Vermont Association of Broadcasters 500A Dalton Drive

Colchester, VT 05446 (802) 655-5764

Email: vab@vab.org Website: www.vab.org

June, 2013

The VAB

Voice

FEMA PSA PROMPTS WAIVER

The FCC had to step in May 31

and grant a waiver to a new

FEMA PSA that includes an EAS

tone. The PSA, titled “Wireless

Alerts – Sounds in your Life,” was

produced and distributed by the

Ad Council as part of Hurricane

Preparedness Week. The EAS

tone appeared to be a violation

of FCC regulations prohibiting

false EAS tones.

Friday, after a number of broad-

casters raised concerns, FEMA

sought and was granted a one-

year waiver from the FCC, which

will allow stations to air the PSA

without fear of FCC fines. Broad-

casters were also reassured the

PSA will not trigger any EAS re-

ceivers.

SINCLAIR NOW IN TOP THREE

Annual revenue rankings of ma-

jor TV groups show Sinclair

Broadcasting is now in the top

three, behind only FOX and CBS.

Sinclair has been busy expand-

ing in recent years and now owns

112 stations. They jumped over

ABC/Disney and NBC in the

rankings compiled by TVNews-

Check and BIA/Kelsey. Groups

on the list with local holdings

include Hearst at #7 and Nexstar

at #16.

CLIO AWARD FOR BODETT

Tom Bodett of Dummerston, Ver-

mont has been the voice of Mo-

tel 6 for almost 30 years. A 1986

spot for the chain (“Just Listen”)

was inducted into the CLIO Hall

of Fame during the annual

awards gala in New York May 12.

Bodett, a longtime commentator

for NPR and frequent panelist on

NPR’s “Wait, Wait...Don’t Tell

Me,” will also serve as CCV’s

commencement speaker on June

1 at Norwich University’s Shapiro

Fieldhouse.

BIG TURNOUT FOR THE 58th ANNUAL VAB CONVENTION

DENNIS SNYDER HONORED AT CONVENTION

It’s hard to believe, but longtime Hall Radio Chief En-

gineer Dennis Snyder has retired from radio after

more than 50 years in the business. The VAB Hall of

Fame member has also served as VAB Treasurer

since 1981. After getting a standing ovation from the

large crowd at the convention, VAB President Eric

Michaels presented Dennis with a travel voucher as a

small ‘thank you’ for all the great work he has done.

More than 180 broadcasters from around Vermont converged on the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier May 16 for the VAB Convention.P1 Selling and pro-gramming whiz Fred Jacobs presented well-attended morning and afternoon seminars. Engineers were also in the spotlight as Don Haes presented RF train-ing in the morning and Rich Parker hosted a State EAS Plan roundtable in the afternoon.

Special guests at the Commercial of the Year lunch-eon included Gov. Peter Shumlin and Curtis LeGeyt, VP for Legislative Affairs for the NAB. More than 200 entries were received for this year’s Commercial of the Year contest. The list of winners is on page two.

Just two days after the end of the first year of the leg-islative session, Gov. Peter Shumlin addressed the crowd at the VAB Convention in Montpelier on May 16 at the Capitol Plaza. He touted some of the accom-plishments of the year and took the time to praise Ver-mont broadcasters for doing a great job helping to keep the public informed during times of emergency.

VAB ELECTS NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

There are a few changes on the VAB Board as a result of the elections held during the VAB convention. Tom Beardsley of the Radio Vermont Group returns to the board as the new Treasurer. Wally Caswell of Great Eastern Radio is the new Secretary, and Wendy Mays of Hall Communications is the new Member-at-Large.

Eric Michaels of WDEV will serve a full two-year term as President, with Alex Martin of WCAX-TV as the new Vice-President. Ken Kasz of ABC22/Fox44 will contin-ue to serve as Past-President. Candis Leopold and Dan Dubonnet of Hall Communications will serve as the VAB’s Legislative Liaisons. Good luck to all!

Left to Right: Tom Beardsley, Wally

Caswell, Alex Martin, Ken Kasz, Eric

Michaels and Wendy Mays.

Gov. Shumlin sums up the session

Dennis Snyder bids the VAB adieu.

P1 Selling Sales Seminar

Commercials for Westaff and Allen Pools and Spas were the win-

ners of the Best in Show awards announced May 16 at the Ver-

mont Association of Broadcasters annual convention in Montpel-

ier.

Mt. Mansfield Media of Colchester won the Best in Show award

for television for a Westaff commercial titled, “SH@! Bad Employ-

ees Do.” Mt. Mansfield also won the award for best produced

agency television commercial for another Westaff commercial,

“When Bad Employees Go Viral.”

Shadow Productions of Burlington won the Best in Show award

for radio for “Year End,” a commercial for Allen Pools and

Spas. Shadow Productions also won awards for Best Produced

Agency Television PSA, Best Copywriting for Agency Radio Com-

mercials and Most Creative Agency Radio Commercial.

WCAX-TV also won four awards, including Best Produced TV

PSA, Best Produced TV Promo, Best Produced TV Commercial

and Best TV Commercial Copywriting.

Middlebury radio station WVTK-FM collected three awards, in-

cluding Best Radio Commercial Copywriting, Most Creative Radio

Promo and Best Spec Spot Copywriting.

Other multiple winners included WPTZ-TV, WVNY/WFFF, the

Catamount Radio group in Rutland and McNaudio Media Solu-

tions.

More than 200 entries were received for this year’s competition

from radio and television stations and Vermont advertising agen-

cies. Judging was done by a panel assembled by the Champlain

College Communications Department.

VAB Commercial of the Year Awards Complete List

Agency Radio PSA

Best Copywriting: RetroMotion Media for “Wicked Spensive Gar-

age.” Client: GO VT.

Agency Radio Commercial

Best Copywriting: Shadow Productions for “Significant Other”

Client: Winooski Insurance.

Most Creative: Shadow Productions for “Recycling.” Client: Ver-

mont Toner Recharge.

Radio Station Spec Spot

Best Copywriting: WVTK-FM for “Car Issues.” Client: Boondock

Motors.

Radio Station PSA

Best Copywriting: WJJR-FM for “Catamount Radio 2012 Relay for

Life PSA.”

Radio Station Promo

Best Copywriting: WIXM-FM for “WIXM – Mix at the Mall.”

Best Produced: WSYB-AM for “Who Dunnit Promo.”

Most Creative: WVTK-FM for “Cash for Paws 2012.”

Radio Station Commercial

Best Copywriting: WVTK-FM for “Super Hero.” Client: Weybridge

Garage

Best Produced: WBTN-AM for “Septic Man.” Client: Aaron’s Sep-

tic and Drain

Most Creative: WCVT-FM for “The Commissioner.” Client: House-

needs.com.

Agency TV PSA

Best Produced: Shadow Productions for “Bar Graph.” Client:

11years.org.

Agency TV Commercial

Best Produced: Mt. Mansfield Media for “When Bad Employees

Go Viral.” Client: Westaff

Best Copywriting: McNaudio Media Solutions for “Silent Picture.”

Client: Kelley Sales and Service.

Most Creative: McNaudio Media Solutions for “The Carpaca-

lypse.” Client: Kelley Sales and Service.

TV Station PSA

Best Produced: WCAX-TV for “Special Olympics – Vermont Pen-

guin Plunge.”

Most Creative: WFFF-TV for “Distracted Driving.”

TV Station Promo

Best Copywriting: WPTZ-TV for “Comes Here First.”

Most Creative: WVNY-TV for “ABC Your Voice.”

Best Produced: WCAX-TV for “Darren Walk Talk.”

TV Station Commercial

Best Produced: WCAX-TV for “2012 Lending.” Client: Opportuni-

ties Credit Union.

Most Creative: WPTZ-TV for “Our Town Rutland.” Client: Casella.

Best Copywriting: WCAX-TV for “Larry Hibernates.” Client: Mat-

tress Depot.

Radio Best in Show

Shadow Productions for “Year End.” Client: Allen Pools and

Spas.

TV Best in Show

Mt. Mansfield Media for “SH@! Bad Employees Do.” Client:

Westaff.

Alex Ball of Shadow Productions

collects the Best in Show for Radio

award. (all photos by Jay Austin)

Alex Martin presents Best in Show

for TV award to Crystal Young of Mt.

Mansfield Media.

See the full credits for all of the winning entries at

www.vab.org/awards2013.htm

GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD FOOD AND GOOD INFO

AT THE VAB CONVENTION

AND THE AWARD GOES TO...

Ken Gilbert and Nicole Daigle of

WVTK-FM Ted Hollo of WBTN-AM Alex Martin presents the Best Radio PSA award to

Judy Anderson of WJJR-FM

Radio Vermont’s Amy McGovern accepts award for WCVT’s Fred Hill Alex Martin congratulates Ronnie Kohrt of WIXM-FM

Bruce Zeman and Nicole Daigle of WVTK Andy Gordon and James Henault of WCAX Brian Sumner of WPTZ

All photos by Jay Austin. See more photos at www.vab.og and full award credits at www.vab.org/awards2013.htm