Month: January 2023

Phil Hurley

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2015 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2015)

Phil Hurley personifies what it means to be a “Local Broadcaster.” In his distinguished 30+ year career, he personally has been involved in building multiple television stations from the ground up and making them community service leaders.

Hurley attended Austin College in Sherman on an academic scholarship and subsequently earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1971.

He entered the business world with Southwestern Bell Telephone in 1971 and held several top management positions with the company before joining Interfirst Bank in Tyler in 1979 where A.W. “Dub” Riter asked him to build a marketing department. He served as Senior Vice President for five years.

“I spent a lot of time with financial statements and in lending and learned exactly what it takes to run a business from that standpoint,” Hurley said.

“Dub Riter also taught me the value of community, of participating in it…those things you don’t necessarily get a check for.”

He entered the broadcast industry in 1983 with the ABC affiliate in Tyler (KLTV-TV) and served as General Manager until 1986 when he left to form the Lone Star Broadcasting Company, the owner of Tyler’s NBC affiliate.

He organized and built KETK-TV and KLSB-TV in Tyler and Nacogdoches and sold these stations to Max Media in 1997, remaining with the stations through 2000.

Hurley left Texas in 2001 to serve as President for Max Media of Montana, a group of four ABC stations and one NBC station.

But the Lone Star State was his true home and Hurley returned in 2003 to manage the Nexstar Broadcasting Group’s NBC affiliate in Beaumont.

In 2004, Hurley rejoined the Max Media family as President and General Manager of Max Media of Texas.

In addition to KETK/KLSB-TV, Hurley managed KFXK-TV Longview (Fox), KLPN-TV Longview (UPN) and KWTL-TV Tyler (Warner).

In 2004, Hurley signed on the air with KYTX-TV Tyler-Longview, adding a CBS affiliate to the market. CBS 19 became the first station in the region to broadcast in High Definition.

He subsequently sold the station to London Broadcasting Company in February 2008 and joined LBC as EVP/COO, overseeing the operations of all of LBC’s television properties.

London Broadcasting grew to 12 stations in five Texas markets representing all four major English language networks. Dallas-based LBC also created production company, 41 Entertainment, and BE Music & Entertainment, a musical artist management firm. He eventually added independent station KTXD-TV Dallas to the fold.

As Hurley described it, LBC was to be a multi-dimensional entertainment and broadcasting company concentrating on Texas television broadcasting and Texas music. The company’s motto was “Texas born. Texas proud. We are Texas.”

He built out digital networks, added original programming and introduced HD broadcasting and multi-cast channels to stations in several markets, including local news at the Bryan-College Station property and additional news offerings at the Abilene and San Angelo stations.

Gannett purchased London Broadcasting Company in July 2014. Gannett President Dave Lougee, asked Hurley to stay on as EVP for the Gannett Lone Star Group.

Throughout his career, Hurley has been a leading advocate for TAB and its efforts to shape legislative and regulatory policy for local television and radio stations in Austin and Washington, DC.

His advocacy for TAB has inspired the managers at the group’s stations throughout the state to follow in his footsteps, helping the organization secure key support from state and federal lawmakers for TAB’s policy initiatives and giving top priority to TAB’s NCSA campaigns advancing the well-being of all Texans.

Hurley continues to motivate the stations under his command to be stewards of their communities. The stations routinely contribute air-time, news coverage and hands-on support for local job fairs, food banks and other non-profit agencies addressing local needs. Under his leadership, his stations can lay claim to providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in community and public service annually.

Additionally, Hurley has launched the careers of literally hundreds of broadcasters across the state of Texas.

As a mentor, his colleagues say he is always available, consistently on point, motivating, instructional and skillful at pushing them to reach new heights.

In a time of rapid change in the broadcast industry, Hurley has demonstrated that the passion, innovation and leadership that built the industry continue to shape its future and strengthen local communities throughout Texas.

Phil Hurley

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Tom Ehlmann

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2014 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2014)

TAB’s Broadcaster of the Year Award honors someone who has made significant industry contributions, especially in the past year.

This year’s award winner is a passionate leader who always has an eye on strengthening not only his station, but also the broadcast industry.

Tom Ehlmann

Tom Ehlmann has been a familiar face in Texas broadcasting since the 1980s, where he represented many Texas television stations as the manager of the TeleRep office in St. Louis, MO. 

He served as vice-president and general manager of Tribune’s KHWB-TV Houston from 1998-2004.

From there he was promoted to the Tribune flagship station, WGN-TV in Chicago, where he also served as VP/GM from 2004-2008.

Ehlmann returned to Texas in 2008 to run KXAS-TV Dallas-Fort Worth and helped to later complete the transition from GE to Comcast ownership of NBC and KXAS-TV. 

In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of NBC5/KXAS-TV and NBCDFW.COM.

KXAS-TV was the first TV station in Texas, signing on (as WBAP-TV) in 1948.

In November 2013, after 65 years in its original facility, the station moved 18 miles to the center of Dallas-Fort Worth into a newly constructed, state-of-the-art building unlike any other TV station in the country.

Mindful of its role in the history of the city and state, Ehlmann negotiated a transfer of the historic station site to the City of Fort Worth with provisions that allowed the station to remain firmly within the city limits.

Ehlmann sought out the best ideas from all his employees, making sure they all had a voice in creating the “station of the future.”

Producers and directors designed the news control room for speed-to-air in breaking news situations.
Photographers designed proximity to lockers, trucks and launch pads. 

Building a station from scratch takes attention to detail, but moving in while staying on the air the entire time takes great planning and organizational skills. 

He sustained the project planning through an ownership change while maintaining the station’s heralded commitment to local news, including the production of a comprehensive mobile app chronicling the Kennedy assassination in observance of the event’s 50th anniversary.

A champion of journalism

Ehlmann helped assemble a nationally award-winning investigative team at NBC5.

In 2013 the Investigative Team won a National Edward R. Murrow Award for “Driven to Distraction,” a seven month long investigation that revealed serious crashes, injuries and deaths caused by police officers distracted by technology, such as computers and smart phones.

The series led to significant policy changes at two of the largest police departments in Texas.

The station also now has the state’s largest weather department, with six staff meteorologists and a network of community based MMJ’s.

Giving back

In addition to his efforts at KXAS-TV, Ehlmann is active in the market and keeps his station committed to serving the community. 

In 2012, the DFW chapter of American Women in Media recognized Ehlmann as General Manager of the Year.
Ehlmann has served several terms on the TAB Board of Directors and led TAB delegations to advocate on industry issues before Texas members of Congress.

He also helped plan TAB Conventions, assisted in the development of key TAB member services and has been a strong supporter of  TAB’s Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcement program.

Ehlmann was a Boys Club member when he was a child, and continues his participation as an active past Board Member in both the Houston and Dallas Boys & Girls Clubs. 

He has also been involved with Junior Achievement, Muscular Dystrophy Association, the NBCU Foundation Community Affairs Council and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT).

“Throughout his career, Tom Ehlmann’s contributions have strengthened our industry, expanded economic opportunity and advanced broadcasters’ unique role in building local communities,” said TAB President Oscar Rodriguez.

“He embodies the finest traditions of our industry and is most deserving of TAB’s Broadcaster of the Year Award.”

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Mike Wright

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2013 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2013)

TAB’s Broadcaster of the Year Award honors someone who has made a commitment to excellence over the past year and is an example to others in broadcasting, as well as to his own community.

Mike Wright, general manager of KBTX-TV Bryan-College Station, will celebrate 41 years in the broadcast industry in August 2013.

Mike Wright

If you ask him, he’s looking forward to many more.

His career in broadcasting began at a very young age. Wright found his love for broadcasting at the age of 11, as he worked the turntables at a local radio station KBUS in Mexia.

He joined KBTX in 1991 as national sales manager and soon became co-anchor of “Brazos Valley This Morning,” one of the station’s top-rated newscasts. Wright took over the GM’s office in 2003 and hasn’t looked back.

Each week in the department manager meeting he asks, “What will you do today that will make KBTX better than it was yesterday?”

“Mike exemplifies leadership. He demonstrated to his staff that the only way to become an exceptional station is to do exceptional things,” said Ben Downs, general manager of Bryan Broadcasting.

Station Innovation

KBTX-TV has seen many accomplishments this past year, all due in part to Wright’s leadership and vision.  In June 2012, KBTX-TV aired its first newscast in a new, state-of-the-art facility. Wright helped Gray Television engineers to plan a complete reconstruction of the newsroom and the studio.

The effort he put into the project has made history in Gray Television. KBTX-TV is the only local television station within the company to fully  “shop local” and use a local top-quality construction company on a studio redesign.

In July 2012, Wright led the rebrand of KBTX-TV’s second tier station, The CW, to CW8 Aggieland.

He created a promotions team and social media team to aide in the launch of the rebrand. Since then, CW8 Aggieland has seen a steady increase in both viewership and revenue.

He has turned CW8 into a place for local viewers to find local content, including replays of Texas A&M football, the SEC Game of the Week and local high school football games which start airing this fall, something not already available in the DMA.

Just recently, KBTX-TV was awarded 27 Texas Associated Press Awards, including the TAPB Award for Overall Excellence in Television.

The station also earned its first regional Edward R. Murrow award, Newscast of the Year from the Headliners Club of Austin and two Lone Star Emmys.

Giving Back

Wright continues to lead with four defining statements he developed for the staff to operate by each and every day:  “I trust KBTX.  KBTX does not waste my time. KBTX is easy to watch and easy to do business with.  KBTX cares about the community and about my family.”

Wright has led by example regarding each of these defining statements. Above all, he understands that community involvement is vital to personal and professional growth.

One of the most significant ways KBTX Media contributes to the community is through their annual “Food for Families” food drive.
It’s the largest fundraiser for the Brazos Valley Food Bank, raising 203,000 pounds of food and $175,000 in 2012 alone.

“Mike has a genuine interest in our community and consistently finds meaningful ways to use that interest to better the citizens here,” said Royce Hickman, President/CEO of the Brazos Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Wright encourages each employee at KBTX-TV to be involved in the community one way or another, be it serving on a board, being a member of a service organization, coaching a little league team or volunteering at the local food bank.

Wright also hosts a segment during First News at 4, known as the “Wright Response.”

Each week, he addresses viewers’ emails and comments regarding the station’s news coverage or other community issues. The questions and comments range from viewers thanking the news team for covering a certain topic, to viewers complaining about the outfit a news anchor wore on the 10 pm news. Regardless, Wright responds to them.

In fact, he responds to EVERY email or call he receives from a viewer, good or bad; he wants them to know that KBTX is listening and cares. He also encourages his staff to embrace the station’s initiatives and create unique relationships with viewers.

“Our radio stations have worked together [with KBTX] in a cooperative effort on many community projects. When we schedule a forum with local candidates, we assume Mike’s station will be there streaming the video on the KBTX website,” Downs said.
“Mike’s leadership shows his staff that competition stops when it comes to serving our community.”

While his position as general manager keeps him pretty busy, Wright also keeps his hand in radio…his first “true love.”

For the past 22 years, he has called the play-by-play for A&M Consolidated High School football, dedicating each Friday night to the team and their fans. 

This “hobby” has resulted in Wright receiving first place awards for his play-by-play from Texas AP off and on for eight years. His commitment to not only his broadcasting and management career, but also to his community and staff at KBTX-TV, is unmatched. Each day he strives to make the next day better for the staff, the community and the station.

Wright is a graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Bethany, have 12-year old twins, Macy and Mason.

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John Barger

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2012 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2012)

TAB’s Broadcaster of the Year award was created in 1986 to honor someone who has made a commitment to excellence over the past year and is an example to others in broadcasting.

This year there’s no one more deserving of this award than the man who 25 years ago conceived it – John Barger.

John Barger

In 2012, the Radio Music Licensing Committee announced they had reached new, industry-wide licensing deals with BMI and ASCAP.

John Barger chaired the RMLC’s Negotiating and Litigation Committees during the three-year effort that will cut the radio industry’s royalty bill by nearly $1.2 billion over the life of the two contracts.

That’s a reduction in excess of $100,000,000 for Texas radio broadcasters.

Under these agreements, radio broadcasters gain expanded digital rights coverage to accommodate the growing emphasis on new media platforms like websites, smartphones and tablets.

And because the industry has overpaid the organizations in 2010 and 2011 under the interim rate set by the courts, Texas radio stations are expected to enjoy more than $12,000,000 in combined credits.

Ever the over-achiever, John Barger simultaneously took a signal-challenged AM station – KAHL in San Antonio – coupled it with an 81-watt FM translator at 103.7 FM and created an entertainment-information source targeting listeners over the age of 65.

Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Lou Rawls and Percy Faith are all alive, well, and greatly appreciated at KAHL, along with Julio Iglesias, Michael Buble and others.

Barger is living proof that you can still find a niche in broadcasting, serve it well, attract a viable audience for advertisers AND be profitable – even if your tools are limited.

A storied career

Barger began his broadcast career in 1958 as a DJ at WTAW-AM Bryan College Station.

In 1960, he moved to Austin to join KNOW-AM, as the city’s top-rated afternoon-drive personality, while earning his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Texas.

He twice worked for legendary Texas broadcaster Gordon McLendon, first as program director of WYSL in Buffalo and later as general counsel of the broadcast and theatre divisions in Dallas. 

Sandwiched between the two McLendon affiliations was a two-year stint with the Executive Office of the President (Lyndon Johnson), as Senior Regional Field Representative in Austin. 

In 1970, he became manager of KRLD-AM Dallas-Fort Worth and also produced NFL broadcasts for the Dallas Cowboys.

Co-founder of Clear Channel Communications and developer of the news-talk radio format in Texas, Barger’s nearly 40 years of radio operations in San Antonio began in 1975, including management and ownership at differing times of WOAI-AM, KAJA-FM, KONO-AM/FM, KAHL-AM, KRIO-FM, KBBT-FM, and KMFR-FM.

Barger is respected as much for his personal career as he is for his tireless and ongoing contributions to the broadcast industry in Texas and across the nation.

He is a former director of the National Association of Broadcasters, having chaired the organization’s AM on FM Task Force which successfully lobbied the FCC to permit the use of FM translators to improve AM signal coverage. 

He and engineering colleague John Furr organized the Class A Broadcasters Association and successfully lobbied the FCC to double the power for FM Class A stations nation-wide.

Barger served as TAB’s Chairman in 1987, at a critical time for the organization. 

TAB had just lost its long-time executive director (Bonner McLane) to a heart attack, and then State Comptroller Bob Bullock was recommending that Texas follow Florida’s lead and adopt a tax on advertising.

Barger kept the organization going.

He hired TAB’s first lobbyist, led a nationwide search for a new executive director (current TAB President Ann Arnold), revitalized the annual convention and restarted the engineering conference.

He also created the Broadcaster of the Year Award to honor someone who had made a real impact on the industry in the past year.

Even after completing his term as chairman, Barger has continued to play a key role in every TAB initiative and has always made a point of being involved in politics.

He entered into broadcast brokerage in 1988 with Barger Broadcast Services and has since donated thousands of dollars to help TAB underwrite the cost of the Annual Convention & Trade Show.

TAB named him Pioneer of the Year in 1997.

Barger still owns KAHL AM and FM in San Antonio, and with his partner Cindy Cox has a five-station group in Victoria.

And he continues to set the standard for excellence in broadcasting.

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Terry London

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2011 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2011)

TAB’s Broadcaster of the Year formed his company in 2007 with the vision to acquire or create multiple media and entertainment companies all within the state of Texas.

In less than four years, Terry has done exactly that…and much more.

Terry London

Born in Stillwater, Okla., he grew up in Oklahoma and North Texas.

London graduated from Oklahoma State University with a BS in Mathematics in 1971.

In 1973, he received his MS in Accounting.

From 1973-1978, London worked at the Oklahoma City office of KPMG, focusing on media, manufacturing and banking companies.

In 1978, he began his 23-year career with the Gaylord family.

Gaylord Entertainment, based in Nashville, was created as a diversified media and entertainment company.

The company had ownership or interests in such properties as TNN: The Nashville Network, CMT: Country Music Television, the world famous Grand Ole Opry, the Gaylord Hotels, the Opryland Theme Park, as well as several major market television stations (including KTVT Dallas-Fort Worth and KHTV Houston), radio stations, movie and television production companies.

London started as controller of The Oklahoma Publishing Company, became CFO of Gaylord Entertainment in 1991 at the date of the initial public offering, executive vice president in 1996 and president & CEO in 1997.

That same year, Gaylord Entertainment sold TNN and CMT to Viacom for $1.6 billion.

He left Gaylord in 2000, ready to build a business of his own.

London chooses Texas

London Broadcasting’s first station was KYTX-TV Tyler-Longview.

London said he focused on Texas because living in Dallas, he wanted to either drive or fly no longer than an hour and half from his home.
But more importantly, he recognized that Texas was the fastest growing state in the South with 19 DMAs.

There was an opportunity to build a station group and never leave the state.

London saw Texas as ripe for a broadcasting group dedicated to serving local communities and building on music, fishing and hunting.
Having grown up in a small community, London had a real appreciation and respect for small and medium markets.

“The future belongs to those who serve the local communities and are willing to be creative and adaptive. There is no better way to reach our communities than local television,” London said.

“Terry has made it possible to still develop a company that maintains real honest work values and where it is still ‘fun’ to come to work,” said longtime Texas broadcaster Phil Hurley, who joined London in 2008 as chief operating officer.

London encourages future broadcasters to be committed to their communities and employees while always looking for better ways to entertain and inform.

He is always willing to take a chance and embrace technological advances.

Many of London’s employees describe him as a truly humble person who genuinely cares about people.

“Terry London has made a difference in all of the media and entertainment companies he guides,” said Gayle Kiger, general manager of KCEN-TV/KAGS Waco.

“His attitude shows in London Broadcasting’s statements, including words like, Sincere…Caring…Real…Bold…and Excellent,” Kiger said.

London continues to diversify with 41 Entertainment, a film and TV production company, as well as Troubadour Texas, a 22-episode docu-reality TV series following the lives of singers and songwriters chasing their dreams.

He also recently launched B-E Music, a music publishing company that will cultivate Texas-grown musical talent.

London Broadcasting has co-sponsored TAB’s Legislative Day for the past two years and he believes it is important for all his station managers to participate in the association.

“No one can do it alone. A strong TAB will only strengthen all broadcasters.”

He has served on the boards of the Texas Rangers, Cencom Cable (now part of Charter Communications), Bass Pro Shops, Pier 1 Imports and Johnson Outdoors, Inc.

He also has served on numerous civic and industry boards including the Country Music Association, the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, the American Diabetes Association and the BellSouth Senior Golf Classic at Opryland.

Terry London’s stations will continue to grow and evolve and make a positive difference in the communities they serve and the great state of Texas.

The motto London chose for his company embodies the spirit of TAB’s Broadcaster of the Year Award – “London Broadcasting…Texas born…Texas proud…We are Texas.”

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Ben Downs

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2010 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2010)

TAB’s Broadcaster of the Year believes in locally-oriented, community-focused broadcasting done right.

For Ben Downs, that’s not lip service. He lives those principles every day and expects the same from all his employees.

Ben Downs

Born on a farm just outside Hope, Arkansas, Downs would pretend to deliver the play-by-play into a Coke cup during high school basketball games.

He would begin his radio career by passing the FCC license test on his 14th birthday. Since then, he has always worked in buildings with studios and microphones.

He started in broadcasting in 1968 as a weekend announcer at KXAR Hope. His experience included sharing a mic with future Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. They were also classmates at Hope High School.

While attending Texas A&M University Downs was employed by WTAW and organized his first charity event. The Bryan-College Station Citywide Tennis Tournament presented a check to the local Boys and Girls Club.

He was offered a full-time job the next month and has tried to produce as many of those presentation checks for area charities as possible. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1976, his broadcasting career included operating two statewide groups of broadcast stations in Texas. Sonance Broadcasting owned stations in Lubbock, Midland, Killeen and Waco. He also managed stations in Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Tyler.

Currently he is the operating partner for five stations in Bryan-College Station: WTAW, KNDE, KZNE, KAGC and KWBC.

Downs, along with partner William Hicks, are the only local residents to own a media outlet in Bryan-College Station. Their commitment to the community is evidenced by providing news, sports and live announcers.

Though he has been with the same station group for 21 years, he is not complacent. His stations became one of the earliest adopters of wireless streaming for radio content in 1995 and he always was a proponent of High Definition FM radio.

Downs says one of the biggest challenges facing broadcasters is how to handle the changing world of technology: “We have to keep trying new things to see what works. Most won’t, some will for awhile, but radio as an industry is pretty quick on its feet when it wants to be. It’ll never be the way it was, but you have to innovate if you want to be around and see the way it’s going to be.”

Like many resident operators, Downs is active in local boards and works for several local charities.

He is an active member of the A&M United Methodist Church and serves on the boards of the Better Business Bureau and the BCS Chamber of Commerce.

He also is the driving force behind the annual BCS Christmas Parade – playing Santa every year!

Under his leadership, Bryan Broadcasting has received TAB’s prestigious Bonner McLane Public Service Awards in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

“While Ben is a great broadcaster, it is his belief in community and commitment to others that demonstrates his true integrity and character,” said Congressman Chet Edwards.

“The impact of his leadership at Bryan Broadcasting and the professionalism of his staff is seen throughout our community on a daily basis. Ben truly makes a positive difference in the lives of others every day, and I consider myself privileged to know and work with him.”

His industry peers first elected Downs to the Texas Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors in 1999. He was elected to the TAB Executive Committee and served broadcasters as TAB Chairman in 2003. He was re-elected to the TAB Board in 2007 and in 2010. During this time, he has been a key player in every major TAB initiative – planning conventions, plotting state and federal legislative policy and seeking improvements in the Emergency Alert System.

In 2008, Texas broadcasters elected Downs to represent them on the National Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors.

He feels it is important for leaders in broadcasting to include as many people in their message as possible and he is never shy about speaking out for them.

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Jason Hightower *

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2009 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2009)

The legacy of TAB’s 2009 Broadcaster of the Year is an inspiration to others in the broadcast industry.

Jason Hightower was owner and operator of KMOO-FM Mineola. He passed away in March 2009 after battling brain cancer.

He was 37 years old.

Jason Hightower

Jason’s commitment to locally-focused, community broadcasting lives on through his wife and three children, as well as the outstanding staff at KMOO.

A Love for Radio

Jason was born on March 30, 1971 in Huntsville. His mom said he always wanted to work in radio. He graduated from Winnsboro High School in 1989 and at the time had a part time airshift at KWNS-FM. However, Jason always said he had no real plans to make it a career. John Gore, his first general manager, told him radio would stay in his blood, and he was right.

After graduation, Jason headed to Texas A&M University with dreams of becoming a lobbyist. A&M fit his personality – a school out in the country built around tradition.

While in school, he started working full-time at KAGG Bryan-College Station. In 1991, he moved across town to host the morning show at KTSR. After a year at KTSR, Jason took over the morning show/program director duties at KORA Bryan-College Station. Jason would spend the next six years at KORA doing everything from on-air to management, sales to promotions and marketing. “Jason and Roy in the Mornings” was consistently rated the number one morning show in the market.

Jason graduated from A&M in 1993 with a degree in Agriculture Development.

K-MOOOOOOOO

Jason and his wife Ingrid purchased KMOO Mineola in August 1998, at the prompting of Jason’s parents. The station provided an opportunity for them to “come home,” something both of them wanted. At only 27 years of age, Jason was one of the youngest radio owner-operators in Texas. But his vision was clear.

He and Ingrid were committed to providing a real “full service” station to the people of East Texas – broadcasting country music, news, sports and community information 24 hours a day.

At any given time, the station has more than 25,000 area listeners, with hundreds more listening on www.kmoo.com.

The Hightowers purchased KNET-AM/KYYK-FM Palestine in April 2003. Jason wanted to expand his broadcasting business and the station’s proximity to Mineola provided the perfect opportunity.

Soon after, Ingrid discovered she had breast cancer. After five years of prayers and treatment, she beat the cancer and the Hightowers were looking forward to a long future with their new family.

In April 2004 at the age of 33, Jason was diagnosed with brain cancer.

The Hightowers decided to sell the Palestine stations in order to lessen the burden on Ingrid. Surgery was successful and Jason quickly recovered – he was back at the station 10 days later.

He continued chemotherapy successfully until the tumors returned in October 2008.

As Jason battled the recurrence of cancer, the community rallied to help the young family deal with the burgeoning medical expenses.

An auction yielded an extraordinary outpouring of support, prompting former TAB Chairman Jerry Bobo, who was there, to say “it was a great example of what a Broadcaster means to his community.”

Giving Back to the Industry

Jason joined TAB in 1998 – right after he purchased KMOO. He was elected to the TAB Board of Directors in 1999 and served six consecutive years representing small market radio stations.

From planning the Annual Convention to traveling to Washington, DC or Austin to lobby on industry concerns, Jason was ready for more.

Jason’s fellow broadcasters elected him to TAB’s Executive Committee in 2005. He took over as TAB’s Chairman at the Annual Business Meeting on Aug. 7, 2008 – the 10th anniversary of his purchase of KMOO.

As one of TAB’s key leaders, Jason finally got to live his childhood dream of becoming a lobbyist. He found inspiration in the granite and marble corridors of the state and national capitols, advancing the causes of Texas broadcasting – Radio and TV alike.

TAB’s grassroots approach to lobbying suited him well as he embraced the notion that lawmakers respond best to the stations that report on them and reach their constituents.

“One of the last conversations we had was about our efforts to pass the Free Flow of Information Act,” said TAB’s Oscar Rodriguez.

“He was lamenting his slow recovery and was champing at the bit to get to Austin. ‘We gotta do it, Oscar – I know we can and I want to be there to help.’”

While he didn’t live to see passage of this landmark law, Jason’s determination helped inspire the legion of TAB advocates to see it through to ultimate success.

Friends and colleagues will never forget Jason’s energy, personality and commitment to his local community.

The Texas broadcast industry – and indeed, the world – is a better place thanks to his time on this earth, brief as it was.

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Caroline Devine

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2008 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2008)

TAB’s 2008 Broadcaster of the Year is an inspiration to others in the industry.

Caroline Devine retired as regional vice president and market manager of Cox Radio in Houston in 2007.

Devine was born in Liberty, Texas. Her parents owned a grocery store, and it was the hub of the town’s activity.

Caroline Devine

She loved riding horses and eventually got into painting and playing the piano. Devine and her two brothers, Dan and Mike, attended high school in the small town of Hull, Texas.

The school, Hull-Daisetta, was rich with oil taxes and able to attract excellent teachers with its high salaries.

Her parents insisted on high achievement in all subjects for their children. Devine graduated as valedictorian, earned several scholarships and headed off to Sam Houston State University.

At the time, radio was only a source of entertainment for Devine – she never imagined it as a career!

Devine met her husband William while she was still in high school. He was a college boy, but it was love at first sight when Devine saw him dance.

They married and started a family while she was still in college. Devine transferred to Lamar University, eventually graduating with a Bachelor of Science.

William moved around Texas, working in retail. Devine worked as an elementary school teacher all over Texas, following William from Beaumont to Temple to Harlingen and McAllen and finally back to Beaumont.

After 10 years of teaching it was time for a change…

She took a job with the Burroughs Corporation selling business forms and machines to financial institutions.

It was her chance to work for a Fortune 500 Company. Good friend Ken Smith was the sales manager for KYKR-FM in Beaumont and William’s western wear store was the station’s best client.

They enjoyed going to KYKR’s client parties and various events. So while she was happy with her job, Devine became more and more intrigued with radio.

Ken hired her as a sales rep and it was love at first bite. The radio business satisfied her search for creativity combined with solid business fundamentals.

Devine worked for KYKR for two years before taking a sales position in Austin at KEYI-FM and KNOW-AM. She was quickly promoted to General Sales Manager and stayed with the station for six years.

Devine enjoyed selling, but truly loved the opportunities for mentorship that came with the GSM position.

In 1988, Jay Jones, then owner of the Rusk Corporation, took a chance and hired Devine for her first General Manager position over at KSMG-FM San Antonio.

In San Antonio, Devine’s team brought KISS-FM back to life, first as an LMA and then as a purchase. It was an immediate success, and is a ratings and revenue leader to this day. Devine barely knew one rock song or group, but Virgil Thompson and Janis Maxymof taught her everything she needed to know.

Devine always said keeping the talented hosts of the “edgy” KISS morning show on safe and entertaining ground was a fun challenge.

But it wasn’t all work…

Station clients could earn VIP trips to exotic destinations and for 18 years she helped to host the travelers in France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Thailand and other exotic destinations.

Who thought a small town teacher from Southeast Texas would wind up travelling the world!

Cox Radio purchased the stations from Rusk in 1998 and they made the smart decision to keep Devine on board.

She got her Regional Vice President stripes in 2003, with the added assignment of Cox’s six stations in Honolulu. Everyone was rightfully envious of this assignment, but she says it was truly an enlightening and rewarding experience.

Marc Morgan and Bob Neil moved Devine from San Antonio to Houston to take over the VP/Market Manager duties for their four station cluster.

At Cox, Devine was involved in creating the company’s groundbreaking mentor program. Station personnel are partnered with higher level Cox executives to learn the ins and outs of the radio business.

“Radio Ink Magazine” has listed her several times on their prestigious “Most Influential Women in Radio” list.

The “Mentoring and Inspiring Women” group grew out of the list and she is proud to continue her participation as a mentor. In 2005, Devine was inducted in to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

After nearly 30 successful years in the radio biz, Devine retired in December of last year. She and William have been enjoying retirement together ever since.

Devine’s positive outlook combined with her solid work ethic has been an inspiration for many years.

Throughout her life, Devine has tried to instill in her family, former employees and herself one simple lesson: life is short, life is a journey and in the end you have to believe you can dance.

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Meredith Beal

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2007 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2007)

TAB’s 2007 Broadcaster of the Year is an advocate for localism and believes that radio stations can and should be forces for good in the communities they serve.

Meredith Beal

Meredith Beal is the president and CEO of Lasting Value Broadcasting Group.

He purchased KCLW-AM Hamilton, KTXJ (now KCOX) Jasper and KWYX (now KTXJ-FM) Jasper in 2000 and has since increased local programming, added local news and created new public affairs programs.

Beal grew up in Los Angeles but his father is a native of Marshall – so Beal spent a good amount of time in the Lone Star State.

He attended college at the University of Houston, majored in journalism and eventually moved to California for a job as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times.

Later he was editor of the Rhythm and Blues Report and other publications.

When Motown Records founder Barry Gordy sold the company in the late ‘80s, Beal consulted on the transition.

He eventually joined the company as Director of Marketing – developing budgets, marketing campaigns and working with artists.

Beal also purchased 40 computers for the company (which happened to be 40 more than Motown had before!)

A longtime musician, Beal has played on and produced numerous records – everything from Gambian music to a children’s album about a character called Thursty the Elephant.

Beal eventually made his way to back to Central Texas, where he worked as global Webmaster for Dell Computer until 2001.

His website received Dell’s Intranet Award for Excellence, for Best of Class Design and Usability and his team was known for pioneering in personalization and self-service web applications.

As a Buddhist, Beal strives to be optimistic and calm, despite the fact that he usually has 68 irons in the fire.

On a daily basis, he is likely to be attending a TAB Board Meeting in Austin, producing a CD of harmonica instrumentals, teaching a Web development class at Huston-Tillotson University and heading to Hamilton to meet with community leaders.

Beal says his goals have always been to build businesses and serve the community. He saw a need for more service, less sensation, and more localization in news. So, in 1999 he sold some Dell stock and formed Lasting Value Broadcasting.

Hamilton’s only local radio station was at risk of being lost when Lasting Value purchased it in 2000.

Key community leaders knew that if KCLW shut down, it would be a devastating blow to the area’s economic growth, as well as a loss of their most vital communication link.

They worried new owners would change the station’s format and eliminate local involvement.

Beal made a point to meet with the community, attend local meetings, events and service groups to show he truly wanted the station to remain an integral part of the area.

He engaged the school system and worked with the superintendent to create a flow of information about what’s going on in the schools.

Beal also has offered the station as an educational tool to give students exposure to the media.

In appreciation, the Hamilton Independent School District passed resolutions placing the name Meredith Beal on the statewide Media Honor Roll in 2005 and 2006 for exemplary reporting on the community’s public schools.

In 2006, the station held “KCLW Fire Fest” and raised more than $30,000 for area fire departments that were drained by winter wildfires.

The station’s new public affairs program – “What Do You Think” – is one of the most popular and features in-depth interviews with candidates for local and statewide political office. “Shout Out From Iraq” is a weekly program featuring call-ins from soldiers deployed in Iraq.

The station’s annual open house allows listeners, advertisers and the business community to gather at “their station.”

Beal joined the TAB Board of Directors in 2006 and has been active in lobbying efforts.

He truly believes in giving a voice to local citizens, allowing them to use the airwaves to talk about issues pertinent to the community.

Beal continues to travel the world, spreading his message of global citizenship and dialog as the best means to create a peaceful society.

As a broadcaster, he advocates localism and community focus while maintaining a global perspective.

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Perry Sook

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in Broadcaster of the Year, Previous Winners.

2006 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2006)

The Texas Association of Broadcasters’ 2006 Broadcaster of the Year has been an industry innovator since he began his career more than 25 years ago.

Perry A. Sook, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nexstar Broadcasting Group, has worked in all facets of the business – from radio sales and on-air talent to television news, sales, management and ownership.

During the past year, Sook broke new ground for the television industry after winning a protracted standoff with cable operators to secure meaningful monetary compensation for Nexstar stations’ local broadcast programming.

At the beginning of 2005, Nexstar stations in Abilene, San Angelo, Texarkana and Joplin, Missouri faced retransmission consent negotiations with cable operators.

The stations asked that they be monetarily compensated on a per-subscriber basis for the carriage of their signals, just as they are by other distribution systems such as direct broadcast satellite. The cable systems refused and on January 1, 2005, the stations were removed from cable systems in those markets.

For most of 2005, this was a high-profile fight as Sook and his stations stood up for all over-the-air broadcasters who drive the vast majority of viewers to cable television but receive no compensation – not even that of the lowest rated cable network.

During that time, the cable companies realized they were losing subscribers to DBS at an unprecedented rate. Across all of these markets, the cable companies lost up to one-third of their subscribers. Finally, faced with more station agreements expiring and the prospect of losing more stations and subscribers, cable companies agreed to an economic solution based on a per-subscriber metric.

Through intense negotiations and a willingness to incur short-term pain for long-term gain, Nexstar reached multi-year retransmission consent agreements with approximately 150 content distributors in the 27 markets in which the company broadcasts. Nexstar now has national agreements with direct broadcast satellite providers, cable companies, secondary cable providers and wireless cable providers in its markets. This was achieved when many in the industry doubted the prospects for success.

Sook’s dogged determination in this battle and ultimate success is now compelling other broadcasters to follow this path. Besides the landmark cable battle, Sook has developed the model for operating multiple television stations in medium and small markets.

Working with partner company Mission Broadcasting, his stations have been able to provide more local news, weather and local sports than any preceding owner or group.

Across all markets, especially in Texas, this commitment is seen from high school football in Abilene, local agriculture shows in Wichita Falls, stat-up news operations at KSAN-TV San Angelo, high school graduations in Midland-Odessa, Texas Tech football specials in Lubbock and KTAL-TV Texarkana providing Beaumont news coverage when Hurricane Rita knocked KBTV-TV off the air.

Sook’s dedication to the industry and public service is evident in his company’s sponsorship of TAB legislative events and his encouragement of local station executives’ active participation in TAB lobbying initiatives and leadership efforts.

Nexstar was formed in 1996 for the purpose of acquiring and operating network affiliated television stations in medium-sized markets. The company now owns or operates 47 network affiliated television stations in 27 markets and 11 states.

Prior to founding Nexstar, Sook was one of the principals of Superior Communication Group, Inc., which owned television stations in Oklahoma and Kentucky. The company was sold in 1995 to Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Before Superior, Sook was President/CEO of Seaway Communication., owner of stations in Maine and Wisconsin. Prior to that, he worked at KXTX-TV and KTVT-TV in Dallas, with Cox Broadcasting in Pittsburgh, and with Telerep as a national account executive.

Early in his career, Sook worked at stations in West Virginia, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Sook did his undergraduate work at Ohio University and was an adjunct professor at Edinboro State University of Pennsylvania. He is a recipient of the NAB/BEA Harold E. Follow Memorial Scholarship.

Sook is a member of the Board of Directors of Penton Media, Inc., the Television Bureau of Advertising, and is a Board member and trustee of the Ohio University Foundation. He and his wife Sandra have three children; Laura, Victoria and Perry, Jr. The family resides in Southlake, Texas.

Perry Sook

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