IBA Transmitter April-May 2024

Two! Two! Two Silver Dome Celebrations set for 2024!

New Rules, Later Deadline!

New rules for the 2024 competition include allowing stations to enter material from as early as January 1, 2023 through and including April 8, 2024 to accommodate a special category related to stations’ coverage and promotion of the April 17th total solar eclipse, resulting in an extended contest entry deadline of midnight July 1, 2024.

Rule changes include those related to individual performance categories now require at least three different persons wanting to be considered for the award to enter the category before the category is even judged. Less than three different broadcaster entries in “best” individual categories will result in a refund of the fee to the applicant.

Gone are customized passwords for each IBAmember stations, replaced this year by a single password to be used by all stations entering the competition.

Two Award Presentation Celebrations!

Winners of small and medium market Silver Dome Awards will receive their awards during the afterhours reception at the close of IBA2024, IBA’s oneday annual membership conference set this year for October 8 at the Bone Center on the campus of Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois.

Chicago market Silver Dome Award winners will claim their awards the following month at a firstever IBA Chicago Silver Dome Awards luncheon at the Radisson Blu Hotel in downtown Chicago.

Same Entry Fees as Last Year

Cost per entry for the 2024 Silver Dome Awards competition remains the same as last year.

Complete rules and entry information available at www.ilba.org. Special inquiries can be sent to iba@ilba.org.

IBA seeking nominations for 2024 “W. Russell Withers Jr. Broadcast Pioneer Awards”

IBA members have until May 10th to nominate broadcasters for the 2024 award, created to annually recognize both downstate and Chicago broadcasters who have spent the bulk of their broadcast careers, whether behind a microphone, in front of the camera, or behind the scenes, devoting years of bringing local programming to their audiences while serving as a pillar in the community, exemplifying the true meaning of localism before it became a popular term.

The award, named in honor of the late legendary Illinois broadcaster W. Russell Withers, Jr., is awarded annually to a broadcaster in both the Chicago and downstate media markets. Past honorees include agri-journalist Max Armstrong, legendary radio programmer John Gehron, meteorologist Tom Skilling, and station manager and VP News Frank Whittaker.

The downstate honoree will receive his or her award at IBA2024, October 8, in Normal, IL with the Chicago honoree being recognized at the Chicago Silver Dome Awards luncheon on November 13th.

IBA members wanting to nominate broadcasters for the award should e-mail their nomination by May 10, 2024 and include contact information of their suggested nominee as well a short essay as to why they feel their nominee should be selected. Nominations should be emailed to iba@ilba.org.

IBA’s board of directors will review all entries and make their selection at its Q2 board meeting this summer.

IBA Foundation Trustee Marty Wilke to receive DePaul University “Distinguished Mentor Award”

Mentorship is a cornerstone of the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence’s goals, and why Marin and Moseley are excited to honor Wilke. In more than two decades of working in television, Wilke pushes journalists out of their comfort zone and make news accessible. She was the first woman to be general manager of WGN-TV and president of WBBM-TV. Under her leadership, the Chicago television stations have become more connected to their community, with increased viewership and revenue.

Throughout her career, Wilke has supported DePaul students by offering mentorship and funding scholarships, such as the Wilke Family Endowed Scholarship she created with her sister in 2012. She also started the Marty Wilke Student Media Journalism Fund, which provides stipends and grants for student journalists.

“Mentoring has been a guiding principle in my role as a leader,” says Wilke. “The distinction of being recognized as a Distinguished Mentor is a great honor.”

Wilke was a speaker at the College of Communication’s 2017 commencement ceremony and continues to serve the college as a chair on the Dean’s Advisory Council.

“Mentoring has been a guiding principle in my role as a leader.”

“I extend this tribute to my mentors — individuals whose invaluable guidance, support, and encouragement have instilled in me the value of giving back to others,” Wilke says.

Newton Minow, widely known as the former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, was the first Distinguished Mentor Award winner in 2022.

IBA Goes to Washington!

IBA Executive Committee members Matt Scarano-iHeart Media Chicago, IBA Chairman of the Board, Immediate Past Chairman Paul Rennie-WGN-TV, IBA Executive Vice-Chair Sarah ShellhammerWJIL-WJVO Radio, and IBA Vice-Chair TV Jennifer Lyons-WBBM-TV joined IBA president/CEO Dennis Lyle in Washington, D.C. for NAB’s two-day 2024 State Leadership Conference which included two days of calling on Illinois Members of Congress to discuss broadcast concerns of Illinois’ broadcasters.

The visit resulted in the securing co-sponsorship support for the “AM For Every Vehicle Act” from Illinois U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly and Jan Schakowsky and secured U.S. Representative Danny Davis’ support for the “Local Radio Freedom Act.”

(l-r) Matt Scarano, Jennifer Lyons, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, Paul Rennie, and Dennis Lyle

IBA’s efforts have resulting in securing ten of the nation’s 239 co-sponsors for the “AM For Every Vehicle Act” (H.R. 3413) and nine of the nation’s 224 co-sponsors for the “Local Radio Freedom Act” (H. Con. Res. 13.)

Four Illinois College Students Selected for Summer 2024

MIP Internships!

IBA’s MIP (Multicultural Intern Program) Director Frank Whittaker announced the selection of four students for this summer’s MIP program.

Alexis (Lexi) Muoghalu, a junior at Illinois State University majoring in journalism and political science has the goal to be a TV news reporter and loves to tell stories, especially in underrepresented communities. A current student employee at ISU’s TV-10, Alexis will intern this summer at IBA-member WLS-TV, Chicago.

Janaya Banks is a broadcast journalism major at Columbia College in Chicago currently in her sophomore year with hopes to be an on-air TV news reporter. She serves as treasurer of the NABJ chapter at Columbia, with past internship experience at “Austin Talks,” a community news outlet on Chicago’s west side. Jamaya has been assigned to WBBM-TV Chicago for her summer internship.

Jacqueline Barba, a junior at the University of Illinois at Champaign, majors in journalism. She loves to produce newscasts, is bilingual, and recently started the first-ever Spanish language student newscast at U of I. With two semesters’ experience at Illinois Public Media, Jacqueline is looking forward to her summer internship at IBA-member WMAQ/WSNS-TV, Chicago.

Noah Tomko-Jones is a junior at DePaul University majoring in journalism. Having grown up in an NPR household, he loves long-form storytelling and has a signficant background in music production as well. A current student of the legendary Carol Marin’s journalism class at DePaul, Noah is helping produce a documentary for WTTW. This summer, however, she’ll intern at IBAmember WGN-TV.

Eligibility for MIP internship consideration requires the student applicant to be currently enrolled in an Illinois college or university that offers media studies. Once selected for internship placement, the MIP students are expected to intern a minimum of 8 weeks, during which time they are paid minimum wage by the host station. Host stations are later reimbursed by the IBA.

IBA-member stations interested in hosting an MIP intern next summer should contact the IBA office now as interns selected are typically placed at an IBA-member station located in their home market so the student can avoid housing expenses by living at home.

The selection process for candidates for 2025 summer internships will begin this fall, as Director Whittaker visits campuses and candidates recommended by instructors. Interns are then selected in late January, allowing the selected interns to plan for their summer internship.

Alexis (Lexi) Muoghalu Janaya Banks

Jacqueline Barba Noah Tomko-Jones

Tom Skilling officially signs off after 45 years at WGN

Tom Skilling, a fixture of Chicago television and beloved by generations has officially retired.

On February 28, Skilling bid farewell on air and gave his last official forecast for WGN.

“This isn’t goodbye, it’s thank you and I’ll see you later,” Skilling said.

Skilling started his successful career at the unheardof age of 14 in Aurora, while still in high school. He had a series of radio and TV jobs in Illinois and Wisconsin before coming to WGN-TV in August of 1978. Known for his in-depth and highly detailed weather segments, Tom has elevated the audience’s understanding of not just the weather, but the science behind it.

On February 20, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Illinois State Senator Will Preston, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson presented Tom with a proclamation declaring the day “Tom Skilling Day!”

In 2019, IBA honored Skilling with its Chicago W. Russell Withers Jr. Broadcast Pioneer Award.

Jacksonville, Illinois native Andrea Cully Joins IBA as Executive Assistant/Director of Communications

There’s a new voice greeting visitors and callers to IBA’s Springfield office as Andrea Cully assumes the role of IBA’s Executive Assistant/Director of Communications.

Prior to joining IBA, the Jacksonville, Illinois native served as an Administrative Assistant with the Jacksonville, Illinois Public School System, in addition to serving as Union President of the Jacksonville Support Staff Association and Treasurer of the Jacksonville Association of Music.

“Andrea came highly recommended, and for good reason,” remarked Dennis Lyle, president/CEO of the IBA. “She possesses a work ethic second to none and approaches her job responsibilities with admirable enthusiasm.

A graduate of Illinois College with a BA in Sociology, Cully also holds an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Networking Systems degree from Springfield’s ITT Technical Institute. Cully and her husband Adam have four children and reside in Jacksonville.

IBA President & CEO, Dennis Lyle, poses with Congressman Quigley at Skilling’s Retirement Party

Tom Skilling and Dennis Lyle embrace at Skilling’s Retirement Party

Free Ready-to-Air PRO-radio Campaign Available to 2024 IBA-member Stations

IBA-member stations who have successfully renewed their 2024 IBA membership will soon be sent free ready-to-air :60 second PRO-radio English and Spanish copyrighted spots, produced by Los Angelesbased award-winning creating and production agency Handmade Radio.

Originally scripted, produced, and purchased exclusively for airing by current (2024) members of IBA’s RBC (Radio Broadcasters of Chicagoland) Committee, Matt Scarano, RBC Committee (and IBA Board of Directors) Chair, agreed a downstate version of the campaign would be greatly beneficial to and welcomed by IBA’s many downstate member stations.

Founded in 2010, the Los Angeles-based creative shop specializes in branding TV, branded direct response TV, radio, print, and digital, having created extremely successful campaigns for clients including eHarmony.com, Angie’s List, Panda Express, Lexus and Lexus dealerships, and Guthy Renker brands, among others.

Their current “Dickie and Grandma” radio campaign for First American Bank airing on Chicago’s radio airwaves even features Coyle-Johnson as the voice of “Grandma.”

Handmade Radio’s Founders/Creative Directors Christine CoyleJohnson and Julie Prendiville Roux and their senior staff come from well-known agencies including TBWA/Chiat Day, Fallon Worldwide, Foote, Cone and Belding, Team One, and Ketchum, while its creative directors and producers have served in-house, as well, at companies such as Mattel Toys, Kaiser Permanente, and Hanna Barbera Cartoons/ Warner Bros.

Besides creating a number of past NCSA/PEP campaigns for IBA, “Team Coyle-Johnson and Prendiville Roux” are known worldwide for creating award winning TV spots for national clients, intimate testimonials for streaming platforms, eye-catching print ads and, as they suggest in their marketing materials, “even flashy ads for the Times Square Tower and Marquis,” yet they confess that radio has always had a special place in their hearts. That is likely due to their history with the legendary — and IBA Hall of Famer — Dick Orkin of Orkin’s famed Radio Ranch where Prendiville Roux served as the Creative Director/Producer and Coyle-Johnson as a Group Creative Director and, later on, Orkin’s creative partner.

Coyle-Johnson is a born and bred Chicagoan with family still living in the Chicagoland area while Prendiville Roux is a fourth generation Southern Californian but as Coyle-Johnson quips, “Don’t hold that against her – she has very midwestern sensibilities.”

Julie Prendiville Roux

Christine Coyle-Johnson