CBS affiliate meeting set for May 31-June 1 in Las Vegas

The 2006 General Conference of CBS Television Network Affiliates will be held Wednesday, May 31, and Thursday, June 1, at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

The activities will begin Wednesday at 8 a.m. with the CBS Television Network Affiliates Association Board of Directors closed meeting in Da Vinci 1. At 8:30 there is a CBS Affiliates Sales Council meeting in Da Vinci 2.

At 10:30 a.m. in Raphael 2 & 3 the entire affiliate body convenes in a closed session chaired by Doreen Wade, vice president and general manager, WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla., and president of Freedom Broadcasting Inc., and chair of the CBS Television Network Affiliates Association.

Peter Schruth and Doreen Wade will welcome the affiliates to the first business session at 2 p.m. on Wednesday in Tower Ballroom #5.

Leslie Moonves will open the meeting, addressing the affiliates on the state of CBS Corp.

Nina Tassler, president, CBS Entertainment, will then present the new schedule for the 2006-07 season (2-4 p.m.).

A reception for all those attending the conference, including station executives and owners representing more than 200 affiliates around the country, begins at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Bellagio’s Grand Patio & Monet.

At the Thursday morning business session in Tower Ballroom #5 (8:45-11:45 a.m.), the affiliates will hear from the following:

Sean McManus, president, CBS News and Sports, and Tony Petitti, executive vice president and executive producer, CBS Sports, will report on the lineup of events that are part of the Network’s package of sports franchises, including Super Bowl XLI in February 2007.

Marty Franks, CBS Corp. executive vice president, planning, policy and government relations, and John Orlando, senior vice president, Washington, will cover Washington-related issues.

George Schweitzer, president, CBS Marketing Group, and Ron Scalera, executive vice president and creative director, CBS Marketing Group, will present CBS’s multi-platform advertising, promotion and marketing campaign for the new season.

Larry Kramer, president, CBS Digital Media, will showcase the division’s innovative and industry-leading new media projects.

Gil Schwartz, executive vice president, communications, CBS Corp., will deliver his perspective on CBS media relations and communications activities.

McManus will return to the podium to provide an update on the portfolio of CBS News broadcasts and report on the division’s worldwide activities.

A closed session, chaired by Doreen Wade and Leslie Moonves, is scheduled to begin at 11:45a.m. in Tower Ballroom #5 to discuss business items of mutual interest to the affiliates and the network.

Katie Couric, who will become anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News With Katie Couric beginning in September, contribute to 60 Minutes and anchor CBS News primetime specials, will address the affiliate body during Thursday’s lunch in Monet  (12:15-2 p.m.).

The meeting is scheduled to conclude at 2 p.m.