The IBA Becomes A Reality
• The Independent Broadcasters Association (IBA) announced that it will be officially launching as a formal organization within the next two weeks.
Ron Stone, Pres./CEO of Adams Radio Group and the driving force behind the formation of the IBA said, “We have 496 owners/operators representing just under 3,000 stations that have signed up supporting the idea of the organization,” which was designed “to serve independent radio stations in ways they are not being served by existing organizations and provide independent operators with ways to drive revenue and achieve cost benefits from scale that cannot be achieved alone.” Stone added, “The next step is the formation of the IBA into a legal entity, forming an initial board and getting to work on all the elements that will benefit independent operators choosing to be members of the IBA. We will see more owners/operators sign up now that the decision has been made to launch, as many have said to me, ‘I will sign up when I know it’s real.’ The IBA will make a significant impact on independent broadcasters’ bottom line. In three years, every member will echo that the IBA was exactly the right organization at the right time to meet the needs of independents.”
Bud Walters, President of Cromwell Media Group, and an early IBA supporter, commented, “Independent broadcasters outside the major markets have a lot in common as we seem to be in a different business than large markets broadcasters. There is good reason to explore this idea of working more closely together.”
As to the question of your membership investment, Stone expects to have that answered very soon as the board plans to take that up as its first task, adding, ‘Membership will be affordable and will not be a burden for any size operation.” Owners/operators are still being encouraged to sign up at radioiba.org, which will remain active until the new IBA website is operational. Updates will be emailed to those that have signed up on the site, and Stone will be scheduling a conference call for all members and the initial board within a few weeks to discuss the mission and goals of your new IBA.
