2019 TAB Show Hits Record Numbers, Wins High Marks

posted on 8.12.2019

- Top Honors, Elections Results Unveiled

TAB’s Annual Convention and Trade Show Aug. 7-8 garnered high marks from a record crowd of delegates, vendors and sponsors gathering at downtown Austin’s JW Marriott for the industry’s largest state or regional meeting in the country. With 61 speakers, 35 sessions, and 137 exhibit booths to explore, Radio and TV broadcasters from throughout the state left with insights and strategies to grow their revenue, optimize their operations and help advertisers achieve their goals.

The show wrapped with a total of 1,464 registrants and is slated to return next year to the same venue July 29-30.

Headline speakers included FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, advertising guru and author Bob Hoffman, and The Swagger Institute’s Derron Steenbergen, each of whom earned plaudits for their respective insights into regulatory policy, broadcasting’s continued brand-building power for advertisers, and broadcast sales and business development.

Delegates also explored new digital opportunities for Radio and TV stations, the strength of traditional media in a cross-platform universe, strategies for recruiting top sales talent and market plans for launching ATSC 3.0.

On the technology side, engineers and IT teams took in multiple sessions on Next-Gen TV, physical plant planning, cost-saving transmitters and UPS systems, video and audio streaming, and FCC regulatory compliance.

And that’s just a snapshot of some of the offerings over the day and a half conference.

Top Honors, Board Elections
The closing Awards Gala paid tribute to the long careers and contributions to the Texas broadcast industry of five broadcast leaders.

Jackie Rutledge, who spent decades running TV stations in Abilene, San Antonio and Odessa-Midland, was named Pioneer of the Year, while the TV Broadcaster of the Year Award went to KXAN Austin’s Eric Lassberg, and Tania Moody, owner/operator of KLVT-AM Levelland was honored as Radio Broadcaster of the Year.

Longtime Tichenor Media engineer Dave Stewart, now co-owner of Radio stations in Lamesa and Wichita Falls, was tapped for the George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence, while Del Mar College broadcast professor Mac Aipperspach was honored with the Texas Association of Broadcast Educators’ Educator of the Year Award.

Results of the summer-long Board elections process were unveiled at the Annual Business Meeting, with the membership unanimously approving the 2019-2020 slate of officers:

Chairman – Gayle Kiger, KCEN-TV Waco
Vice Chairman – Mark Krieschen, Cox Media Group Houston
Treasurer – Mark Masepohl, Univision Media Dallas-Fort Worth
Secretary – Paul Gleiser, KTBB/KYZS/KRWR Tyler-Longview
Past Chair – Sarah Frazier, Entercom Houston

The following directors were selected by members in their respective market categories:

Large Market TV – Eric Lassberg, KXAN/KNVA/KBVO Austin
Other Market TV – David Candelaria, KTSM El Paso
TV At-Large – Brandy Sanchez, KAMR/KCIT/KCPN Amarillo
Large Market Radio – Tami Honesty, KBFB/KZMJ Dallas-Fort Worth
Medium Market Radio (2 Seats):

• Evan Armstrong, iHeart Media Waco
• Ben Downs, Bryan Broadcasting

Small Market Radio – Steve Eberhart, KGAF AM/FM Gainesville
Non-Commercial – Jerrod Knight, KETR Commerce
Retired/Pioneer – Mike Wenglar, KULP El Campo
Associate – Danielle Brower, Learfield IMG College

Questions? Contact TAB’s Oscar Rodriguez or call (512) 322-9944.

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