The chairman of the NBC affiliates board says he likes the fact that his network has given its stations three ways to work with NBC. He's especially intrigued by the "Gold" option in which the network would negotiate retrans deals for the affiliates. Another plus, he says, is the new deal with NBCU's Weather Channel that will give the affils help with their digital and moblile ventures.

As part of his affiliation relations duties, NBC TV Network President John Eck has a plan he views as adventageous to both the stations and his network while meeting the challenges of the evolving TV marketplace. NBCU is offering affiliates a long-term agreement (the Gold option) that makes the network and the affiliate full partners not only in broadcasting as they are today, but also in local online media and mobile DTV with NBC representing them in retrans negotiations. If that caveat is not to their liking, they can opt for shorter-term Silver or Bronze deals.

The former head of CBS News and now digital media consultant says local TV news has to shed the "show business conventions that were designed to create an aura of credibility." If they don't, younger generations will see the newscasts as ironic and broadcasters will be left with "less sophisticated" audiences that have little appeal to advertisers.

Capitol Broadcasting's innovative NewsOverWireless (NOW) operation lets stations use its 11 different offerings to generate advertising and subscription revenue from mobile customers. NOW's GM describes the mobile opportunities that lie ahead for stations and the importance of their looking at mobile as an overall ecosystem, rather than just as a one-off solution. "This is about having a mobile strategy."

The longtime broadcaster is now advising TV station group investors who pumped a lot of money into rapidly expanding broadcast groups a few years ago and are now trying to salvage what they can. He sees an opportunity for stations to streamline operations by sharing expenses with other stations in a market in every area, except sales, and bring their margins back. Not to the 40% or 50% margins of the past, but to around 20%.

Raycom Media's news VP says that her company's plan to survive the staff cutbacks made necessary by the economic tough times is to help staff add to their skills. With more flexibility, she says, the stations will be able to achieve their goal of becoming the local information provider over the air, on the Internet and on mobile devices.

The president of news consultant AR&D talks abou his firm's new book on local TV news and offers strategies for how TV stations can claim their spot as the top local news source on the Web and extend their dominance to mobile. Key is finding — and listening to — visionaries, who aren't shackled with the old processes and the old business models.

The head of the Scripps TV group is not handing out pink slips to cut costs in the wake of plunging ad revenue. Rather, his company has re-evaluated its mission to its audience and advertisers. It's decided to focus on providing the most local news and services 24/7 on all its various platforms. To do that, it's putting more people on the street gathering news and is retraining its traditional sales people to sell the Web.

The broadcasting head and chief revenue officer says the plan to move Tribune out of bankruptcy hinges on increasing each station's local identity and sharing that task with co-owned newspapers where possible. And in markets where it doesn't own papers, to partner with those that do.

The NAB president faces a new regulatory world as he prepares to head off to Las Vegas for the association's annual gathering. He talks about his priorities going forward, including finally making the DTV transition, dealing with new chairmen leading the congressional committees of importance to broadcasting and a new FCC majority.

While the TVB president is leaving the organization after 10 years, he says he's sure the broadcast TV business is poised for a turnaround in the near future despite the current woeful economic situation. In fact, Rohrs says, advertising just may lead the country's overall economic recovery this time. And when the smoke clears what will emerge as the two perfectly complementary maketing forces will be television and the Internet — the former to sell the idea, the latter to close the deal.

The new president-CEO of the Association of Public Television Stations says for his members to survive the economic crisis, many are adopting an increased emphasis on local programming, including news and public affairs. But they will also ask the government for $300 million to offset revenue shortfalls from state and private sources.

Faced with a troublesome economy, the growth of digital journalism and the resignation of President Barbara Cochran, the RTNDA is remaking itself, says the current chairman. Among the changes: no replacement for Cochran; a new, more inclusive name and membership; the end of the Communicator; and lower costs of joining and participating.

Undaunted by the dismal economy, Liberman Broadcasting's executiveVP says the company is moving ahead with plans to turn the Spanish-language programming it developed for KRCA and a handful of other stations into a full-blown network. As a national network, Estrella TV will be able to compete with Univision and Telemundo for national ad dollars.

The CEO of BIA Fiancial Network knows the business of TV stations inside and out. And while some broadcasters are struggling in this troubled economic climate, he sees hope for stations willing to not just sell time on their air, but offer clients multiple local platforms on which to reach new customers.

With the economy in turmoil and putting heavy stress on just about everybody's business, this year's gathering of the American Association of Advertising Agencies is certain to have a more serious tone. The group's CEO describes how the ad business is being affected as well as other challenges—both in the marketplace and in Washington.

In the fifth network world, CW is now pinning its hopes on serving a narrower, yet desireable, slice of the demographic pie: women 18-34. COO John Maatta says he's confident CW will weather the current economic storm and really start building on the audience now provided by millions of young woman through Dawn Ostroff's programming lineup.

Even though fundraising is getting more difficult as the economy slows, the new president of the Broadcasters Foundation of America is ramping up efforts to help broadcasters in need.

The Sunbelt Communications president says that this recession is changing the face of local TV. How stations operate going forward will have to conform to a new reality of lower revenue and costs. And part of that may be cross-market news sharing arrangements, smaller news salaries and lower license fees for syndicated programming.

As the new president and CEO of Petry Media, which is merging its two television rep units—Blair and Petry—into one, Sandy Brown is plotting a course that goes far beyond repping TV stations in the national spot market. He wants to add cable networks to the client list and expand overseas. In addition, Brown sees opportunities in repping online and mobile media.