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Inaugural Confer Radio Talent Institute Kicks Off Today
July 7, 2014 at 6:02 PM (PT)
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The NATIONAL RADIO TALENT SYSTEM, founded in 2013 by DAN VALLIE, TODAY (7/7) launches the CONFER RADIO TALENT INSTITUTE at BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA through the sponsorship of lifetime broadcaster KERBY CONFER, to help discover, teach and prepare a new generation of radio professionals.
Nineteen students desiring a career in broadcasting, from universities in the region, have been accepted into the Institute. They will be immersed in the program for the next ten days on the campus of BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY with all sessions taught by radio professionals.
CONFER, a PENNSYLVANIA RADIO HALL OF FAME inductee, commented, “The quality of the mentor teachers assembled for this ten day radio immersion is amazing. This is just what the industry needs … it's important…and the digital age is upon us; this couldn't come at a more opportune time. I'm excited to be able to extend the NATIONAL RADIO TALENT SYSTEM to PENNSYLVANIA and the NORTHEAST UNITED STATES at BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY."
There are now four RADIO TALENT INSTITUTES in four states, and VALLIE commented, "KERBY CONFER has always built quality radio stations and companies. He's always creative, entrepreneurial and visionary. He loves the business, and all of that is evident again in his enthusiasm for the National Radio Talent System through his sponsorship of the Confer Radio Talent Institute. He cares about the future, about young people coming into the industry and, through the Confer Radio Talent Institute, we are continuing to build the talent farm our industry needs."
All students are in all sessions, including the RAB RADIO MARKETING PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, as well as sessions for on-air, sports, news, promotions, programming and Interactive, with 70% of the students to-date starting their career in radio or related field.
The opening session will be lead by MARC RAYFIELD, SVP/Market Manager of CBS/Philadelphia. Programming and on-air sessions will be led by PAT PAXTON, President/Programming of ENTERCOM and MIKE O'DONNELL, Operations Manager of ENTERCOM/WILKES-BARRE; JAY STEVENS, SVP/Programming, and COLBY COLB, VP/Programming, both with RADIO ONE; CHRIS OLIVIERO, EVP/Programming for CBS; JON ZELLNER, Senior VP/Programming, CLEAR CHANNEL; ROSS BRITTAIN, WOGL/PHILADELPHIA; PAT FARNACK, WCBS/NY; RJ HARRIS, WHP/HARRISBURG; RASA KAYE/ KYW PHILADELPHIA; JOHN SHOMBY, Operations Manager, MAX MEDIA/NORFOLK; recently retired programmer CHARLEY LAKE; Voice Talent PAT GARRETT and others.
Sports sessions are taught by ROB BROOKS and JIM JACKSON of the PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES and FLYERS. DOC and ANDIE from WXTU/PHILADELPHIA will do their show live from the INSTITUTE. Interactive and promotions sessions will be taught by KELLY WALLACE, Director of Interactive, GREATER MEDIA; LAYLA NIELSEN, National Director of Integrated Radio Marketing, RADIO ONE; SARA BAGGERMAN, Promotions Director, ENTERCOM/WILKES-BARRE.
Teaching the management and sales sessions are MICHAEL SHERRY, VP/Sales for KEYMARKET and FOREVER BROADCASTING/PITTSBURGH; KRISTIN CANTRELL, Owner & GM, CAPCITY COMMUNICATIONS, FRANKFORT, KY; DAVE DAVIES, Market Manager/ALTOONA and SCOTT COHAGEN, General Manger in STATE COLLEGE, both from FOREVER BROADCASTING and GARY FISHER, President, EQUITY BROADCASTING, ATLANTIC CITY. KERBY CONFER wraps up the institute by delivering the final session ten days from now.
The mission of THE NATIONAL RADIO TALENT SYSTEM is to create a 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.
Individual broadcasters, groups or organizations who would like to join the NATIONAL RADIO TALENT SYSTEM™ in establishing and sponsoring a RADIO TALENT INSTITUTE™ on a campus in their state and region should contact DanVallie@NationalRadioTalentSystem.com or call (828) 262-1502.

