Author: Beth Bobbitt

David Stewart *

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence, Previous Winners.

2019 George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence

In the tradition of Broadcast Legend George Marti, TAB’s 2019 Marti Award recipient has been active in nearly every facet of the business.

Broadcast colleagues know David Stewart as the consummate engineer, starting “in the trenches,” while still in high school in his hometown of Lubbock.

The Lubbock Public School System had a series of electronics courses taught by a teacher who moonlighted as a local Radio engineer.

The courses produced several well-trained broadcast engineers who – to this day – serve in technical and ownership positions at Texas Radio and Television stations.

He attended Texas Tech University and served as on-air talent at the campus Radio station and handled master control and engineering for KTXT-TV.

In 1985, Tichenor Media System needed an engineer to work on station startups, as well as restore operations to once successful AM and FM stations across Texas. He would spend nearly 12 years with the media group.

Heftel purchased Tichenor in 1997 and that company morphed into Hispanic Broadcasting, then merged in 2003 with Univision Communications. Stewart stayed with the group through all the transitions.

He served as corporate engineer/director of engineering and VP of engineering for Hispanic Broadcasting and Univision Radio for 13 years.

In that capacity, he oversaw more than 40 engineers from all over Texas.

During his time at Univision, Stewart even helped relocate the FM plant at the Empire State Building in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Stewart was instrumental in the efforts surrounding the Emergency Alert System.

He worked closely with former TAB President Ann Arnold in crafting the Texas State Emergency Alert System plan – as well as helping his fellow broadcasters create their own local plans.

In 2004, he started the Moving Target Consulting Works company, specializing in upgrading AM, FM signals of all sizes for family-owned, owner-operated and estate-owned signals.

In 2007, he became managing member of “Lamesa’s Home Town Radio” KPET-AM-FM.

He’s also a partner in the management group that owns KWFB “BOB FM” Wichita Falls.

“David Stewart is your ideal engineer. Throughout his career, he’s never wavered from providing the best engineer/consulting services, while keeping his values and worth ethic high,” said Bill Cordell, Cordell Communications/KMAT Houston.

David Stewart

In the tradition of Broadcast Legend George Marti, TAB’s 2019 Marti Award recipient has been active in nearly every facet of the business.

Broadcast colleagues know David Stewart as the consummate engineer, starting “in the trenches,” while still in high school in his hometown of Lubbock.

The Lubbock Public School System had a series of electronics courses taught by a teacher who moonlighted as a local Radio engineer.

The courses produced several well-trained broadcast engineers who – to this day – serve in technical and ownership positions at Texas Radio and Television stations.

He attended Texas Tech University and served as on-air talent at the campus Radio station and handled master control and engineering for KTXT-TV.

In 1985, Tichenor Media System needed an engineer to work on station startups, as well as restore operations to once successful AM and FM stations across Texas. He would spend nearly 12 years with the media group.

Heftel purchased Tichenor in 1997 and that company morphed into Hispanic Broadcasting, then merged in 2003 with Univision Communications. Stewart stayed with the group through all the transitions.

He served as corporate engineer/director of engineering and VP of engineering for Hispanic Broadcasting and Univision Radio for 13 years.

In that capacity, he oversaw more than 40 engineers from all over Texas.

During his time at Univision, Stewart even helped relocate the FM plant at the Empire State Building in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Stewart was instrumental in the efforts surrounding the Emergency Alert System.

He worked closely with former TAB President Ann Arnold in crafting the Texas State Emergency Alert System plan – as well as helping his fellow broadcasters create their own local plans.

In 2004, he started the Moving Target Consulting Works company, specializing in upgrading AM, FM signals of all sizes for family-owned, owner-operated and estate-owned signals.

In 2007, he became managing member of “Lamesa’s Home Town Radio” KPET-AM-FM.

He’s also a partner in the management group that owns KWFB “BOB FM” Wichita Falls.

“David Stewart is your ideal engineer. Throughout his career, he’s never wavered from providing the best engineer/consulting services, while keeping his values and worth ethic high,” said Bill Cordell, Cordell Communications/KMAT Houston.

David Stewart passed away in July 2023.

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Erik Disen

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence, Previous Winners.

2018 George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence

(Published August 2018)

Erik Disen has spent more than 44 years in engineering management supporting Radio stations across the United States.

He recently stepped down as Regional Vice President of Engineering for CBS Radio, now Entercom. He served as Chief Engineer for the Entercom stations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market for more than 20 years.

Erik Disen

Industry colleagues say that Disen’s career embodies the concept that you should cherish the past and smartly embrace the future.

He dedicated the past several years of his career to modernizing CBS Radio’s AM transmission facilities throughout the country, including the legendary KRLD-AM Dallas-Fort Worth.

Under his stewardship, Disen modernized all of Entercom’s Dallas-Fort Worth stations to be fully digital, making the sound quality state of the art.

“Erik’s work breathed new life into our stations and ensured they can continue to be clear, reliable sources of news, entertainment and life changing information to millions of daily listeners,” said Brian Purdy, Entercom Regional President.

Over his decades in broadcasting, Disen has mentored countless young (and not-so-young) broadcast engineers, who are accountable and responsible for maintaining technical facilities, licenses and serving communities all over the United States.

Disen’s culture of helpfulness, initiative and volunteerism continues to advance the broadcast industry.

He was integral in working with TAB to position KRLD and Texas State Networks as a key component of the statewide distribution system for emergency alerts.

“Erik’s legacy of excellence is found not just in the fine work he did for so many Radio stations, but also in the team he built that will sustain our operations for years to come,” Purdy said.

“To him, an engineer is not supposed to just support the enterprise, but to lead the way in solving problems and improving efficiency for our team and listeners throughout Texas and our nation.”

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Errol Coker *

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence, Previous Winners.

2017 George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence

(Published August 2017)

Texas broadcast engineer Errol Coker has worked at many AM and FM facilities in his 60+ years of being in the industry and he has done it all – engineering, on-air work and management.

His long career has always been centered on the quality, integrity and betterment of the art and science of Radio.

Errol Coker

He started his career at KNET-AM Palestine on his sixteenth birthday, taking transmitter readings and announcing from the time school was out until 10 pm.

The chief engineer, Jimmy Richardson, mentored him, gave him electronics books and helped him study for his 2nd Class FCC License and later for his 1st Class License.

Coker worked at the studio until he went to college at the University of Houston, majoring in Radio/TV and working at a nearby Hi-Fi store.

The store owner had applied for an FM station license.

Coker went to Beaumont and picked up a GE transmitter that had been stored for several years and worked for months to get the transmitter operational.

The station hit the airwaves on February 2, 1958. KFMK at 97.9 was the first independent FM station in Houston and all the audio equipment was built in Coker’s workshop from Hi-Fi equipment.

Coker met engineer Gerald Chinski at KXYZ-AM, who had a contract to build another new FM station and hired Coker to help with the construction.

The new station was KHUL-FM at 95.7 MHz and Coker served as the first chief engineer for that station.

Coker signed KHUL on the air on October 4, 1959 – becoming the first FM station in Houston to broadcast in stereo.

Hurricane Carla destroyed their tower and antenna but Coker led the charge to get the station back on the air in five days with a temporary antenna.

While in college, Coker had served as student assistant at KUHF-FM and KUHT-TV.

He and the crew of the live, Friday evening program always talked about buying their own station.

They started looking in San Antonio, Austin and Dallas but ended up purchasing KCLW-AM Hamilton 900 AM.

They had main studios in Hamilton, but remote studios in Gatesville and Comanche. Long distance, equalized phone lines were very costly at the time.

Coker went to Cleburne and met George Marti; Mr. Marti thought that five guys at 25 or 26 years old with a radio station was great!

He helped Coker round up enough used and demo equipment to have Marti equipment instead of phone lines.

Coker moved to Conroe in 1965 and built all new studios (with all new equipment) for KMCO 900 AM. After four years, he moved to Houston’s KNUZ-AM and KQUE-FM.

KQUE was one of several FM stations licensed for super power with 280,000 watts H&V and had 16 bays horizontal and 16 bays vertical fed by two 20 KW transmitters.

He returned to KMCO after five years and oversaw construction of an entirely new site and building as well as two additional stations, towers and transmitters.

In the late 1980s, Coker took over Bill Cordell’s position as technical director for the Rusk Corporation (KTRH/KLOL Houston) when Cordell elected to go full time into his communications and broadcasting engineering business.

“Over the years, Errol has proven his zeal and passion for Radio. He is known for his impeccable workmanship in all projects, while focusing on the task at hand,” Cordell said.

“Like Mr. George Marti, Errol is pragmatic and to the point. And like George Marti, one of the most colorful and kind gentlemen you will find.”

Coker has spent the last 12 years working for Bruce Munsterman and helping build the KHCB-FM Radio Network.

The network now consists of 43 radio stations serving Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, as well as two in Florida.

“Over the years, Errol has worked tirelessly for commercial and non-commercial stations alike, regardless of format, class or size of station,” Munsterman said.

“One of the amazing qualities is his ability to learn, adapt and recommend the best of standards in a changing industry.

From wire recorders and cart machines to digital boards and such, Errol has seen huge changes over the years.

But he has always kept quality and a good work ethic as his key contributions in a business where the temptation to cut corners is always prevalent.”

Errol Coker passed away in December 2021.

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Mike Wenglar

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence, Previous Winners.

2016 George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence

(Published August 2016)

TAB’s 2016 George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence honors one of the hardest working engineers in Texas broadcasting – in both Television and Radio…and photography!

Like many broadcasters, Mike Wenglar’s interest in all things electronic and the world of broadcasting began early in his life.

Mike Wenglar

He was born and raised in El Campo and during his sophomore year of high school began working at KULP-AM 1390 doing a show called “Mike’s Corner.”

In addition to his duties at KULP, he worked part-time as a police officer and crime/accident scene photographer for the El Campo Police Department.

After high school, he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Biloxi, Miss. He continued to do his radio show via tape until he was sent to a base in Germany.

After leaving the Air Force, Wenglar returned to El Campo and began working with his father’s plumbing business. A friend told him about a new television station coming to Austin.

He applied as an engineer/technician at KVUE-TV (even though it would pay less than his plumbing job) and in 1971, he helped sign the station on the air. After only four months, he was named chief engineer, a position he held until being named vice president/chief engineer in 1989.

Mike Wenglar first crossed paths with George Marti in the 1970s. Working on the weekends for an RF testing and integration company, Wenglar would accompany the owner (Bob Williams) to do studio and transmitter installations, drafting, RF measurement and other technical tasks.

Wenglar said the highlight of his job was to take the testing equipment up north to Cleburne – to the Marti RPU factory.

Throughout the day, Wenglar would do FCC-type acceptance testing on Marti’s new transmitter inventions.

Marti’s radios never failed the required tests leading Wenglar to say, “Cleburne is a nice little town with one brilliant man!”

In 1993, Gannett Broadcasting awarded him their most prestigious engineering award for his outstanding contributions to KVUE-TV’s success.

In 1998, Wenglar saw a need for a task-specific IFB telephone after seeing news departments and other remote crews use a touchpad telephone with a concoction of adapters and transformers to give the field talent an earpiece for IFB. He knew there HAD to be a better way,

Wenglar developed the belt-pack worn QTEL IFB phone, a small box the size of a portable two-way radio. It quickly became popular with TV stations, networks and uplink operators all over the world.

He also saw a need for a battery-powered stereo VU meter with a stereo phase display. This unit, known as the “FieldVU,” became a popular device for field news and satellite truck operators to troubleshoot analog audio problems in the field.

In 2009, Wenglar constructed a streaming video box for doing live remotes instead of using ENG vans for spot news coverage.

The hardware was really not ready for prime time, but this two cellular card system worked as long as there was not too much cellular traffic at the location.

The unit was used to cover severe weather with large hail in northwest Austin, as well as the Echelon building plane crash in February 2010. KVUE-TV was first on the scene with this instant video streaming of the crash aftermath.

Station news crews still call the unit “The Wenglar Box.”

Today, this technology is almost used more than live ENG/SNG units.

In 2006, KVUE-TV honored Wenglar with an award for 35 years of outstanding work.

“Throughout his years of service, Mike has been instrumental in creating and maintaining one of the most respected television stations in the state of Texas. I affectionately called him ‘the backbone’ of KVUE-TV,” said Patti C. Smith, former KVUE-TV president and general manager.

Wenglar retired from the station in April 2016 after 45 years.

Throughout his career, Wenglar has been a tireless volunteer for the TAB – everything from helping with construction of the TAB building, assisting with the state EAS Plan and serving as the official photographer for TAB events.

In 1999, TAB awarded Wenglar with a Special President’s Award for his tireless dedication and volunteer efforts.

Broadcasters presented him with the Pioneer of the Year Award in 2011.

In 2000, Wenglar had the opportunity to purchase KULP, his hometown radio station. His goal was to keep it the same as he remembered it.

The station still features the popular polka-time, swap-shop and local sports programming – three staples of small town radio.

In 2011, Wharton County proclaimed November 20 as “Mike Wenglar Day.”

His passion for KULP and his eye to detail and engineering excellence has created a facility that would be the envy of most broadcasters.

His managing partner, Stephen Zetsche, handles the day-to-day business of the station.

One KULP alum from Houston asked Zetsche, “You have better equipment than we do – and we’re a big company? How do you do it?”

Zetsche replied, “It’s easy. I have Mike Wenglar!”

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Harry Thielemann, Jr.

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence, Previous Winners.

2015 George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence

(Published August 2015)

Without engineers, there simply would be no broadcast.

And for many in South Texas, there is no engineer like Harry Thielemann, Jr. – widely known and respected as the Dean of the broadcast engineering community in the southern reaches of the state.

Harry Thielemann

While much of Thielemann’s 46-year career in the broadcast industry has been based in the Rio Grande Valley, he got his start far from there at the Delaware Technical and Community College and the University of Delaware.

His first job in 1969 at WBOC AM-FM-TV in Salisbury, MD, proved fertile ground for mastering new technologies as he led the TV station’s conversion to color and was one of the first to introduce FM radio in the region. He also set up “DJ-assist” systems, the forerunner of today’s automated studios.

In 1983, he was promoted to Chief Engineer when Draper Communications purchased the stations. Draper acquired KGBT-TV Harlingen in 1990 and Thielemann transferred to South Texas with the company where he was introduced to his first VHF facility. He quickly began modernizing the operations with TV stereo audio and eventually led the station’s DTV transition.

In 2006, he accepted the position of Chief Engineer for Entravision Communications in South Texas, then led by Sonny Cavazos. He has since dedicated himself to sustaining and improving the group’s radio and television operations on both sides of the southern tip of the Texas-Mexico border.

This cluster of four FM stations and two full-power and four low-power TV stations – all under one roof – represents one of the largest broadcast operations anywhere in the country.

The responsibility of maintaining and troubleshooting the infrastructure is immense and Thielemann relies on creativity and teamwork to ensure the group’s overall community service mission succeeds.

Despite the heavy weight of this responsibility, Thielemann routinely lends his expertise to other broadcast operations in the market in the interest of furthering the broadcast engineering expertise in the area and advancing the industry’s service to one of the poorest regions of the state.

His dedication to education and innovation doesn’t stop there, as more than a few equipment vendors have learned when he modified their products to overcome glitches and integrate them with other products.

One such project involved protecting equipment from lightning damage. A suite of systems routinely experienced problems with lightning and, after meeting with heavy resistance from the manufacturer, Thielemann made several modifications that averted additional failures.

Six months later he received calls from the equipment salesman asking about the status of their equipment. It was operating flawlessly.

When Thielemann learned that all the vendor’s installations had a problem with lightning he agreed to assist them and saved their product.

With all the stations and six network affiliations, Thielemann cites as one of his biggest challenges the rate at which technology changes.

Being a lifelong learner, the short lifespan of new equipment poses as much excitement as frustration.

“Live news programming must be delivered with flawless execution. The latest tools, lighting and cameras are items most viewers never see, but allow the teams to succeed in a competitive news landscape where ratings influence substantial revenues,” said Christopher Moncayo, Entravision SVP.

“Harry’s ability to address any issue is a talent and quality that comes with experience.”

Thielemann’s passion for taking the stations into the future extends to finding the next generation of broadcast engineers.

He routinely participates in job fairs and other employment programs to showcase the equipment and processes broadcast engineers use on a daily basis.

All his TV and radio stations are firmly entrenched in serving the community and he continues to be inspired by the fact that his engineering plays a key role in helping the stations do just that.

A strong advocate for TAB’s efforts on stations’ behalf, Thielemann serves as an industry ambassador of sorts as he models the best that broadcast engineering offers the local community.

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Jack Sellmeyer *

Written by Beth Bobbitt on . Posted in George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence, Previous Winners.

2014 George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence

(Published August 2014)

Jack Sellmeyer passed away on November 2, 2023.

George Marti is a true Texas broadcasting pioneer and has taught, mentored and set the bar for generations of broadcast engineers in Texas and across the nation.

The first recipient of the George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence has enthusiastically followed in his footsteps.

Jack Sellmeyer

Jack Sellmeyer epitomizes engineering excellence.  

He’s one of the few engineers with experience in the broadcast equipment manufacturing environment, as station engineer and as a consulting engineer. 

Engineers say he “wrote the book” on many of the practices and procedures that they use today.

In addition, he pioneered the use of such techniques as moment-method modeling of AM directional antennas.

Sellmeyer was 15 years old when he started at KPBM as a summer relief guy in his hometown of Carlsbad, NM.

After an enormous amount of persuasion – aka “pestering” – of the chief engineer at Channel 6 in Carlsbad, Sellmeyer was finally hired. 

He wound up building the audio console and wiring all the audio gear.  He considered this an excellent opportunity to learn and spent his summers working full-time there.

In June 1956, Sellmeyer began doing “grunt work” for KAVE Carlsbad, but went on to various positions in the engineering department.

He spent several years in Las Cruces as chief engineer at KGRT.  In 1960, he oversaw the construction of a new on-air and production studio and installation of a new transmitter for a power increase to 5-kw plant from a 1-kw plant.

He also modified several “retired” land mobile VHF radios for use as “broadcast quality” remote pickup systems.  He designed and constructed a remote studio which would fit in a Corvair Greenbrier van.

The unit also was used on scene for promotions and operated in conjunction with the modified VHF land mobile remote pickup system.  It contributed a considerable amount of revenue to the station.

In 1964, Sellmeyer constructed a facility for KRWG at New Mexico A&M College. 

While completing his education at Arizona State University, as chief engineer of KRUS in Glendale, he built new facilities for the station.

Sellmeyer supported an overseas military communications program until January 1967.  He transferred into broadcast product support and traveled to radio stations using Collins equipment to assist in troubleshooting unusual problems and restoring operations of off-air stations.

In 1969, Sellmeyer went to work for Gates in Quincy, Illinois.  As a Senior Engineer in the FM Engineering Department, he developed the modulator and Automatic Frequency Control modules for the TE-1 Solid State FM Exciter to correct frequency stability problems.  Additionally, he worked on advanced development of high power FM amplifiers.

As Chief Engineer at WGAR Cleveland, Sellmeyer not only managed personnel, but also constructed transmitters, designed circuitry, prepared procurement documents, supervised construction of a new antenna system and oversaw construction of a new three studio plant.

After three years there, he returned to Collins Radio in Dallas as senior engineer and helped return the company to profitability.

In addition, he developed a series of three audio consoles for the radio market in the mid 1970s.  He’s the co-inventor of the patented automatic modulation sensitivity control.  With his help, Collins garnered three patents. 

When Collins Radio closed its doors Sellmeyer decided to “hang out his shingle” with his own consulting firm in McKinney.

Like George Marti, Sellmeyer has been deeply involved in educational work to assist other engineers.  
He’s acted as a friend and mentor, always willing to share his vast array of knowledge to better serve the engineering community.

His ability to make complex issues easy for GMs, owners and others has made him active in educational work at many NAB technical seminars and workshops, especially in the area of AM directional antennas. 

He’s a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) and the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. 

The NAB honored Sellmeyer with their Radio Engineering Achievement Award in 2009 for a lifetime of work.
Sellmeyer always remembers the great advice he received from Bill Taylor, principal owner of KGRT in Las Cruces and KBIM Roswell.

Taylor’s theory he passed onto new employees: “Consider the business like a three-legged stool.  One leg is programming, one is sales and one leg is engineering. 

Without all three working at the same level, the stool is not level.  And if one of them is missing, it falls over.”

As a consulting engineer, Jack Sellmeyer makes sure the engineering leg of the stool always stands strong.

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Sarah Frazier

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

2022 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2022)

It’s not much of a stretch at all to say that no one loves broadcasting more than Sarah Frazier.

Sarah Frazier

From being a voice for the community to selling the partnerships – Sarah strives to showcase the power of Radio to her listeners in the Greater Houston area.

Equipped with a keen business mind and a full heart, Sarah led the crafting of an astoundingly successful 2021 Audacy business plan and exceeded ALL expectations – from revenue to expense control and cash flow.

She accomplished these goals with her ever present positive energy – even in the face of the ongoing pandemic impacting her team, their families, audiences and advertisers.

At the same time, Sarah re-engineered her leadership team to smartly maximize performance within a challenging hybrid work environment.

Her focus and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is matched by few others.

She has always worked to empower women and show them they deserve a spot at the corporate media table.

Her innovative thinking has ensured Audacy Houston a prominent presence in the market over the last 10 years.

She continues to be extremely engaged with the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation and many other groups – including serving as TAB Board Chair in 2019 and many additional years as a director.

Not surprisingly, Sarah has proved to be a dynamic and effective advocate for Texas broadcasters in DC and in Austin.

She has made the industry’s case to Congress opposing a Performance Tax on Radio stations and helped lawmakers understand the increasingly unfair advertising competition we’re facing from Big Tech.

Her enthusiasm for public service informs her passion for Open Government and for broadcasters’ leading role as the backbone of the nation’s emergency communications system.

In times of crisis, she has endeavored to ensure her stations were doing whatever was necessary to keep the community informed – yes, even partnering with other stations to provide listeners wall-to-wall reporting on dangerous conditions.

And her operation is a national model for stepping up to help the Houston community recover from a disaster or celebrate a milestone!

Always leading, Sarah’s stations have routinely been one of the strongest supporters of TAB’s Public Education Partnership program throughout her tenure, extending TAB’s ability to provide invaluable services to member stations across the state.

“I couldn’t be more fortunate to have Sarah lead one of Audacy’s key strategic markets that I oversee as Regional President,” said Audacy’s Brian Purdy.

“I trust her ability to exceed financial targets and lead a culture of growth and ever-present transformation. She truly embodies our Audacy company values of Community, Curiosity, Courage and Creativity.”

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Marty Wind

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

2021 Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2021)

In the world of broadcasting, there are individuals who can do it all…kind of like a “one size fits all.”

Marty Wind is one of those rare individuals.

Marty Wind

He an excellent engineer, announcer, fundraiser, programmer, copy writer, newsman, public relations manager, general manager…you can just keep adding things.

In 1983, the Diocesan Telecommunications Corporation, a subsidiary of the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi, decided to apply for a non-profit radio license and their first move was to hire Marty Wind to assist in the application.

When the FCC approved their application, they hired Wind to be their “one-man band.” He began the engineering process and in March 1985, KLUX-FM 89.5 went on the air.

But before they flipped on the transmitter, Wind had to devise a programming format – no easy chore.

How do you take a faith-based radio station, licensed to the Catholic Church, and make it a mainstream station that could be enjoyed by all? Wind did it and called it “Good Company.”

They can’t sell commercials – so much of their existence depends on fundraising from the public.

It all began with one paid employee and today, 36 years later, they have ballooned up to five full time and one part-time paid employee.

“Marty Wind has always been a master at getting something for nothing,” said former TAB Chairman Bob White.

“He has a group of 20+ volunteers, myself included, who assist in the fundraisers, read public service announcements and many other things.

“And just so you know, KLUX 89.5, “Good Company,” is a highly rated station, especially with 35+ and has a TSL that will make your eyes water.”

Wind introduced digital radio broadcasting to the Coastal Bend area in 2006 and today, non-commercial station KLUX is a market leader in public service with a long list of achievements highlighted by courageous endeavors to remain on the air during hurricanes and the disastrous 2021 freeze.

KLUX was the only radio station to broadcast hourly reports consistently, 24 hours a day, during all these emergencies.

“Marty’s heartfelt commitment to fellow broadcasters and listeners is unmatched. He has programmed KLUX to be the gold standard in ‘positive’ radio,” White said.

“The commercials they aren’t allowed to broadcast are replaced by announcements regarding area events and positive messages that make you feel good about living in a world that is so filled with dissent and anger.

“That’s why he calls it ‘Good Company.’”

Wind retired on May 31, 2021 but says he’ll always be available for station needs, even as he keeps up with all his additional volunteer commitments and work for the Diocese.

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Tania Moody

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

2019 Radio Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2019)

TAB presented the inaugural Broadcaster of the Year Award in 1986.

In 33 years, only six women have received the honor.

Tania Moody

“The 2019 Radio Broadcaster of the Year is not only an example to enterprising young broadcasters – men and women alike – she is an inspiration to us all as the SOLE owner of her hometown station – KLVT-AM Levelland,” said TAB Chairman Sarah Frazier

Tania Moody started in broadcasting in 2006 as a rookie sales rep for the High Plains Radio Network.

She had no broadcast experience, but she took the opportunity and ran with it.

In two years, she advanced to sales manager and became the station manager in 2010.

She started her own LMA in 2012 and went into business for herself – purchasing KLVT-AM just one year later.

In just three short years, Moody’s Cute Boots Broadcasting had paid for the station.

“Here’s someone with no industry interest (other than needing a job), who took an opening and turned it into an opportunity to own and operate a successful business…and it happens to be in our broadcast Industry,” said Monte Spearman, President High Plains Radio Network.

Moody not only manages her broadcast team of three, but also handles more than 50% of the sales for the station, performs day-to-day administrative duties and hosts/produces a very successful morning show.

Moody and her team recently launched the “Good Morning Texas Show” via Facebook Live and on a media streamer to the KLVT webpage.  The 90-minute program airs every Monday-Friday.

“I have been in the Radio business nearly 20 years and I have never worked for somebody as plugged in to her business, her community and her employees like Tania,” said Michael Wiiest, KLVT Station Manager/Sports Director.

“She is amazing in every way and truly embodies what Small Market Radio does for small communities. With her it is all about her listeners, her clients, and her community.”

Involvement in her community is an understatement.  

Moody serves as Board President of the Levelland ISD Board of Trustees and President of the Wallace Theater Foundation (in efforts to restore an old theater in downtown Levelland).

She also has served as President of the Hockley County Foundation, the Levelland Marigolds, Levelland Main Street Program, and has served on the Levelland Chamber of Commerce.

“Tania is a great example of a local business owner who is truly invested in their community. Her biggest asset is she’s an ACTIVE member of these organizations and giver her time and resources, whether or not she is in a leadership role,” said DeEtte Edens, Levelland ISD School Board.

“In this industry, we hire people constantly and hope they will learn the business, like the business and stay in the business.

“I will always argue that Small Market Radio is the hardest level there is to operate Radio stations to the point of not just paying the bills, but also being profitable and growing a real business,” Spearman said.

Through her accomplishments, business growth efforts, attitude, commitment to her station and community and her diligence – Tania Moody continues to be a shining example of what it means to be a local, Texas broadcaster.

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Eric Lassberg

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

2019 Television Broadcaster of the Year

(Published August 2019)

In his 13 years serving as Vice-President and General Manager of KXAN/KNVA/KBVO Austin, Eric Lassberg’s leadership and team building has raised the station to new heights.

He has established a culture that breeds excellence and inspires the staff to do their best each day, focused on a core purpose to inform and enrich the local community and make people’s lives better. 

Eric Lassberg

Lassberg’s passion for impactful local journalism is reflected in his support for growing the station’s investment in its newsroom, his appreciation for outstanding storytelling and his insistence that the station’s journalists be responsible, ethical and fair in their reporting.

Eight years ago, Lassberg laid out a vision for KXAN to become an impactful investigative news station, focusing on reporting that leads to positive change in our community.

Today, the station is consistently recognized for stories that help change laws, hold the powerful accountable and address public safety.

During the 2019 legislative session, more than a dozen bills were filed after KXAN investigations into problems such as maternal mortality and morbidity statewide, harassment in the workplace and toll drivers frustrated by exorbitant late fees and other vexing billing issues.

Under Lassberg’s leadership, KXAN has received numerous awards for journalism excellence. 

Among those awards are several Emmys, Texas Associated Press Broadcaster Awards (including the Freedom of Information Foundation Award), Headliners Foundation of Texas Awards, Edward R. Murrow Awards and an Alfred I. duPont Award from Columbia University.

In 2019, KXAN was awarded its third Walter Cronkite Award for Political Television Journalism for a special broadcast of political program, State of Texas, which focused on one long-form investigation into the Texas Railroad Commission Chairman and the conflicts of interest related to her politically prominent family.

Never one to be waylaid by adversity, Lassberg was moved to embrace the mission of the American Heart Association after the cardiac arrest of an employee, launching an initiative across all three stations known as Simple Health.

Lassberg utilized the stations’ multiple platforms to help provide Central Texans tools and resources to live healthier lives, particularly in advancing the AHA’s hands-only CPR training events which have trained more than 1,400 Central Texans.

His passion led to his selection as an AHA Board member and is reflected in his leadership on the TAB Board of Directors and his history of Board service for the Boys and Girls Club of the Austin Area and Family Elder Care.

He also is a member of the Longhorn Advisory Council. 

Lassberg is the ideal example of what a broadcaster may achieve through hard work, core principals and a true belief in what television stations may achieve within a community. 

His belief in investigative journalism and community involvement makes the KXAN team proud to work for him, though he is the first to credit the team for the stations’ accomplishments.

“All I’ve done is surround myself with a team of people who are a lot smarter than I am. That’s a recipe of success for anyone,” he said.

His reflexive recognition of his team’s insightful leadership and dedication has created a culture in which everyone truly feels they are part of something that can make Central Texas better each day.

By creating such a culture, Lassberg has crafted one of the most respected television stations in the country whose impact is felt throughout the Lone Star State.

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