IBA2023 “Local Broadcast: Discover Your Super Power!”

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23

5:30pm – President’s Reception

A great way to kick-off IBA2023 and meet this year’s special honorees before receiving their awards and network with colleagues and our IBA2023 presenters and panelists.

6:30pm – Chairman’s Dinner & Award Gala

IBA honors Melody Spann Cooper – IBA’s 2023 “Broadcaster of the Year,” Frank Whittaker – IBA’s 2023 “Chicago Broadcast Pioneer,” Max Armstrong – IBA’s 2023 “Downstate Broadcast Pioneer,” and our newest Vanguard Award honorees.
 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24

7:00am – “Legal, Legislative, and Regulatory Update Breakfast”

Join NAB lobbyist Charlyn Stanberry, IBA Attorney Don Craven, IBA Illinois Lobbyist John Bradley, and IBA’s FCC Attorney Scott Flick for this 1 hour and 45-minute breakfast to learn the latest on front-issues every station owner and General Manager needs to know.

9:00am – Bart Feder – “Fearless Innovation and Transformation”

Get ready for an interactive keynote that promises to explore broadcasting’s future opportunities as well as real world solutions to the current challenges of our business. The discussion will center on embracing innovation, driving transformation, leveraging localism, leading change, and taking risk.

10:00am – Power Panel – “Powering Today’s Pros and Tomorrow’s Super Stars!” 

A panel uniting the success secrets of today’s pros with the energy of student broadcasters on the rise. Learn more about what’s driving our future today. It’s a can’t miss session for all  attendees.

10:45am – Larry Rosin (Edison Research) – “Knowledge to Recharge Your Local Super Powers”

You will leave this session with super powers of your own because knowledge is power.  Understand the broad trends that are affecting the media landscape by attending this session that includes tracking data of the highest quality collected over decades.  While international players such as Amazon, Google/YouTube, Apple and Spotify are competing on one level, the data will show that the opportunity to connect with local consumers remains a huge advantage for broadcasters.

11:30am –  Hall of Fame Induction of Veteran Actor Jeff Perry

You may know Jeff  best at Cyrus Greene on TV’s Scandal, or Thatcher Grey on TV’s Grey’s Anatomy, or Harvey Leek on TV’s Nash Bridges, and most recently, Stanley Kornik on TV’s Alaska Daily. Don’t miss this native Illinoisan (Highland Park) and co-Founder of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre’s induction during Tuesday’s IBA’s Hall of Fame Luncheon.

1:15pm – Bart Feder – “How Good Managers Become Great Leaders”

What does it REALLY take to lead in business today?  This session will focus on 5 key components:  The difference between management and leadership, what it takes to create a shared vision, how to leverage emotional intelligence, how to strengthen listening skills, and the best ways to give and receive feedback.  Great take-aways for current and future managers and leaders.

2:30pm – Power Panel – “Promotions that Work (and Make Money!)

A panel of local broadcasters who understand programming and sales can both win with promotions (and the station can make money!) Get ready to take notes and make money!

3:45pm – Maria Kestner – “AI…Friend or Foe?”

Since the blockbuster launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, artificial intelligence, which has been around for many years, has become a polarizing topic in media and consumer circles. However, there are many incredible ways broadcasters can use it to their advantage to become more live, more local, and more relevant to their audience and advertisers. Maria Kestner from AI technology firm Futuri will cover ways you can take advantage of AI today to drive results.

5:00pm – “Silver Dome Awards Reception & Awards Presentation”

This year’s Silver Dome Awards gets a reboot! Instead of a sit-down dinner, expect a reception with heavy hordourves followed by the awarding of our 2023 Silver Dome awards. High energy Neuhoff (Decatur) radio  personality Terrence “TAT” Taylor returns as our energized host of this special evening, scheduled to end by 7:30pm allowing plenty of time for post-event celebration!

 Bart Feder is a certified executive coach, leadership consultant and a veteran of more than 40 years in media and journalism. A native New Yorker, Bart started his broadcasting career in his hometown as a news writer and editor at 1010 WINS Radio — which at the time was the most listened to news or talk station in the nation. TV news producing jobs in New York and Boston came next and were followed by news director assignments in Jacksonville, Sacramento, Boston and ultimately back home to New York’s WABC-TV. Bart saw the possibilities of on-line video before most, and in the early 2000’s left TV to lead a streaming video start-up called The FeedRoom – a company that managed the first on-line video applications for many major media companies, corporations, and government agencies. The next stop was CNN, where Bart was senior vice president of current programming, with oversight of primetime, mornings, daytime and long-form specials. But he couldn’t get local out of his system and in 2015 returned to broadcasting as the senior vice president of news for Tribune Media, where he oversaw news operations in 29 markets. While at Tribune Bart also served as general manager at WPIX in New York and continued in that role after the station’s acquisition by Scripps and until it’s sale in 2021.

Bart’s Sessions:

“Fearless Innovation and Transformation”

Get ready for an interactive keynote that promises to explore broadcasting’s future opportunities as well as real world solutions to the current challenges of our business. The discussion will center on embracing innovation, driving transformation, leveraging localism, leading change, and taking risk.

“How Good Managers Become Great Leaders”

What does it REALLY take to lead in business today?  This session will focus on 5 key components:  The difference between management and leadership, what it takes to create a shared vision, how to leverage emotional intelligence, how to strengthen listening skills, and the best ways to give and receive feedback.  Great take-aways for current and future managers and leaders.  

Larry Rosin is President of Edison Research, which he co-founded in 1994.  Since then he has been a primary force in building the company into one of the world’s most respected survey research companies, with a particular specialization in media and election polling.  Edison is best known as the company that performs Exit Polls for all U.S. Elections for the National Election Pool.  In addition, Edison is well known for its groundbreaking media research series “The Infinite Dial” which tracks developments in digital media, and “Share of Ear” which measures all audio usage in the U.S., among many other things. Rosin is a graduate of Princeton University where he majored in Public and International Affairs, and he received an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Larry’s Session:

“Knowledge to Recharge Your Local Super Powers”

You will leave this session with super powers of your own because knowledge is power.  Understand the broad trends that are affecting the media landscape by attending this session that includes tracking data of the highest quality collected over decades.  While international players such as Amazon, Google/YouTube, Apple and Spotify are competing on one level, the data will show that the opportunity to connect with local consumers remains a huge advantage for broadcasters.

Maria Kestner is a National Account Manager for Futuri Media. When she was young, her mom compared her to Katie Couric, saying she had the name and energy for TV news. Sporting her made-for-broadcast name (Maria Mazzotta), she joined her high school radio and TV broadcasting club and went on to host a Tuesday night radio show on the Denison University WDUB – The Doobie!

Turns out her passion for broadcast isn’t on-air, but instead behind the scenes! She has spent 16 years selling the #1 CBS affiliate in the United States (WHIO), the ACM award-winning K99.1 FM, and the newspaper on which Cox Media Group was founded. A two-time President’s Circle Award winner, Million Dollar Digital Seller and Cox Health Marketing team member, she’s joined the forces at Futuri Media to promote and support stations and media companies across the globe! Futuri Media is at the intersection of media, content, AI and technology and she’s thrilled to be at the center of it! 

Maria’s Session:

“AI… Friend or Foe?”

Since the blockbuster launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, artificial intelligence, which has been around for many years, has become a polarizing topic in media and consumer circles. However, there are many incredible ways broadcasters can use it to their advantage to become more live, more local, and more relevant to their audience and advertisers. Maria Kestner from AI technology firm Futuri will cover ways you can take advantage of AI today to drive results.

IBA-“U” will join IBA2023 in October 2023 at the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Normal, Illinois. Winners of the IBAcademics Student Silver Dome Awards will be announced as part of IBA2023. 

AGENDA

9:00 – 9:50 AM – FEARLESS INNOVATION AND TRANSFORMATION with Bart Feder

Get ready for an interactive keynote that promises to explore broadcasting’s future opportunities as well as real world solutions to the current challenges of our business. The discussion will center on embracing innovation, driving transformation, leveraging localism, leading change, and taking risk.

10:00 – 10:40 AM – POWERING TODAY’S PROS AND TOMORROW’S SUPER STARS moderated by Mike Hulvey of Neuhoff Media.

10:40 – 11:30 AM – MENTOR MATCHUP ROUNDTABLE EXERCISE will be facilitated by Jim Grimes, Loyola Univ. Chicago.

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM – HALL OF FAME LUNCHEON will include an acknowledgement of the Student Silver Dome contestants. 

1:15 – 2:15 PM – FROM DIPLOMA TO ADULTING—NAVIGATING YOUR FIRST JOB moderated by Nora Baldner, Quincy Univ. 

Book your group rate for IBA2023

Start Date: Monday, October 23, 2023
End Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Last Day to Book: Monday, October 9, 2023

Special group rate:
Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel & Conference Center for 144 USD per night

BOOK YOUR ROOM

Melody Spann Cooper is IBA’s 2023 “Broadcaster of the Year”

Melody Spann Cooper is Chair & CEO of Midway Broadcasting Corporation, Chicago’s only Black and female-owned broadcasting company. Its flagship station WVON is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year. The company’s assets also include a Spanish language station, WRLL and an OTT Digital Streaming Network, VONtv.

As a life-long Chicagoan, Spann Cooper serves on numerous professional and civic boards including as Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council for the Obama Presidential Center, and as Commissioner of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. She also serves as a trustee at the Museum of Science & Industry and at her alma mater, Loyola University. In 2019, Spann Cooper added “author” to her list of accomplishments with the release of her first book, The Girlfriend’s Guide to Closing the Deal. It is a semi-biographical book for women in business on how to tap into your innate power and purpose to get the deal done.

Frank Whittaker Named IBA’s 2023 “Chicago Broadcast Pioneer”

Frank Whittaker retired at the end of 2022 as Station Manager and Vice President of News for NBC 5 Chicago after working more than 46 years in three Chicago TV newsrooms. For the last 25 years he led the NBC Chicago newsroom, becoming the longest serving news director in Chicago television history.

Whittaker grew up in Wheaton, Illinois and attended Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Evanston. While a Medill student, Whittaker worked part-time on weekends at WBBM-TV (CBS) answering viewer calls and working the overnight assignment desk. His CBS bosses hired him full time following graduation. During his 16 years at WBBM, Whittaker worked as an assignment editor, news writer, associate producer, special projects producer and newscast producer, eventually producing the station’s top newscast at 10 p.m.

WLS-TV (ABC) hired Whittaker in 1993 to become executive producer of the station’s 10 p.m. newscast, and later assistant news director.

Whittaker joined NBC 5 in June, 1998 as News Director. He was promoted to Vice President of News in 1999, and added the title of Station Manager in 2008. He was responsible for leading the NBC 5 news department on broadcast and digital platforms, as well as other station projects. Under his leadership, NBC 5 expanded its investigative unit to become the largest in Chicago. The station also added hours of local news in the mornings, afternoons and weekends.

Whittaker won a Peabody Award in 2016 for his work on the Laquan McDonald investigation, which resulted in the resignation of the police superintendent and a Department of Justice investigation into the Chicago Police Department. He is the winner of five Chicago Emmy awards for his work on spot news coverage, media interactivity, and for producing half-hour specials on Mayor Harold Washington and Earth Day.

Max Armstrong Named IBA’s 2023 “W. Russell Withers Jr. Downstate Broadcast Pioneer”

Max recently retired as Broadcast Director of Farm Progress Companies, where for 14 years his programs were heard on dozens of radio stations across the country. Two decades of weekly syndicated farm television duties involved hosting “This Week In AgriBusiness” and “U.S. Farm Report.” Working with his long-time colleague Orion Samuelson, Max originated programs from every state in America and from more than 30 different nations, including countries as diverse as Chile, Vietnam, Cuba, Germany, Egypt and Algeria.

Max has received numerous awards including an “Oscar In Agriculture” for both radio and television work. He was recognized as the National Association of Farm Broadcasting “Farm Broadcaster of the Year” and was inducted into the N.A.F.B. Hall of Fame.  Max is also a past president of that group.

Armstrong is the only person to be recognized as an Honorary Master Farmer by both Prairie Farmer Magazine and Indiana Prairie Farmer. He has also been honored by the Purdue University Old Masters Program, the Purdue Agriculture Alumni Association, the National Agri-Marketing Association, the Chicago Farmers Club, the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association, to name a few.

Be a sponsor of IBA2023!
Sponsorships for breaks, meal functions, receptions, plus display ads in our commemorative program are all available of a first-come, first-serve basis!

List of Sponsorship Opportunities