Few understand the hustle required to operate as a smaller broadcaster better than Julie Koehn.
Koehn is the chair of NAB’s Small and Medium Market Radio Committee. She is also the president and CEO of Lenawee Broadcasting, which operates WLEN(FM) in Adrian, Michigan, about 55 miles west of Detroit. She serves as the station’s general manager.
She understands that smaller operators may feel overwhelmed by the bright lights of Las Vegas. Drawing from her own experiences, Koehn helped design the forum to highlight what NAB Show offers to local broadcasters.
The forum takes place on Saturday, April 5, at NAB Show in the TV Radio Headquarters on the second floor of the West Hall. It is designed to bring together small- and medium-market broadcasters.
Staff at these stations often wear multiple hats. “A lot of us are owner-operators,” Koehn said. “On Monday, I might focus on programming. Tuesday, I’m out in the field with sales. We’re all looking for a well-rounded education.”
That in large part is what the Small and Medium Market Radio Forum aims to provide.
The forum began in 2019 with about 60 attendees, according to Koehn. This year, she expects attendance to reach approximately 240. The forum was born from Koehn’s conversations with Steve Newberry, NAB’s former executive vice president of industry affairs, about the needs of small broadcasters. “We decided we had to make this available to everyone,” she said.
Koehn is enthusiastic about the topics to be featured at the roundtables during this year’s forum. There are 10 in total, each focused on a different topic related to radio operations, marketing and sales. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in three of the roundtables, which run 30 minutes each.
Last year’s roundtable on AI use in radio was extremely popular, and Koehn expects this year’s “AI’s Use in Marketing and Ad Support” session to generate similar interest.
There will also be a roundtable on podcasting strategies for radio. “Whether you are targeting New York City or Cheboygan, there’s an emphasis on being multiplatform now,” Koehn said.
She believes each roundtable session will provide takeaways that help operators solve operational challenges in their home markets.
This year’s two panel sessions at the forum include “Economic Outlook — Opportunities and Obstacles to Broadcasting Success,” presented by Justin Nielson, principal analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, and “Unique Revenue Strategies — What’s Working,” presented by Pierre Bouvard, chief insights officer at Westwood One/Cumulus Media.
“One hundred percent of my ad sales is direct,” Koehn said of her work at WLEN, unlike larger stations that use advertising agencies. “Providing market trends to my customers is extremely valuable and that’s what this session is geared toward.”
Koehn said she finds Bouvard’s session particularly insightful.
“Pierre always comes prepared with a wealth of information and it is a unique opportunity to hear it tailored to community-oriented operations,” she said.
What advice does Koehn have for first-time attendees of the forum?
Plenty to Learn
She said to be ready to meet many new people who hold a variety of roles in their companies. Keep an open mind and don’t hesitate to check out a roundtable session you wouldn’t ordinarily consider attending.
“Be open to learning something new,” Koehn said. “Chances are, the material presented will apply to your station.
“It brings radio back to its core,” she continued. “As smaller-market broadcasters, we should embrace the ability to try new things and recognize that we are not always in the same position as big markets to rely on tried-and-true methods. I think that’s the beauty of exchanging ideas at a forum like this.”
The forum wraps up with a 50-minute cocktail reception.
This year’s NAB Show will feature several dozen radio sessions in addition to those at the forum. The Small and Medium Radio Market Forum will take place in rooms W213-W215. (That’s also convenient to the floor of the West Hall, where many of the show’s radio exhibitors can be found.)
Attendees are encouraged to register as soon as possible, as recent forums have been standing-room-only. More information is available here.
