[SBE] activating inactives

[Adrienne Abbott]

Chriss--
Our Reno chapter has been buzzing along with various activities since it was
established about three years ago. Our attendance ranges from 10 to 30
members, depending on the day, time, topic and menu for the meeting. The
most popular events seem to be those that feature free food, including two
meetings a year that are sponsored by the Nevada Broadcasters Association as
well as a summer picnic meeting at the transmitter site for our
flame-thrower AM station where everyone waits in anticipation for the relays
to switch to the night pattern.(!) The NBA has been very involved and
supportive of both the Reno and Las Vegas Chapters, and that has contributed
to the success of both groups. I would recommend that local SBE chapters
contact their broadcaster organizations for help in contacting engineers,
Master Control staff and studio engineers and for letting General Managers
know that SBE has benefits for them too. We have had several meetings on the
DTV transition that were well-attended, even by a few radio engineers. We
are beginning a series of programs on NextGen EAS that will feature
presentations from various manufacturers and others who are involved in the
upgrade. 
Adrienne

-----Original Message-----
From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of
chscherer at everestkc.net
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:00 AM
To: sbe member discussion mail list
Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

No one will argue that there are more demands on everyone's time.

The SBE is working on webinars, and I know that trade publications are
already offering them. Good idea, Dave. Lots of us agree with you.

There are lots of ways to get information, but the in-person meeting has a
unique value of its own. I can't make it to every chapter meeting, but when
I do, I find the social and professional networking to be as important as
the program topic.

I certainly hope that chapters are trying different options for
day/night/weekend meetings if attendance is sliping. Of course what works in
one city does not work in another.

I would like to hear some success stories from chapters. Was your chapter
having trouble and turned around? Have you been a chapter champion and
helped make things happen? Let's here what you have done.

Chriss

----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Dybas <dd92251 at aol.com>
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:38 am
Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives


> Guys,

> 

> With radio station consolidation, the typical radio engineer has 

> severaltransmitters and studios and maybe even a Wife and kids) to 

> maintain. The

> days of kicking back and reading trade publications, visiting other

> engineers and attending SBE meetings are, for the most part, gone. 

> 

> Without doubt the SBE is a valuable resource and is appreciated by 

> many. I

> wonder if there would be value to developing "webinars", that is 

> web based

> seminars for the members. Or holding Local Chapter meetings on 

> Weekends? 

> 

> Dave Dybas CBT

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf 

> Of Garrison

> Cavell

> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:01 AM

> To: 'sbe member discussion mail list'

> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

> 

> 

> Chriss

> 

> I don't know whether the following is a permitted post on this 

> site since it

> isn't purely technical, but I thought I'd lob in a comment to what 

> seemed to

> be an emerging thread.

> 

> I've been through this sort of issue (chapters fading or becoming 

> inactive)with similar entities, like IEEE local chapters, local 

> NSPE chapters, and

> other organizations, so you could conclude, thankfully, that this 

> is not a

> unique "SBE issue". Rather, it is a universal problem that has 

> impactedalmost every volunteer entity and professional 

> organization. So I guess

> there's a bit of good news in this - SBE is not in and of itself the

> problem. 

> 

> The bad news is - it has become increasingly hard to keep people 

> interestedand involved - and particularly if it requires people to 

> leave their homes

> and workplaces to "come out" to any event. From my perch, it would 

> appearthat this problem really started occurring over 5-8 years 

> ago, but I am not

> entirely sure why. 

> 

> My best guess is that an increasing lack of personal time, growing 

> familypressures, work demands, and little support from employers 

> add up to almost

> no spare time for members. Attrition in our ranks hasn't helped 

> any either.

> There are fewer of us (one engineer - a half dozen stations or 

> more) so a

> group of any size, even in a larger metro area, would have to draw 

> from a

> larger territory - compounding the problem.

> 

> Curiously, good technical programs often (but not always) bring 

> people out,

> but as you know, it is difficult to hit a "home run" every time. 

> And chapter

> member interest can be diverse, so keeping it relevant for 

> everyone (so

> folks will keep coming out and supporting the chapter) is a big 

> challenge.

> The successful local entities (or any sort) always seem to have a 

> core group

> of folks who are enthusiastic and seem tireless. More than likely, 

> they have

> been the "glue" for the entity for years. The problem here is that 

> a few

> retirements, relocations, or deaths can pave the way for a group's 

> demise.Getting newer members involved and interested in helping to 

> "row the boat"

> can be very tough (and especially if the "core" does not "let go" 

> and give

> the newbie's a chance, but I digress).

> 

> So I can offer no solutions, other than to encourage people who are

> interested in reactivating a chapter (and care about what a local SBE

> chapter can do for their part of the world) to: 1) try to contact the

> members in the region to determine what might be interesting for 

> chapteractivities, services and programs, 2) determine what times 

> of day, days of

> the week, would work best for the most attendance, 3) determine 

> what meeting

> frequency would be best - whether monthly, quarterly, etc., and 4) 

> find like

> minded folks to form a core group that will beat the bushes for 

> programs,free meeting locations, ideas for shared resources (like 

> a local "idea bank"

> or common parts pool), 4) try to learn what would be interesting to

> everyone, be it technical or networking, and 5) you really need to 

> bug folks

> - keep in touch- drag them in. 

> 

> Easier said than done.

> 

> Sorry - this was well more than two centavos worth. 

> 

> - from a long time SBE member.

> 

> -- gary

> 

> Garrison C. Cavell 

> Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc. 

> 7839 Ashton Avenue Manassas, Virginia 20109-2883    

> 703.392.9090 General Office - 703.392.9559 Facsimile 202.332.0110

> Washington, D.C. Line www.CavellMertz.com  www.FCCInfo.com

>    

> 

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of

> chscherer at everestkc.net

> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:51 AM

> To: sbe member discussion mail list

> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

> 

> Help is always appreciated, but there has not been a lack of trying.

> 

> 

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