LABF Offers How-To Video on Using LAB Collections for Radio and Podcasting

College Park, Md., Nov. 7, 2022: The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF), in partnership with Benztown, the University of Maryland (UMD) and the Broadcast Education Association (BEA), is producing a 90-minute video instructing college radio and podcasting producers on how to make use of the audio archives and other resources at UMD’s Library of American Broadcasting.

The video is expected to be available in late January.

The initiative, led by LABF Board Members Dave “Chachi” Denes (Benztown President) and Heather Birks (BEA Executive Director), features University of Maryland Reference Specialist Michael Henry hosting a virtual walk-through of the library, followed by an insightful conversation about the vast collection highlighting incredible moments in U.S. history captured through the eyes and voice of television and radio broadcasters.

Upon conclusion of the virtual tour, industry professionals from across different disciplines of the podcasting and radio business, including radio executive Mike McVay (programming) along with Benztown’s R Dub! from Sunday Night Slow Jams (syndication and on-air hosting), Darren Silva and MJ Bloch (commercial production), Tom Green (imaging) and Susan Aksu (marketing) and other experts will speak to the students about the many exciting career opportunities available to them in the industry.

 “Everyone involved with this program is passionate about radio and podcasting, said Denes. “It’s an absolute honor to be able to share our knowledge with students that will someday be leading the industry.”

 “Students interested in any facet of radio and audio media will find this class, and these connections, invaluable,” said Birks. “We are thrilled to work with the LABF, UMD and Benztown to offer this extraordinary opportunity to colleges and universities.”

 "I am very excited for this opportunity to share our rare and unique radio resources with future broadcasters,” said Henry. “I hope these resources will inspire a love of broadcast history and an appreciation for the vital role radio has played in our culture for the last 100 years."

 The initiative started as a semester-long course at Clark Atlanta University in 2021.

 For more details, please contact: Heather Birks at 202-602-0584 or heather@beaweb.org.