by Paul Kaminski
RADIO WORLD

The annual NAB Radio Luncheon recognized radio’s commitment to community service, honored a country music broadcasting legend and looked ahead to the technological next big things relevant to the future of radio.

Brian Cooley

The keynote speaker, CNET Editor at Large Brian Cooley, said three technological innovations — smartphones, tablets and connected automobiles — could actually help radio broadcasters reach new audiences and hyperserve existing listeners.

“We’re leaving a very difficult era and going into one that has more opportunity and promise than it does challenges. Personal computers are not very friendly devices. They are not transparent; they are not intuitive; they are not intimate. That’s what radio is — not what a computer is,” Cooley said.

He continued, saying that radio is really not in the business of explaining new technology, which is what the makers of these new devices are doing.

“We [radio] tell great stories, we make it transparent, intimate, intuitive, local, live, personal — that’s what’s radio’s all about.” Cooley quoted worldwide fourth quarter 2010 sales figures that showed that the most omnipresent of the new devices — the smartphone — is now outselling personal computers.

His advice for radio broadcasters wanting to ride the newest digital wave: “Start thinking very broadly. When you think digital, get that desktop computer, that Mac laptop out of your mind and push it to the side to make room for these other devices.”

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The 2011 Crystal Radio Award finalists were announced, from a field of 50 nominees. The awards are given to radio stations for excellence in community service.

For only the second time, NAB awarded the Crystal Heritage Award for an ongoing commitment to excellent community service.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith presented the award to KBHP-FM of Bemidji, Minn. The station, which received its first Crystal Radio Award in 1994, supports a wide array of community service initiatives, including raising more than $800,000 over the past 17 years to help fight child abuse.

KBHP Station Vice President Mary Campbell accepted the award, saying that KBHP is “proud to join WUSL-FM (Philadelphia, Pa.) in this elite group of Crystal Radio Award winners, and I’m thrilled to bring this back to Bemidji and the communities we serve.”

The luncheon ended with the induction of longtime Nashville country music personality and songwriter Gerry House into the Radio Hall of Fame.

“How this happened to me, I don’t know. It’s a moment I will never forget. Getting a song recorded by somebody is a special moment, but I don’t think it’ll ever beat this.”

House was part of “The House Foundation” morning team on Nashville’s WSIX-FM until that show ended in December 2010.

“I hope we never forget that people do take a little piece of radio with them when they listen. And I’ll take this with me as long as I live.”

The luncheon was sponsored by ASCAP.