Thomas Appointed Operations Manager for Clear Channel/Detroit

WGER/Saginaw Re-Brands and Names New PD

Format Change in Manistee

Listeners Respond: Morning Host Re-Hired in Ann Arbor

Phil Lamka Memorial Golf Outing Set For June 6

Your Opinion: What are the biggest challenges facing Michigan TV stations after the Digital Transition?
Share your opinion with fellow broadcasters throughout the state in this new MAB E-Newsletter feature. We'll publish answers to this question in our March issue plus present another question to broadcasters in Michigan.

Click here to submit your commments

First Law Enacted During Obama Presidency Favors Employees
by Benjamin Steffans, Butzel Long
On January 28, 2009 President Obama signed into law the first new statute enacted during his presidency: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act ("Fair Pay Act"). This new very employee-friendly statute nullifies Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., a pro-employer United States Supreme Court decision, and will apply retroactively as if enacted on May 28, 2007 to claims pending on or after that date.
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Radio Needs Your Help... Yes, You!
by Peter Smyth, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Greater Media, Inc.
It seems these days that Washington, D.C. is where the action is, where the decisions are being made that will hopefully snap us out of this economic storm that has been raging for months now. It's a story that gets played out nightly on your news chanel of choice.
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Understanding Digital Television Reception Problems
by Carl Sundberg, KMTR-TV (Eugene, ORE) Engineer
Without question, it's easier to receive the old analog TV channels than the new DTV channels. The reason is very easy to understand. If you are listening to drum beat where this is a very loud echo, you can count the beats easily as long as the beat is very slow. As the drum beats speed up, it gets hard and harder to tell if you are hearing the primary beat or the echo and at some point, that echo makes it impossible to be able to count the actual beats.
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House Announces Committee Leaders
House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-17th) has announced committee assignments for the 2009 - 2010 House Session. Seven House Democrats return to their chairmanships in the 95th Legislature and four Republicans will straddle both appropriations and policy work.
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Lawmakers and Broadcasters Connect in Lansing
MAB’s annual Legislative Reception, held Wednesday, February 11, has been hailed a great success by both members and lawmakers. More than 30 MAB members, 50 state lawmakers and their staff from around the state were able connect as they enjoyed the comfortable surroundings and fine Michigan-themed cuisine at the Lansing Radisson.
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Get the latest legal updates by reading the MAB Legislative & Legal Monitor!
The MAB Legislative & Legal Monitor is published as neccessary with the latest information important to broadcasters. Not receiving the monitor? Please email Dan Kelley at dkelley@michmab.com to sign up TODAY!

Past issues are available in the Members Only section of the MAB website. Click here to view the latest Legislative & Legal Monitors.

Broadcast Performance Royalty Bills Introduced
Both sides are lining up again to fight the battle over broadcast performance royalties. Legislation was recently introduced in Congress, HR 848, that would impose a performance royalty for the use of music on broadcast stations. This new fee, or “tax,” would be in addition to the royalties already being paid to ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, which are collected to compensate composers of music. The new “performance tax” would be paid to the performers of the music and the record companies.
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LPFM - Low Power FM Station Drop in's Threaten Reception
HR 1147 , "The Local Community Radio Act of 2009" was introduced on Feb. 24th. The bill would allow thousands of low power FM station to be licensed and would do away with the third adjacency protection rule. The bill quotes a statement made by the FCC claiming that "we are committed to creating a low-power FM radio service only if it does not cause unacceptable interference to existing radio service."
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MABF Announces 2009 High School and College Winners!
The MAB Foundation has annonced this year's winners of its High School and College Radio and Television Awards. See the entire list here.

WDBM Celebrates 20 Years
On Tuesday, February 24, Michigan State University's student-run radio station WDBM-FM celebrated its 20th Anniversary. WDBM has been voted College Radio Station of The Year by the MAB Foundation more than any other station.
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Michigan Radio Experiences Significant Audience Growth
The public radio service of the University of Michigan, Michigan Radio, has announced that it has experienced a 40% growth in total weekly audience in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Flint; and almost a 20% audience growth in the Lansing and Kalamazoo markets.
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WGVU Productions Receive Aurora Awards
WGVU Productions recently announced that four WGVU Productions have received honors from the 2009 Aurora Awards. The Aurora Awards are an independent film and video competition for commercials, cable programming, and documentaries, as well as industrial, instructional and corporate videos.
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"The Set List" Celebrates Its First Year on CMU Public Radio
CMU Public Radio's original program, "The Set List" (TSL), is celebrating one-year on the airwaves. The program, hosted and produced by Rick Westover (photo right), features a fusion of new music from independent labels and emerging local acts.
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A Member Service That Benefits Amber Alert
As an MAB member, you can discover insurance savings while also giving back to the Michigan Amber Alert Foundation. If you receive a car insurance quote from Liberty Mutual agent Marc Specter between now and June 30, 2009, Liberty Mutual will donate $10 to the Michigan Amber Alert Foundation. Purchase not required.
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Reminder: BCS Monthly Training
Broadcast Compliance Services (BCS) assists MAB member stations in meeting EEO outreach requirements through its broad outreach program enabling broadcasters to post and list job openings with thousands of contacts nationwide.

As part of this service, BCS offers monthly conference call training on a weekly basis. Click here for participant information and a schedule as well as complete information on this MAB member service.
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