Illinois Broadcasters Association

What Illinois Broadcasters Association does

The Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) is a nonprofit industry trade association founded in 1947 and headquartered at 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, Illinois. It serves as the primary advocate and member-services body for Illinois commercial radio and television stations, claiming that "most Illinois radio and television stations are current members." Core offerings are organized as a membership platform plus bundled service modules: state and federal legislative/regulatory advocacy via a full-time Springfield lobbyist (John Bradley) and annual Washington DC NAB State Leadership Conference participation; legal counsel hotlines for both state issues (Don Craven) and federal issues (Scott Flick of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman); the ABIP (Alternate Broadcast Inspection Program) jointly administered with the FCC, with IBA partially underwriting member inspection costs once every three years; EEO outreach resources including four annual career fairs; and reference tools such as the Illinois EAS Plan and the Political Advertising Guide. Awards-and-recognition programs span the Professional Silver Dome Awards (Chicago Market $45/entry, Medium Market $35/entry, Small Market Radio $25/entry, submitted through the third-party Rock Our Awards platform), the Student Silver Dome Awards, the 66+-member Hall of Fame (dating to 1963), the Vincent T. Wasilewski Broadcaster of the Year award, the W. Russell Withers Jr. Broadcast Pioneer Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Vanguard Award, and the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for legislators. Workforce-development offerings include the nationally recognized Multicultural Internship Program (MIP), directed by Frank Whittaker, which places paid summer interns at member stations, and the IBF Audio Media Career Academy powered by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB). The organization operates with a very small core staff of 1-10 employees plus a board of directors composed of executives from member stations (Sarah Shellhammer as Chair, Jennifer Lyons as Chair-Elect, Mary Boyle as Vice-Chair of Radio, Jim Kizer as Vice-Chair, Drew Horowitz as Treasurer), an affiliated philanthropic arm (the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation / IBF), and a tightly aligned leadership network extending to NAB (Mike Hulvey, RAB President/CEO, is an IBA board member) and to national broadcast brands (CBS Chicago, WGN Radio, WLS-TV, Hubbard Chicago, WQAD-TV, Midway Broadcasting, Neuhoff Communications, WSIL-TV, WMBD-TV). Technology stack is limited to a WordPress-based public website (ilba.org), a separate IBA Newsroom microsite (ibanewsroom.org), a self-serve job bank, online award entry via Rock Our Awards, and downloadable PDF forms for membership and reference documents.

Name

Illinois Broadcasters Association

Legal name

Illinois Broadcasters Association

Website

https://ilba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Illinois Broadcasters Association is a nonprofit statewide trade association founded in 1947 that represents Illinois commercial radio and television stations, providing membership-based legal counsel, state and federal lobbying, ABIP inspections, awards programs, and student workforce development including the nationally recognized Multicultural Internship Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast Trade Association Services

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)

Keywords

• Broadcast trade association
• Industry advocacy services
• Professional broadcast awards
• Regulatory compliance support
• Broadcast workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Annual membership dues paid by Illinois radio and television stations; rates not publicly disclosed (must email [email protected] for rate card). Dues have not been raised in many years. Most Illinois radio and TV stations are current members.
2. Silver Dome Awards entry fees: Per-entry fees collected from IBA-member stations to compete in Professional Silver Dome Awards: $45 Chicago Market, $35 Medium Market, $25 Small Market Radio. Entries submitted via Rock Our Awards platform.
3. Foundation grants and donations (IB Foundation): Philanthropic support channeled through the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation (IBF), which funds the IBF Audio Media Career Academy powered by RAB and other student/career programming.
4. Alternate Broadcast Inspection Program (ABIP) co-payment: Member stations receive voluntary low-cost FCC-equivalent broadcast inspections; IBA underwrites a portion of the cost once every three years for each member station.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Illinois Broadcasters Association is a statewide nonprofit trade association that provides Illinois commercial radio and TV stations with bundled member services including legal and regulatory counsel (state via Don Craven; federal via Pillsbury Law/Scott Flick), Springfield and Washington D.C. lobbying, an Alternate Broadcast Inspection Program (ABIP), EEO outreach resources, peer-recognition awards (Silver Dome Awards, Hall of Fame, Broadcaster of the Year, Broadcast Pioneer, Vanguard, Lifetime Achievement, Everett McKinley Dirksen Awards), and workforce-development programs (Multicultural Internship Program, IBF Audio Media Career Academy, Student Silver Dome Awards). Most Illinois radio and television stations are current members, paying annual dues for access to this integrated advocacy, compliance, recognition, and talent-pipeline platform.

Product overview

The Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) operates as a trade-association platform-plus-modules offering rather than a single unified software product. At the core is the IBA Membership Program, which grants Illinois commercial radio and TV stations access to bundled member services including Legal & Regulatory Counsel Service, Government Relations & Lobbying, the ABIP (Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program), and EEO Outreach Resources, plus reference guides such as the Illinois EAS Plan and the Political Advertising Guide. Layered on top are awards-and-recognition modules — the IBA Professional Silver Dome Awards, IBA Student Silver Dome Awards, the IBA Hall of Fame, the Vincent T. Wasilewski Broadcaster of the Year Award, the W. Russell Withers Jr. IBA Broadcast Pioneer Award, the IBA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award, and the Vanguard Award — which together form the association's industry-recognition platform. Workforce-development offerings include the Multicultural Internship Program (MIP) and the IBF Audio Media Career Academy powered by RAB, while ancillary products include the IBA Newsroom sub-brand and the IBA Job Bank (TV Jobs & Radio Jobs). Program entry for the Silver Dome Awards is handled through the third-party Rock Our Awards platform, with media assets hosted on Vimeo, Kiwi6, or SoundCloud.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Illinois Broadcasters Foundation (IB Foundation / IBF): Affiliated foundation of the Illinois Broadcasters Association that supports student opportunities, scholarships, and the Multicultural Internship Program (MIP).
• Multicultural Internship Program (MIP)
• Silver Dome Awards (Professional and Student)

Products and services

• IBA Membership Program Trade-association membership program for Illinois commercial radio and TV stations, providing access to legal counsel, lobbying, alternative broadcast inspection, EEO outreach resources, member guides, and group benefits. Membership forms are downloadable as PDFs and most Illinois radio and TV stations are current members.
• Legal & Regulatory Counsel Service Member-benefit service providing quick answers to state and federal legal questions. Don Craven handles Illinois advertising, FOIA, Cameras in the Courtroom, and Reporter Shield issues; Scott Flick of Pillsbury Law handles FCC licensing, EEO, Public Inspection Files, and ABIP Program matters.
• Government Relations & Lobbying Advocacy service in which IBA lobbyist John Bradley and President/CEO Dennis Lyle work with Illinois legislators to maintain a favorable business climate, plus regular delegate trips to Congress on federal broadcasting issues.
• ABIP (Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program) Joint IBA/FCC program that lets member stations be voluntarily inspected by an IBA-approved inspector at low cost; IBA underwrites a portion of the expense once every three years for member stations.
• EEO Outreach Resources Compliance toolkit of resources (EEO Outreach Contact List, IBA Job Postings, and four Career Fairs per year) that helps members meet FCC EEO Outreach Requirements.
• IBA Newsroom Online resource sub-brand for Illinois broadcast news managers, reporters, producers, photographers, and students, providing news and educational content for the Illinois broadcast news community.
• IBA Job Bank (TV Jobs & Radio Jobs) Job-listing board segmented into TV Jobs and Radio Jobs, allowing stations to post openings and job seekers to view positions within the Illinois broadcast industry.
• IBA Professional Silver Dome Awards Annual industry awards competition for IBA-member stations across Chicago, Medium, and Small markets, covering categories such as Best Station Promotion, Investigative Report, Best Newscast, Community Service, Best Reporter/Anchor/Weathercaster, Sales, and General Manager. Submissions via Rock Our Awards.
• IBA Student Silver Dome Awards Annual student-level awards competition for full-time students at IBA-member Illinois colleges and universities, covering TV, Radio, and All-Media categories (e.g., Best News Package, Best Sports Package, Best Photojournalism, Best Aircheck, Best PSA, Best Live Game Sports Broadcast).
• Multicultural Internship Program (MIP) Nationally recognized paid summer internship program that places Illinois college/university students at IBA-member radio and TV stations to increase diversity in Illinois broadcasting; directed by Frank Whittaker.
• IBF Audio Media Career Academy Audio-media training academy run by the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation in partnership with the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), geared toward students and aspiring radio professionals.
• IBA Hall of Fame Lifetime-recognition program honoring news broadcasters, TV anchors, comedians, actors, famous radio voices, and industry leaders either born in Illinois or having worked in the state.
• W. Russell Withers Jr. IBA Broadcast Pioneer Award Annual recognition program honoring one Chicago-market and one downstate broadcaster who have spent most of their careers in Illinois behind the microphone, on camera, in production, or in station management.
• Vincent T. Wasilewski Broadcaster of the Year Award Prestigious annual award honoring Illinois broadcasters for broadcast excellence with their Illinois station(s) and for contributions to the industry. Named in honor of Athens, Illinois native Vincent T. Wasilewski after his 1976 IBA Hall of Fame induction.
• IBA Lifetime Achievement Award Award program for individuals who have dedicated their entire career to the broadcasting industry at the station or national level. Recipients have included Wally Gair (2004), Gary Fries (2006), Charlie Wright (2007), and Dick Rakovan (2016).
• Everett McKinley Dirksen Award Award program recognizing an Illinois legislator for outstanding service to the people of Illinois and for unique contributions to society. Recipients have included Congressman John Shimkus (2001) and Congressman Ray LaHood (2005).
• Vanguard Award Annual recognition of up to five team members who have served an Illinois broadcast organization for a minimum of 20 years behind the scenes (newsrooms, administration, logistics).

Quantifiable outcome

• "Most Illinois radio and television stations are current members" of IBA
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAB is the national trade association representing broadcast interests in Washington, DC. IBA leadership attends the NAB State Leadership Conference annually, joining other state broadcast associations to meet with U.S. Senators, Congressmembers, and federal regulators. Several IBA board members also serve on NAB committees and boards (e.g., Mike Hulvey is President & CEO of RAB and an IBA board member; IBA past Chairman Elizabeth Neuhoff served as NAB Radio Board Second Vice-Chair).
• Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRAB powers the IBF Audio Media Career Academy jointly delivered with the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation. Mike Hulvey, IBA board member, is President & CEO of RAB. Kevin O'Dea's 2004 Clear Channel Executive of the Year Award and 2014 Radio Ink General Manager of the Year were tied to RAB-affiliated recognition systems.
• Pillsbury Law (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPillsbury Law provides IBA member stations with federal legal resources through Scott Flick, who fields questions on FCC License process, EEO matters, Public Inspection Files, and the ABIP Program. Pillsbury also furnished the Political Advertising Guide distributed to IBA member stations for handling federal, state, and local candidate advertising requests.
• Don Craven (state legal counsel)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDon Craven is IBA's retained state-level legal counsel for member stations, handling Illinois advertising issues, Freedom of Information, Cameras in the Courtroom, Reporter Shield, and other state-related matters.
• John Bradley (IBA Lobbyist in Springfield)flagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJohn Bradley serves as IBA's lobbyist in Springfield. Working alongside President & CEO Dennis Lyle, he maintains a favorable business climate in the state for the broadcast industry and tracks legislation harmful or beneficial to broadcasters.
• Bill Murdoch (Illinois EAS Coordinator)coreTechnology or IntegrationBill Murdoch serves as Illinois EAS Coordinator, providing periodic updates via email to members of the Illinois EAS Committee and supplying the regional contact information distributed to IBA member stations in the Illinois EAS Plan.
• Broadcasters Foundation of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadcasters Foundation of America is linked from the IBA website footer. Elizabeth Neuhoff serves as a Director of the Broadcasters Foundation of America and IBA-affiliated broadcasters have participated in BFOA programming.
• NAB Political Action Committee (NABPAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNABPAC is linked from the IBA website footer. Elizabeth Neuhoff and Dana Withers have served as Trustees of NAB's Political Action Committee.
• Illinois Broadcasters Foundation (IBF / IB Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Illinois Broadcasters Foundation is the affiliated philanthropic arm of the IBA, jointly delivering the IBF Audio Media Career Academy powered by RAB, scholarships, and student programming. IB Foundation Trustees (e.g., Bud and Rosemary Walters) sit alongside the IBA board.
• Frank Whittaker (MIP Director)flagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFrank Whittaker, retired award-winning Chicago TV news director, television station manager, and IBA's 2023 Chicago Broadcast Pioneer, serves as MIP Director. He reviews MIP applications, monitors intern progress, debriefs interns, and mentors candidates before, during, and after the internship. He also leads the program as a senior advisor to IBA's Diversity Committee.
• Illinois colleges and universities (IBA Academic Members)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState universities and colleges are Academic members of IBA. Each campus has an IBA Academic Committee member who works with department chairs, counselors, and college internship coordinators to identify candidates for the Multicultural Internship Program and Student Silver Dome Awards.
• Rock Our AwardscoreTechnology or IntegrationRock Our Awards is the third-party platform IBA uses to collect Professional and Student Silver Dome Award entries (audio/video URL submissions) from member stations and students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York Broadcasters Association: Statewide trade association representing New York's commercial radio and television stations — the closest functional analog to IBA, offering the same mix of advocacy, legal resources, EEO support, and awards programs scoped to a single state.
• California Broadcasters Association: California's statewide broadcast trade association, directly comparable to IBA in mission and structure — provides advocacy, legal counsel, and member services to California's commercial radio and TV stations.
• Texas Association of Broadcasters: Texas statewide broadcast trade association with a comparable membership, lobbying, and awards platform; one of the largest state broadcast associations in the US and a direct functional peer to IBA.
• Florida Association of Broadcasters: Florida's statewide broadcast trade association providing advocacy, legal support, and industry services to Florida-licensed radio and TV stations — a direct functional peer to IBA in scope and services.
• Wisconsin Broadcasters Association: Wisconsin's statewide broadcast trade association, a neighboring-market analog to IBA — runs the same combination of station advocacy, awards programs, student initiatives, and foundation support for Wisconsin broadcasters.
• Michigan Association of Broadcasters: Michigan's statewide broadcast trade association, providing similar advocacy, lobbying, awards, and student programming for Michigan radio and TV stations — closely comparable to IBA in regional scope and member profile.
• Ohio Association of Broadcasters: Ohio's statewide broadcast trade association offering advocacy, legal resources, and broadcast education for Ohio radio and TV stations — directly comparable in mission and membership composition to IBA.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Broadcasters (NAB): The national umbrella trade association for US broadcasters. IBA participates in NAB's annual State Leadership Conference in Washington DC and shares members and board overlap (e.g., Mike Hulvey of RAB on IBA board). NAB is a higher-tier, federal-level peer rather than a direct competitor.

Others

• Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB): National sales and training body for radio, and IBA's strategic partner for the IBF Audio Media Career Academy. RAB's CEO (Mike Hulvey) sits on IBA's board, making RAB both a partner and an adjacent trade-association peer focused on radio revenue enablement.
• Broadcasters Foundation of America: National charitable organization for broadcasters, linked from the IBA website footer. Comparable to IBA's affiliated Illinois Broadcasters Foundation (IBF) in mission — supporting broadcasters in need — and serves as a sibling/partner organization rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ilbroadcasting
• Facebookfacebook.com/IBA.Social2022
• Instagraminstagram.com/ilbroadcasters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinois-broadcaster-association

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Illinois Broadcasters Association