NAB Show Guide For Station News Directors

Between the keynotes, panel sessions and exhibit floor, the agenda of the annual NAB Show can be almost overwhelming with opportunities for learning, buying and networking.

In advance of this year’s six-day gathering in Las Vegas that begins Sat., April 7, TVNewsCheck wants to help TV station news directors figure out what they’d most like to do and to see.

The NAB has revamped its schedule for industry awards and honors, eliminating the TV, radio and technology awards luncheons and creating two new events.

The first is a Monday night invitation-only dinner (April 9) at the Encore Las Vegas at which Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy will be inducted into the NAB Radio and Television Hall of Fame and the NAB Digital Leadership Award will be presented to Roger Keating, SVP of digital media at Hearst Television. You have to buy a ticket to get into the dinner.

The second — “We Are Broadcasters Celebration” — will take place Tuesday (3-4:15 p.m.) in the North Hall Main Stage in the Convention Center. Highlights will include the presentation of the TV Chairman’s Award to film and television actress and trailblazer Kristen Bell for her impact on the future of television; the recognition of 10 stations for their tremendous year-round commitment to community service with the Crystal Radio Awards; and the presentation of the Engineering Achievement Awards and Service to Broadcast Engineering Achievement Award to individuals for their outstanding contributions and accomplishments in the broadcast industry. Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Mark Aitken will receive the Television Engineering Achievement Award.

The North Hall Main Stage is a new venue, carved out of the NAB exhibit floor. It will also be where the opening sessionwill be held on its usual day (Monday) and time (9-10 a.m.). In years past, the opening session was held in the Westgate Hotel.

In addition to the presentation of the NAB Distinguished Service Award to Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America, the kick-off session will feature NAB President Gordon Smith’s state-of-the-industry speech and a keynote by Neal Mohan, chief product officer at YouTube.

We’ve poured through the online agenda and press releases and, with the help of NAB, have pulled out those happenings that may be of interest to news directors:

Saturday, April 7, 10:40–11:05 a.m. — SBE Ennes Workshop: Social Media Drives Local TV Viewership, N262-264 | The Ennes Workshops were created in 1991 by the Society of Broadcast Engineers through the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust to bring affordable education to members across the country. Speaker: Emily Stone, WTTG Washington.

Sunday, April 8, 9:05­–9:45 a.m. — Tradition in Transition: The State of the News Media, N262-264 | The Pew Research Center’s Michael Barthel shares its research on how Americans’ news habits have (and haven’t) changed as the media navigate the digital age.

Sunday, April 8, 10:40–11:20 a.m. — The Future of Local News, N262-264 | Join the discussion of the findings from the Knight Foundation’s project on the future of local TV news, news video, local TV news innovation and social media engagement and TV news audience. It includes a study of where local people get news on air, in print, online websites and social media and the interaction between social media and audience. Moderator: Bob Papper, Hofstra University. Panelists: Mark Neerman, KSNV Las Vegas news director; Elizabeth Osder, Lakana; Karen Rundlet, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Debra Wenger, University of Mississippi.

Sunday, April 8, 1:30–2:15 p.m. — News on Facebook: An Update from the Facebook Journalism Project, N262-264 | Learn about the Facebook Journalism Project, Facebook Watch and recent changes to the Facebook News Feed. Facebook’s News Partnerships team will share what you can expect and what Facebook is doing to help people see high quality, trusted news sources on Facebook. Presenters: Beth Loyd, Facebook; Josh Mabry, Facebook.

Monday, April 9, 1:30–2:50 p.m. — First Things First: Is the Press Still Free? N258 | Journalism can be a successful engine of democracy when facts can be reported objectively without fear or favor. Yet, we now hear public claims of “fake news” and, in some cases, the media is threatened with revised libel laws or the revocation of broadcast licenses. How should the media respond? Is freedom of the press being threatened or more expansive than ever before? Panelists include RTDNA Chairman Scott Libin.

Monday, April 9, 3:20–4:40 p.m. — Clickbait and Switch: Redefining the Media? N258 | The media landscape is evolving dramatically. Once dominated by traditional sources, it includes social media companies that compete with traditional outlets for attention and advertising dollars. The lines between outlets are not always clear. Does the technology platform matter when we consider who is “the media”? Should it? Who makes that determination?

Tuesday, April 10, 9–10:20 a.m. — The Business of Sports Radio, TV and Video, Keeping It Real: Delivering Live Programming to Today’s Sports Fans, N253 | The king of live television continues to be sports programming. This panel of leading programming and distribution executives from collage organizations, leagues and networks discuss how the profile of their loyal fans is changing and what each is doing to respond to the fans’ shifting behaviors. Moderator: Chris Ariens, Adweek. Speakers: Sheila Oliver, KMSP-WFTC Minneapolis; Lisa Borders, WNBA; Stephen Espinoza, Showtime Networks; Raul Gutierrez, T-Mobile Arena; Marshall Zelaznik, Glory Sports International.

Tuesday, April 10, 10:40–11 a.m. — The Use of Mesh Technology at the Edge of an IP-Based Wireless Newsgathering Network, N255 | This paper will provide a brief overview of Silvus Technologies’ mobile-networked multiple-input-multiple-output wireless IP mesh solutions and how they can be used for electronic newsgathering as well as for sports and high-end production. Real world examples will be given of how end-to-end IP systems are being used, and the advantages they provide the user over legacy newsgathering systems. Moderator: Michael Englehaupt, Graham Media Group. Presenter: Mark Tommey, Silvus Technologies.

Tuesday, April 10, 11:40–Noon — Advanced Newsgathering: Experiences from the Field (3 case studies), N255 | The way live news events are covered has evolved, bringing new demands on newsgathering equipment. To cover live news events, crews use mobile solutions to transmit video, voice & other services over a single multiservice communication link made possible through the growing use of IP. Hear how modern satellite technologies assist broadcasters daily. Moderator: Michael Englehaupt, Graham Media Group. Speakers: Hans Massart, Newtec; Sara Shepherd, BBC Newsgathering.

Tuesday, April 10, 1:30–2:50 p.m. — Crisis on the Strip: Reporting in an Unfolding Emergency, N256 | The panel will focus on the pivotal role broadcasters served in providing timely information to the public during the tragic shooting in Las Vegas in the fall of 2017. Panelists will discuss how broadcasters work alongside first responders to accurately and expeditiously gather and disseminate critical information to the public. The panel will also highlight how local law enforcement and broadcasters can prepare ahead of time to improve responsiveness in times of emergency. Panelists: Leo Baldwin, Alpha Media; Todd Brown, KVVU Las Vegas; Joe Lomabrdo, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

Wednesday, April 11, 3:20–4:40 p.m. — Law, Order & the Media: A Focus on American Movements, N258 | In its role as a gatekeeper of democracy, the media is often called upon to portray American social movements. Recently, there has been dialogue about subject sensitivity in portrayals of civil uprisings. Does subject sensitivity instigate claims of media bias or does it positively influence citizen interactions with law enforcement, lawmakers and the judiciary? Networking reception to follow. Panelists include RTDNA’s Dan Shelley.

In addition, TVNewsCheck invites you to attend our eighth annual Women in Technology Awards during the NAB Show. Receiving the Women in Technology Leadership Award will be Diane Tryneski, HBO’s tech EVP and chief digital officer. The winners of the Technology Women to Watch awards are Deborah Adeogba, director of news technology at Cox Media Group’s KIRO Seattle, and Jaclyn Pytlarz, a senior engineer for applied vision science at Dolby Laboratories in Sunnyvale, Calif. All three will be honored during on April 10 at 6 p.m. in Room N-243 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, email Samantha Cerminaro at [email protected].