Greetings broadcast friends,
While we didn’t really get many April showers, we did plant lots of seeds for the future and it seems we also had a downpour of news, events and exciting opportunities for the KAB!
Most recently, KAB just had an extremely successful Student Broadcast & Sports Seminar on May 2 at Kauffman Stadium with nearly 250 attendees. The event celebrated the accomplishments of our Student Award winners and had a great line-up of speakers and panelists. Thank you to all who attended. It was truly a great day! Next up: Be sure to register by May 25 for the upcoming News Producer Training Camp that will take place in Wichita on June 6. Al Tompkins brings decades of experience and knowledge to pass on to our Kansas news producers.
The KAB awarded $13,000 in KAB Kids Scholarships this year, which is for college-bound children of full-time Kansas broadcasters. The awardees were announced on April 28. The full list of scholarship recipients can be found below. Congratulations to our recipients! We have budgeted an additional $20,000 for scholarships to current full-time college broadcast students in Kansas. The KAB Foundation Scholarship Committee will review applications and hold interviews with the student applicants later this month.
The KAB is currently focused on preserving AM radio in vehicles and hope you have taken time to reach out to Kansas members of Congress about the importance of radio in vehicles. Since the AM radio campaign was launched on April 17th, broadcast ambassadors have sent more than 125,000 emails to members of Congress asking them to keep AM radio in cars. And, I’m proud to report than more than 1,200 emails have been sent to our Kansas Senators and Representatives! Keep up the great work and keep pushing for the future of our industry. IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The new Kansas Media Hall of Fame at Stauffer-Flint Hall is set to have a ribbon cutting on May 19th at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. I think it is great that all KAB Hall of Fame members will now be on public display and we can show off so many phenomenal individuals who earned the highest honor from the KAB and helped pave the way and contribute so much to make Kansas broadcasting the successful and prominent power it is today!
Last, but certainly not least, WE DID IT! After months of hard work and advocating, the Kansas legislature passed a bill that allows local Kansas broadcasters to video stream all post-season high school events, regardless of exclusive agreements. And, unlike the past and current system, these broadcasts shall have no fees charged. The bill becomes law July 1st, but most changes will come after the current KSHSAA and NFHS contract concludes. A big thanks to all of you who wrote pro testimony and sent emails to legislators encouraging them to support our bill. Kansas is the first state in the nation to pass this open of an opportunity for local broadcasters to have a no-charge option to stream any and all post-season and championship games and events. #winning
May you have an exciting and prosperous month filled with growth and rejuvenation! Please contact our great staff at the KAB with any questions, ideas or concerns!
