Rehr Named NAB President
Washington, DC - Oct 20, 2005 - David Rehr has been selected as the new president of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). Rehr will begin his new post on Dec. 5, and at that time his predecessor, Eddie Fritts, will become a consultant to NAB, which will continue through April 2008.

Rehr is president of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA). Under his leadership, the NBWA climbed into the top 10 of Fortune Magazine's Power Rankings of the 25 most influential lobbying groups in Washington, DC. The NBWA Political Action Committee (NBWA PAC) has grown from a PAC that raised and spent a little more than $400,000 each election cycle, to nearly $3 million.

Rehr has a doctorate in economics from George Mason University. He was named a "Top Association Lobbyist" by The Hill multiple times, and has been featured in Beachum's Guide to Key Lobbyists.

SBE Swears in New Board and Officers, Presents Awards
Dallas - Oct 20, 2005 - The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) held its national meeting in conjunction with the Broadcast Engineering Expo (BEE) Regional Convention, sponsored by SBE Chapter 67, North Texas. During the event, the society inaugurated its new officers and board members for their new terms, presented awards to the national awards winners and inducted two new Fellows to the Society.

The new officers and board members are:
President: Chriss Scherer, CSRE CBNT, Radio magazine; Vice president: Clay Freinwald, CPBE, Entercom; Secretary: Vinny Lopez, CEV CBNT, WSYT/WNYS-TV; Treasurer: Barry Thomas, CPBE CBNT, Westwood One; Board of Directors: Jon Bennett, CPBE CBNT, Cox Radio-Richmond; Andrea Cummis, CBT CTO, American Desi TV; Dane Ericksen, P.E., CSRTE CBNT, Hammett and Edison; Ted Hand, CPBE, WGNT-TV; Hal Hostetler, CPBE, KVOA-TV; and Conrad Trautmann, CPBE, Westwood One.

During the awards banquet, the winners of the 2004 National Awards program were presented their plaques. A complete list of winners was reported in the Radio magazine Currents on Aug. 2. A complete list of the award recipients is available at this link. In addition, the society bestowed its membership honor of Fellow to Andy Butler, CPBE, of PBS, and Clay Freinwald, CPBE, of Entercom.

The 2006 SBE National Meeting will be held next fall in Verona, NY, during the Broadcast Technology Expo, which is sponsored by SBE Chapter 22 of Central New York.

SBE President Chriss Scherer (at the podium) presents some of the 2004 award recipients. Left to right: Keith Kintner, Awards Committee chairman; Tom McNicholl, SBE22 conference coordinator; Larry Wilkins, SBE118 chapter chairman; Vinny Lopez, SBE133 chapter liaison; Ted Hand, SBE54 frequency coordinator and webmaster; Bill Magglioco, SBE5 chapter chairman; Roswell Clark, author, best article or program; Steve Franco; SBE117 chapter chairman.

Business

WBOI Debuts HD Radio Multicast
Quincy, IL - Oct 21, 2005 - WBOI-FM in Fort Wayne, IN, began multicasting on a digital signal on Oct. 13. WBOI is broadcasting three audio program services to the same dial position: an NPR news and jazz format, a classical format and a new 24-hour jazz format. WBOI is using Broadcast Electronic's FMI 703 HD Radio transmitter with FXI 250 digital FM exciter high-level combined with a BE FM 30B transmitter into a shared antenna system. BE's IDI 20 data importer is providing the bandwidth scaling necessary to multicast the signals through one transmission system.

Sales Call Spanish language KSDO/AM 1130 in San Diego recently completed facility upgrade using a new Axia Livewire Audio Network based around Axia's Smartsurface controller. Three Lawo Zirkon 12-fader mixing consoles with visualization have been installed in Xi'an Peoples Radio in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province. Seven million people are fully covered by this radio station, the largest in the province. WHTA-FM Radio One of Atlanta, GA, is scheduled to receive its Wheatstone Generation System order, which consists of five Generations 4 16-fader control surfaces, four Generation 4 eight-fader control surfaces and one TOC Hub router. Harris Corporation's Broadcast Communications Division has helped rebuild WQRZ-FM, a low-power FM station serving Hancock County, MS, after Hurricane Katrina. Harris sent the station a Mackie VLZPRO mixer, a Denon 951FA CD player, microphones, headphones, wiring and cable. The company also sent a Harris Quest 1kW FM transmitter. The BBC has placed an order for a Solid State Logic C200 digital production console, which will be installed in the refurbished Radio Theatre within BBC Broadcasting House.

People

Dmarc Expands Sales Forces
Newport Beach, CA - Oct 20, 2005 - Dmarc has added four sales executives to its national staff. The new executives will each function as directors of regional advertising sales on a team headed by Drew Hilles. The four new employees are:

CEA Elects 2006 Board
Las Vegas - Oct 19, 2005 - The Consumer Electronics Association has elected its 2006 CEA Board of Industry Leaders at its annual meeting held in Las Vegas during CEA's 2005 Industry Forum. The CEA Board of Industry Leaders officially elects members of the CEA Executive Board, which governs CEA. Beyond determining CEA policies and managing the association's affairs, the Executive Board defines the qualifications, procedures and dues for membership and approves all applications for CEA membership.

The organization has elected Circuit City Chairman Alan McCullough, Best Buy Vice-Chairman Brad Anderson and Radio Shack Senior VP-Chief Merchandising Officer Jim Hamilton to its Board of Industry Leaders. Other new members of the board Stephen Baker, president, Denon; John Banks, president, Audio Center; James Bazet, president, Cobra Electronics; Greg Bosler, EVP – North America Profit Center, TCL/Thomson Electronics; Paul D'Arcy, executive vice president, Sanyo Fisher; David Epstein, president, Sound Solutions; John Godfrey, vice president, Government and Industry Affairs, Pioneer; Jeff Hipps, senior vice president, marketing, Sherwood America; Bob Law, senior vice president, Consumer Electronics Division, Sirius; Dr. Paul Liao, vice president and CTO, Matsushita Electronic Corporation of America and president, Panasonic Technologies Company; Keith Lehmann, vice president, Car Electronics Division, Kenwood; David Lorsch, president, DBL Distributing; James Minarik, president, Directed Electronics; Jay McLellan, president, Home Automation; Henry Muyshondt, general manager, Most Corporation; Mike O'Neal, president, Philips Accessories and Computer Peripherals; Larry Richenstein, president, Unwired Technologies; Sam Runco, CEO, Runco International; Grant Russell, president, Stratus; Paul Sabbah, vice president, business development, Techcraft Manufacturing; Brian Smith, vice president, Technology Policy and Standards, Philips Electronics; Ron Stone, director, DTS; Rich Tosi, president, Uniden; Skip West, president, MAXSA Innovations, LLC and Gary Yacoubian, president, Myer-Emco Audio Video.

Tannoy Hires Western Regional Sales Manager
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada - Oct 20, 2005 - Tannoy North America has hired Ivan Schwartz as western regional sales manager for the Kitchener-based company's commercial/professional product sector.

Ivan Schwartz, who will be based in the Seattle area, has been involved with various aspects of sound reinforcement since the late 1970s. He has worked in various positions including president, U.S. operations, for Digico; corporate director of product and market development with Mackie Designs; director of marketing at EAW; and general manager of Mark IV Pro Audio Group. Schwartz holds a BS in industrial technology from Western Washington University and is a member of the AES and IEEE.

NAB to Honor Three Nightly News Anchors at NAB2006
Washington, DC - Oct 17, 2005 - Former NBC Nightly News Anchor and Managing Editor Tom Brokaw, former CBS Evening News Anchor and Managing Editor Dan Rather, and Peter Jennings, the late ABC World News Tonight anchor and senior editor, will each receive the NAB Distinguished Service Award at the NAB spring convention in Las Vegas in April. The DSA award recognizes broadcasters who have made significant and lasting contributions to the broadcasting industry.

"Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather and Peter Jennings will be remembered as broadcast industry icons," said NAB President Edward Fritts. "They were on the front lines of history and were voices of authority in times of turmoil. It is a pleasure to recognize their valuable contribution to our nation with this year's DSA award."

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