The Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) brought industry professionals together in Augusta on June 18–19 for two successful events focused on networking, education, and collaboration.
GAB Member Mixer Brings Broadcasters Together
The week kicked off on Thursday, June 18, with the GAB Member Mixer at 5th & Fire in Augusta. Broadcasters from across Georgia gathered for an evening of networking, conversation, and relationship-building with fellow industry professionals.
The mixer provided members an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, share ideas, discuss industry trends, and strengthen the relationships that help make Georgia’s broadcast community one of the strongest in the nation. Attendees represented television and radio stations from markets throughout the state, making the event a valuable opportunity to connect with peers and industry partners in a relaxed setting.
Inaugural Georgia-Lina Engineering Summit Draws Regional Participation
On Friday, June 19, engineers and broadcast professionals from across Georgia and South Carolina gathered at the Snelling Conference Center for the inaugural Georgia-Lina Engineering Summit.
Hosted by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) in partnership with the South Carolina Broadcasters Association (SCBA), the summit was designed to educate, elevate, and connect broadcast engineers throughout the Southeast. The full-day program featured sessions covering emerging technologies, regulatory compliance, infrastructure reliability, and career development.
Featured presentations included:
- “Growing Beyond Traditional Broadcast Engineering” presented by Kirk Harnack, CBRE, CBNE, focusing on practical IT, streaming, and podcasting skills that are creating new opportunities for broadcast engineers and stations.
- “Ground & Lightning Protection” presented by Jeff Welton, CPBE, Nautel, covering best practices for grounding systems, surge protection, and facility protection during severe weather events.
- “Calculating Reliability for Broadcast Engineers” presented by Fred Baumgartner, CPBE, CBNT, ONEMedia, exploring methods for evaluating system reliability and determining the return on investment for facility upgrades.
- “NextGen Broadcast – ATSC 3.0” presented by Fred Baumgartner, providing insight into the opportunities and challenges surrounding NextGen TV technology.
- “FCC Compliance for Your Facility” presented by John George of RF Specialties South, highlighting FCC compliance requirements, EAS procedures, tower light monitoring, recordkeeping practices, and providing attendees with practical examples and Q&A opportunities.
The event was made possible through the support of title sponsors Hearst Television, WJCL 22, and WYFF 4, along with event sponsors Nautel, RF Specialties South, Broadtech Services, and SCMS. GAB also partnered with the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) and the South Carolina Broadcasters Association to bring the event to life.
GAB President Randy Gravley said, “Last week’s two events showcased exactly what makes our broadcast industry so special… the people. From broadcasters connecting and building relationships at our Member Mixer to engineers from the southeast sharing knowledge and expertise at the inaugural Georgia-Lina Engineering Summit, these events demonstrated the value of coming together as an industry.
We are grateful to everyone who attended, our outstanding speakers, sponsors, the Society of Broadcast Engineers, and our partners at the South Carolina Broadcasters Association for helping make the inaugural Georgia-Lina Engineering Summit a success. The connections made and ideas shared this week will continue to benefit broadcasters and stations across our region long after these events have concluded.”
With strong attendance and positive feedback from participants, GAB looks forward to continuing opportunities that support broadcasters, engineers, and industry professionals throughout Georgia and beyond.
