASS

NEXT CLASS BEGINS JULY 8TH

KBA's first Leadership Masterclass has concluded and a couple of the participants join RAB's Jeff Schmidt, in the video above, to give you some perspective on their experience.

The next Leadership Masterclass begins on July 8th with very limited seating.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT NOW

LEGACY DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING

NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY JULY 9TH

KBA's Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Legacy Awards. The awards will be presented as part of the Excellence In Broadcasting Awards ceremony on Monday, September 20th at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro. The deadline to submit a Legacy nomination is July 9, 2021.

KBA LEGACY AWARDS:

Al Temple Award

Kentucky Mic Hall of Fame Award

J.T. Whitlock Life Service Award

Ralph Gabbard Distinguished Kentuckian Award

To submit an online nomination and learn more about each award, please click the link below.

LEGACY NOMINATION FORM

QUARTERLY ISSUES/PROGRAMS LIST

MUST BE UPLOADED BY JULY 10TH

Quarterly Issues/Programs Lists are required for all full-power radio and TV stations (including Class A TV stations), both commercial and noncommercial. These Lists are the only documents required by the FCC to demonstrate how a broadcast station served the needs and interests of its community of license, as required by the Communications Act. These Lists show how a station operated in the public interest. They can be reviewed by the FCC at any time and, in the last decade, the failure to maintain these Lists has led to more fines on broadcasters than for any other violation. Click here for more.

NEW JOBS POSTED ON KBA.ORG

LEARN HOW TO POST YOUR OWN JOB OPENING

Your membership in the KBA grants you access to numerous and valuable member services, including the ability to post your job openings directly on KBA's website at kba.org.

Below are a few of the most recent job openings that have been posted. Click on the title to find out more.

Office Manger / Bookkeeper

Assistant News Director

Corporate Support Manger

Broadcast Engineer

To add a job posting:

Log into your KBA Info Hub by clicking here.
After logging in, click on JOBS on the left hand menu.
Then click ADD in the upper right hand corner.
Finally, complete the simple job posting form.

If you need assistance logging into your KBA Info Hub, please reach out to Amber at amber@kba.org or by calling (502) 848-0426.

JEFF SCHMIDT'S SALES TIP OF THE WEEK

I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO PAY WITH MY WRIST

My son, Carver, is the last of the Millennials - born in 2000. At 21, he has quite the personality and he exhibits many of the traits of the typical Millennial.

Last week, he announced that he wanted to start banking where I bank. After 7 years at the local credit union, he wanted to move. I asked him what prompted this decision. “I just want to be able to pay with my wrist; I can’t wait to do that. Also, being able to deposit check by taking a picture.”

In a word: Technology. If you own a business and you’re hoping to attract Millennials and others even younger, you must maintain your technological edge. It’s no longer a “wish list” item, it’s a “must have.” Carver was disappointed in the local credit union’s mobile app and on-line banking experience. At the same time, he also wanted a physical location which he could walk into and talk to real people.

It’s an interesting dichotomy with Millennials. They must have the latest high tech, but they are also ‘high touch.’ They like the relationship-building aspect of doing business.

Running a business is becoming increasingly more difficult. As a trusted resource to your clients, when was the last time you gave them a technology audit? Have a Millennial look at your client’s website, mobile app, and physical store. You might be surprised at what you learn. The advice you give could really help your client maintain their competitive advantage.

Research from Forbes.com which shows what the majority of Millennials say they want:

Work/Life Balance tops the list for most Millennials - PLAY (89%)
Constant feedback & recognition - PRAISE (80%)
Meaning & connection at work - PURPOSE (50%)
Faster Career progression - PERSONAL GROWTH (50%)

If you’re hiring Millennials, those are important considerations. Similarly, if you’re trying to sell to Millennials, they are a purpose-driven generation that thrives on technology.

It seems like a juxtaposition; technology and personal touch. For Carver, it was the two most important criteria for choosing his new bank. Are your clients high-tech and high-touch?

What can you do to help them?

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development at the Radio Advertising Bureau. You can also connect with him by email JSchmidt@rab.com or on Twitter and LinkedIn.