2023 Starts with Full Agenda for Texas Broadcasters

posted on 1.03.2023

- Legislative Conference, News Awards, Scholarships

TAB is starting the New Year at full throttle with major events and programs to advocate for our policy interests at the Texas Legislature and Congress, recruit future broadcasters and recognize the very best of Texas’ broadcast journalism from the past year.

Legislative Day Conference Jan. 31

Registration is now open for TAB’s biennial legislative conference in Austin Jan. 31, with the highlight being face time and conversation with local lawmakers over lunch regarding policy agendas and community concerns.

TAB is pushing a suite of Open Government measures, including one to ensure journalists’ access to certain dates of birth records, and encouraging lawmakers to relieve business tax burdens in light of the state’s record $44 billion budget surplus.

Proposals that would legalize new gaming enterprises or restrict advertising opportunities top out TAB’s legislative interests.

Running from 10AM to 2PM, the event features in-depth policy briefings on TAB’s agenda, as well as major state issues that will dominate the session which opens Jan. 10 and concludes May 29.

Station owners, general managers and news directors’ personal involvement in the lobbying effort is critical to TAB’s success as lawmakers respond more readily to constituents, than lobbyists.

REGISTER FOR TAB’S LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

Public Service Research Project

Station responses are due Friday, Jan. 6, for TAB’s annual Public Service Research Project that documents the value of local broadcasters’ community service contributions of the past year.

Launched in 1998, this research has proved invaluable to TAB’s lobbying efforts in DC and Austin as we continually seek to convey the unique role broadcasters play in their local communities and the ever-evolving media ecosystem.

To date, TAB has documented nearly $6 billion in public service by stations, ranging from funds raised for charitable endeavors to in-depth community partnerships addressing profound human interest challenges.

The survey is completely electronic.

COMPLETE TAB 2022 PUBLIC SERVICE SURVEY

Texas Broadcast News Awards

The inaugural presentation last year of TAB’s Texas Broadcast News Awards was hugely successful, paving the way for the 2023 event slated for April 15 in Austin.

Entries are due Feb. 1 and must be submitted online.

TAB has recruited a panel of bilingual broadcasters, some retired and others working out of state, to ensure that English- and Spanish-language entries are assessed on an equal basis.

SUBMIT ENTRY FOR TEXAS BROADCAST NEWS AWARDS

Scholarships 

Students pursuing careers in broadcast marketing, engineering or journalism have until April 3 to apply for one of nine scholarships offered by the Texas Broadcast Education Foundation.

The scholarships include eight awards of $3,000, plus the $5,000 Ann Arnold Scholarship, and are open to students at a Texas college or university, including those interning for a local Radio or Television station.

APPLY FOR AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIPS

Stay tuned for upcoming announcements regarding the newly revamped online sales training platform TAB provides members and our ongoing “Rookie to Ready in Seven Weeks” program for new sellers.

Questions?  Contact TAB or call (512) 322-9944.

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