National Radio Talent System

What National Radio Talent System does

National Radio Talent System (NRTS), founded in 2007, is a division of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) that operates intensive multi-day Media Career Academies at college campuses across the United States. The organization runs three flagship programs — the GAB Media Career Academy at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism, the IBF Media Career Academy in Bloomington, Illinois, and the Kellar Media Career Academy at Appalachian State University in North Carolina — each bringing 30+ industry professionals to teach interactive sessions over 5-6 day programs covering on-air performance, podcasting, streaming, news/talk, sports, social media, sales, marketing, and promotions. Students receive a Certificate of Completion and the Radio Marketing Professional certification from RAB upon graduation.

The underlying technology stack is light: an NRTS Career Center platform connects graduates with broadcasters regionally and nationally for hiring purposes, complemented by Vimeo-hosted promotional video and standard social media channels. Class sizes are capped at roughly 25 students, with rolling acceptance. Since inception NRTS has delivered nearly 55 programs and trained over 800 students, with 70% of graduates securing their first broadcasting or media job after completion.

NRTS monetizes through a hybrid model combining registration fees ($200-$395 per attendee, with optional paid housing) and underwriting/sponsorships from state broadcast associations, universities, and corporate supporters including Gray Media, Georgia Power, Beasley Media Group, Val & Ann Carolin, Lee & Ann Berger, and the Tomlin Group. The organization's GTM is partnership-led, relying on universities and state broadcaster associations to recruit students and supply venues, supplemented by organic social and direct website applications. The customer base is horizontal, segmented across current college students, recent graduates, and interns/part-time station employees.

Name

National Radio Talent System

Legal name

National Radio Talent System

Website

https://nationalradiotalentsystem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Radio Talent System, a division of the Radio Advertising Bureau, operates multi-day Media Career Academies at U.S. universities that train college students in broadcasting skills and connect them with industry employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast Media Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Media, Entertainment & Sports (EDABALAS)

Keywords

• Broadcast talent training
• Media career education
• Radio industry training
• Broadcast professional development
• Journalism career programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Irving

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Registration Fees: Students pay registration fees to attend the career academies. GAB Media Career Academy charges $395, Kellar Media Career Academy charges $200, with housing available for additional fees.
2. Underwriting and Sponsorships: State broadcast associations, universities, and corporate sponsors provide financial support to underwrite the academies. Supporters include Gray Media, Georgia Power, Val & Ann Carolin, Lee & Ann Berger, and the Tomlin Group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

National Radio Talent System operates intensive multi-day Media Career Academies at college campuses across the United States, training college students and recent graduates in all aspects of broadcasting including podcasting, on-air performance, streaming, news/talk, sports, social media, sales, marketing, and promotions. Students learn directly from 30+ industry professionals per program, earn a Certificate of Completion and a Radio Marketing Professional certification from RAB, and gain access to the NRTS Career Center for post-graduation employment connections with broadcasters nationally.

Product overview

The National Radio Talent System is a division of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) that produces Media Career Academies across America. It operates as a unified platform with three distinct regional career academies: the GAB Media Career Academy at the University of Georgia, the IBF Media Career Academy in Illinois, and the Kellar Media Career Academy at Appalachian State University. All three academies provide intensive multi-day programs where students learn from industry professionals and network with broadcasters. Upon completion, graduates receive a Certificate of Completion and a Radio Marketing Professional certification from RAB. The system also includes a Career Center that connects graduates with employers in the broadcasting industry. With 70% of students securing their first broadcasting job after graduation, NRTS is the first and only program of its kind in the world, having empowered over 800 students nationwide since 2007.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GAB Media Career Academy An intensive 6-day program held at Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. The academy creates opportunities for new and emerging careers in media, bringing in over 30 media professionals to teach interactive sessions covering on-air, sales, digital, sports, news, production, management, marketing, programming, and social media. Open to college students and recent graduates.
• IBF Media Career Academy A five-day event held at the DoubleTree Conference Center and Hotel in Bloomington, Illinois. The academy features daily speakers, immersive learning experiences, visits to radio, TV and production facilities, and a Chicago media day. Topics include AI to Automation, Podcasting, Music and Sports Talk Radio, and Talk Radio. Includes a special scholarship program covering basic registration fees for participating students.
• Kellar Media Career Academy An intensive 5-day program held at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. The academy offers hands-on in-studio training in podcasting, production, on-air performance and branding alongside specialized training in news, sports, social content and TV anchoring, plus business insights into streaming, sales and marketing.
• NRTS Career Center An online platform where NRTS graduates are highlighted for discovery by broadcasters seeking to hire talent. Industry employers can find and hire NRTS graduates who are available for open positions, serving as the post-graduation networking connection between NRTS alumni and broadcasters regionally and nationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of students who attend GAB Media Career Academy get their first job in broadcasting after graduation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RAB (Radio Advertising Bureau)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007National Radio Talent System is a division of RAB. RAB provides professional development content, the Radio Marketing Professional certification, and organizational support. RAB's SVP of Professional Development participates directly in academy programming.
• Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState broadcast association founded in 1934 representing Georgia's FCC-licensed radio and TV stations. GAB provides financial resources, industry connections, and operational support for the GAB Media Career Academy at University of Georgia. GAB's Education Foundation funds the program.
• Illinois Broadcasters Foundation (IBF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit foundation providing educational opportunities in broadcasting through scholarships and grants. IBF powers the Audio Media Career Academy in partnership with RAB and NRTS, hosting the annual program in Bloomington, Illinois.
• Appalachian State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of North Carolina system campus hosting the Kellar Media Career Academy. Provides campus facilities, faculty support, and student recruitment for the intensive 5-day program. Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens.
• University of Georgia - Grady College of Journalism and Mass CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost campus for the GAB Media Career Academy. Grady College provides facilities, academic credibility, and student access for the 6-day intensive program aimed at launching students' broadcast careers.
• Gray Media, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporter of GAB-EF and GAB Media Career Academy. Gray Media is a major broadcast company providing financial support for future broadcaster development.
• Georgia PowerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of GAB-EF and GAB Media Career Academy, contributing financial resources to broadcaster education initiatives.
• Beasley Media GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcast company supporting Kellar Media Career Academy. Company leadership including founder George Beasley has provided support and endorsement for the program honoring Art Kellar.
• Confer (Bloomsburg University)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerConfer platform and Bloomsburg University supported NRTS through a $53 million gift, enhancing media education opportunities.
• DoubleTree by Hilton (Bloomington, IL)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConference center and hotel venue hosting the IBF Media Career Academy in Bloomington, Illinois for the 5-day intensive program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Emerson College: Private college with a strong broadcast journalism and media production major. Competes for the same college-age students considering careers in broadcasting, podcasting, and on-air media.
• Full Sail University: Established for-profit media education institution offering degree programs in film, audio production, broadcasting, and entertainment business. Operates at much larger scale than NRTS but targets the same career-launching media/broadcast talent pipeline.
• Newhouse School of Public Communications (Syracuse University): Major university journalism and communications school producing graduates for broadcast, PR, and media careers. While degree-granting and much larger, it serves as a parallel training pipeline that competes for the same student-recruitment funnel as NRTS's academies.

Others

• iHeartMedia: Largest US radio broadcaster and a major employer of NRTS graduates. Not a direct competitor but a key downstream customer and potential sponsor/partner for talent pipeline programs.
• Beasley Media Group: Existing NRTS supporter (Kellar Media Career Academy). Functions as an industry-side employer and underwriting partner for the academy program; comparable as a downstream customer of NRTS's talent pipeline.
• Cumulus Media: Major US radio broadcaster. Relevant as a downstream employer of NRTS graduates and as a potential underwriting partner; not a direct competitive peer but operates in the same industry that NRTS serves.
• Gray Media (Gray Television): Major US TV/broadcast company and an existing financial supporter of GAB Media Career Academy. Industry-side employer and NRTS funder that aligns with the program's broadcast talent mission.

Direct peers

• Dan Vallie / Vallie-Hill Media: Industry veteran who runs the Kellar Media Career Academy and is a key instructor/operator in the NRTS network. Comparable as a broadcasting talent development practitioner and media career coach with deep industry ties.
• Specs Howard School of Media Arts: Direct peer — a private media training school offering hands-on broadcasting, audio, video, and digital media career programs. Like NRTS, its core business is preparing students for entry-level media careers through immersive, industry-led training.

Emerging players

• The Los Angeles Film School: For-profit media school with programs in audio production, film, and entertainment. Comparable as a career-focused media training institution, though more entertainment-focused than NRTS's broadcast-centric approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NationalRTS
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalRadioTalentSystem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-radio-talent-system

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about National Radio Talent System