6-2-14
24 aspiring young broadcasters will start to learn the trade today on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. The Kellar Radio Talent Institute begins with opening comments from NCAB President Steve Hammel who is the VP/GM of WRAL-TV in Raleigh. Forty-five broadcast professionals are contributing to the ten-day Institute this year, which was started by Dan Vallie who's pictured here with a student.
The mission of the National Radio Talent System is to create the radio talent farm system (a talent incubator) by placing a Radio Talent Institute on a college campus in every region or state in America so students can attend in their home state, and so radio stations can recruit from their own region of the country, or nationally. Dan Vallie, Director of the Kellar Radio Talent Institute, and Founder of the National Radio Talent System, said, ?This all began as the answer to the question, ?where is the next generation of talent coming from? and the often stated comment that we need a radio talent farm system for our industry. We now have exactly that as we secure sponsorships from broadcasters and identify universities to create a Radio Talent Institute in each state. It?s exciting to watch and, admittedly, somewhat emotional at times to see students with the talent and passion to succeed in our business, complete the Institute and begin a career, fulfilling our need for young talent and the Radio Talent Institutes being the campus-to-career connection the students need. It?s impressive and heart-warming to see so many broadcasters committing both time and sponsorship to make this happen?.
This year the Institute includes the Radio Marketing Professional Certification course from the RAB, with those sessions being taught by Gary Weiss, Regional VP, Radio One, Raleigh and Charlotte; Mac ?Edwards? McTindal, VP/Market Manager and Pam Patton, AE ,of the Beasley Broadcast Group, Fayetteville; Dick Harlow, VP/Market Manager, Dick Broadcasting, Greensboro/Winston-Salem; Larry Weiss, Market Manager, Digity Media, Greenville/New Bern/Jacksonville, NC and Mike Hartel, VP/GM of the L&L Broadcasting stations in Columbia, SC.
