2025 Convention Schedule

Attitude Of A Champion Sales Professional with Aaron Davis

In a media landscape that’s constantly evolving, sales professionals in radio and television must do more than keep up—they must level up. In this high-energy, practical, and inspirational keynote, Aaron Davis—former national champion and award-winning speaker—equips broadcast sales pros with the mindset and tools to thrive in today’s competitive market. Aaron challenges attendees to consider the power of just a 1% improvement each day while helping them identify the barriers holding them back—and how to either change them or rise above them.

With a sharp focus on HPAs (High-Payoff Activities), Aaron demonstrates how top performers prioritize what truly drives sales results. He’ll inspire your team to become relentless in the face of rejection, reframing the word “no” as simply “not yet.” Aaron’s powerful message around mindset, daily learning, and consistent action will leave your team energized, focused, and ready to win!

Whether you’re selling a 30-second spot, a digital package, or a brand partnership, you’ll walk away with champion-level habits that drive results in the real world.

Location: Big Basin/Kaw Nation 

FCC Compliance for your Broadcast Facility with John George

The presentation will focus on John George’s years of experience as a broadcast engineer and ABIP Inspector. He will review the easy mistakes made in FCC filings and required record keeping for the broadcast facility, including EAS, tower lighting and the documents one should have their studio and transmitter sites.

Location: McDowell/Tuttle

Navigating AI in Sales: Benefits & Boundaries for Broadcasters with Claire Ferguson

Location: Flint Hills

FCC Update with David Oxenford and Char Stanberry

There is a new administration in Washington, not only in the White House, but also at the FCC.  Congress, too, has undergone significant change as a result of the 2024 election.  These changes have a significant impact on the legal and policy issues that broadcasters must navigate every day.  This session will examine these Washington issues of importance to broadcasters – and how the treatment of those issues will likely develop in the coming months.  Hot topics being dealt with by regulators and legislators will be discussed, and will likely include the composition of the FCC and Congress and what that means for regulation; possible changes to the FCC’s media ownership rules; the potential for more regulation of online media entities and how that may affect traditional media; the status of the AM For Every Vehicle Act and the ATSC 3.0 rollout; what rules might be affected by the Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding; the implications of the Administration’s rejection of DEI initiatives on the FCC’s EEO rules; the review of the FCC’s public interest standard; music licensing and other copyright issues; and many other matters under consideration in our nation’s capital. 

Location: Kings ABC

Personality-based Selling Techniques with Amanda Fontaine

“This Is the Way We’ve Always Done It”: Breaking Out of the Promotional Rut with Zeb Campbell

Stuck running the same promotions year after year? This session will show you how to spot when your programming has fallen into a rut and give you practical strategies to refresh contests, stunts, and benchmarks. Walk away with new ideas to keep your audience engaged and your team inspired.

Location: Flint Hills

Why worry about your air chain? with Mike Pappas

Over the past several years, Mike has reviewed AM and FM air chains, in large and small markets, and has found a plethora of problems. Not only do these problems negatively impact audio quality, they can affect Nielsen PPM encodability!

Air chains inevitably degrade over time, and there are many reasons. Equipment, formats, and other conditions change. Analog to digital conversions (or digital to analog) happen. “Stuff” may have been added to the air chain over the years, and you might not even be aware of its existence.

PPM encoding and EAS may have been inserted in less-than-ideal locations, and there’s also the issue of mic processing, mic selection and, of course, board operators. “But,” you say, “the air chain is working, so why should I worry about it?

This talk will address locating the problems, plan to resolve the problems and the actual resolution.

Location: McDowell/Tuttle

Round Tables with Local Sales Leaders

Join us for a dynamic Round Table session with local sales leaders as they dive into six of the hottest topics shaping broadcast sales today. This fast-paced, interactive format will give you practical insights, fresh strategies, and real-world solutions you can take back to your station. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from and connect with some of the best in the business.

Location: Alcove

Time Management: Doing More with Less with Amanda Fontaine

In today’s fast-paced broadcasting world, many professionals are wearing multiple hats, juggling overlapping roles, and facing tighter deadlines than ever before. As stations downsize or shift responsibilities, the challenge isn’t just getting it all done—it’s getting the right things done, with less time and fewer resources.

This interactive workshop will help you rethink how you manage your time, prioritize your tasks, and stay focused under pressure. Whether you’re producing content, managing a team, handling sales, or all of the above, you’ll leave with practical tools and strategies to maximize your productivity, protect your energy, and reduce burnout.

This session is designed for anyone in broadcasting who feels stretched thin—and is ready to take back control of their time

Location: Kings ABC

A Practical Approach to Broadcast Facility Cybersecurity with Wayne Pecena

Cybersecurity continues to be a priority and often a challenge for many broadcast engineers as cyber threats and tactics continue to evolve. Cybersecurity precautions must be implemented to protect the IP based broadcast plant to insure cybersafe and reliable operation. This presentation will provide an awareness of cybersecurity fundamentals and present a practical step-by-step cybersecurity implementation plan for the broadcast station.

Outline:

• Cyber Threat Introduction
• Cybersecurity Principals & Standards
• Cybersecurity Mitigations Steps
• Closing Thoughts & Resources

Location: McDowell/Tuttle