The 72nd National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual convention is officially underway, back in Kansas City as usual.
The man in charge of the convention is Brian Winnekins of WRDN Radio in Wisconsin, the president-elect of NAFB, who is especially excited about welcoming FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai on Friday. “Commissioner Pai has been a big proponent of the AM revitalization rule,” said Brian, who adds that he will also be talking about net neutrality and other issues. “So it’s going to be a great opportunity for not only the broadcasters but also for general managers of stations to find out what’s going on with FCC.”
The big event at NAFB is always Trade Talk and Brian says it’s bigger and better than ever. “This year’s Trade Talk is overfull again,” he said. “We always have a waiting list. My biggest challenge was trying to close off Pershing Avenue to try and extend the convention center so we could get another 100 Trade Talk booths but they wouldn’t let me close off the block!”
Brian is grateful for all the sponsors who make the NAFB convention possible and hold down the registration costs for members. “If we don’t have the sponsors here, we’re not here,” he said. “It’s a lot of work and a lot of costs to make it happen.”
As he looks forward to taking the NAFB president’s gavel for the coming year, Brian is focused on making sure the organization brings value for all three membership councils – Broadcast, Management and Sales. Listen to my interview with Brian here: Interview with NAFB president-elect Brian Winnekins
