Category Archives: News

SBE Promotes Stephen J. Brown to SBE Fellow

The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) has elevated Stephen J. Brown, CPBE, CBNT, of Appleton, WI, to the membership rank of Fellow. The SBE Board of Directors elected him at its meeting held April 16, 2023.

Mr. Brown’s career in broadcasting began in 1975 when he began working for WAPL-AM/FM as a part-time announcer and engineer. In 1978, he was hired by Woodward Communications as assistant chief engineer, being promoted to chief engineer in 1980, and then director of broadcast engineering in 1985. In that capacity, he oversees 11 stations in multiple markets.

For many years, Steve volunteered his time as a Program Committee member for the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association in planning the annual Broadcasters Clinic. He is also a founding member of SBE Chapter 80 Fox Valley. From 2018 to 2022, he served two terms on the SBE Board of Directors, serving as Membership Committee Chair. He is SBE Lifetime Certified as a Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer and a Certified Broadcast Networking Technologist.

For the full press release, click here.

Congratulations Steve!

WBA Engineering Fellowship Grants

The WBA and the WBA Foundation appreciate those who have chosen broadcast engineering as a profession. We realize that all broadcast engineers must stay current in broadcast engineering knowledge, skills, practices, and technologies, and that involves an investment of time and money.

As the broadcast industry evolves, so must our understanding of how to implement new media transmission. Unfortunately, often busy schedules and tight budgets for most engineering departments do not permit engineers to learn new skills and acquire an understanding of new technology. How are broadcast engineers able to keep up-to-date so that our industry thrives?

The WBA and the WBA Foundation offer Engineering Fellowship Grants. This program is meant to provide a stipend for broadcast engineers currently serving Wisconsin member stations to acquire continuing education in broadcast engineering.

For more information and to apply, click here.

2017 Broadcasters Clinic Wins SBE Award

From Chapter President Steve Brown –

Very proud to accept this award tonight on behalf of the Clinic planning committee and all the attendees. This award is from the Society of Broadcast Engineers National Meeting. The 2017 Broadcast Clinic was named the Best Regional Educational Event. Special recognition should go to our Chair Kent Aschenbrenner (Milwaukee Chapter 28), Linda Baun (who we all know does so much for Broadcast Clinic, and to Leonard Charles, immediate past Chair of the Clinic Committee. These individuals and countless others worked very hard in 2017 and every year to put together a great event.

You can still make plans to attend this award-winning event – takes place in less than two weeks! For more information on this year’s event, click here.

Regulatory Alert: Register Your C-Band Receive-Only Earth Station Now

I’d like to take a moment to call your attention to this important notice from the National SBE OfficeThis impacts any broadcaster that uses a C Band satellite dish to receive programming for rebroadcast. 

Please strongly consider licensing your satellite dish during this brief window.  I will keep a file of vendors providing this service in an effort to find the least costly way for you to do this. Yes I understand it is an unplanned expense, but the costs of NOT doing so might be much more. Protect your broadcasts and license that earth station!  

This affects ALL RADIO STATIONS with the large satellite receive dishes.  Reach out to your smaller broadcaster friends and clients – be sure they understand this issue!

If you have questions about this issue, e-mail me at sbrown@wcinet.com and I will attempt to find answers for you.

This is from one vendor that can assist in registration

These are some “do-it-yourself” instructions