NABEF Welcomes New BLT Class

The NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) announced today the new members of the 2012 Broadcast Leadership Training (BLT) program. Now in its 12th year, the 10-month, MBA-style program is dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of purchasing, owning, and operating radio and television stations to senior level broadcast executives who aspire to advance as group executives or station owners. To encourage diversity in broadcasting, NABEF offers fellowship opportunities to women and people of color.

Currently, a number of BLT graduates are in varying stages of station acquisition. Of the 183 graduates, 30 own or have owned stations, and more than 60 have moved up to senior management or larger markets. A number of BLT graduates are in varying stages of station acquisition. This year’s student roster includes:

The BLT program comprises weekend sessions held once a month for 10months at NAB’s headquarters. Sessions focus on the process of assessing, purchasing, owning and operating radio and television stations. Students will have the opportunity to network with session instructors, including broadcasters, FCC staff, communications attorneys and members of the banking community and academic faculty, while learning how to apply the skills taught in the program to real-world situations.

NABEF and BLT program founder Diane Sutter have tapped industry experts to serve as associate deans of the program. The 2012 associate deans are Dex Allen, CEO, California Communications; Anita Stephens-Graham, principle, Opportunity Capital Partners, Marc Jaromin, president, Roundtable Broadcasting; DuJuan McCoy, president and CEO, Bayou City Broadcasting; and Jeanette Tully, CEO, Aloha Station Trust. Diane Sutter will continue to serve as the program dean.

“This class maintains the high quality of participants that we have enjoyed having in previous years,” said Diane Sutter, program dean and founder and President and CEO of ShootingStar Broadcsating. “We are also excited to welcome two new sponsors, Cox Communications and Univision to our other great broadcast sponsors.”

Sponsors of the BLT program include NAB, Cox Communications, Hearst Foundations, Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, Legend Communications, Morgan Murphy Media, Roundtable Broadcasting, TDF and Univision. For additional program information, click here.