Annually, broadcasters from across the United States and Puerto Rico gather in Washington, D.C., for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) State Leadership Conference (SLC). During this conference, they engage with prominent policymakers and industry leaders and also meet with legislators to discuss key issues affecting the broadcasting industry.
The Indiana Broadcasters Association (IBA) and Ohio Association of Broadcasters (OAB) organize visits to our specific representatives and senators. For the first time, Andy Kohls, Lindsay Stafford, and Mark Foerster participated with J Chapman.
After-reports sent out by the Associations stated,
“The commitment of time, expertise, and good humor helped us have a terrific week in Washington – perhaps the most successful visit of the past several years.”
Lindsay Stafford: “I felt very honored to be able to participate, along with members of the Indiana Broadcasters Association, in meeting with our state leaders (Senators, Congressmen, etc) at the 2024 State Leadership Conference on the real issues that affect our industry. Not only was it an eye-opening experience, learning the many MORE ways that our industry plays a vital role in helping our listeners, but it was also such a positive experience being surrounded by so many others who share the same passion as I do. You could tell by how they talked that they were ingrained in the industry and wanted to do all they could to improve it for those listening and those partnering. It meant a lot to be sitting among them. I keep saying it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, I’ll remain hopeful that I’ll return. We are broadcasters. Local – Vital – Trusted.”
Andy Kohls: “I thoroughly enjoyed the Washington D.C. trip. I got a chance to spend some quality time getting to know a lot of the other members of the OAB, in addition to expanding my broadcasting network by meeting many new people at the NAB SLC conference from stations all across the country. The conference was a great experience, and the day was filled with outstanding speakers! Getting to experience the meetings on Capitol Hill with our Ohio Congressmen and Senators was a great learning experience.”