Broadcasters Irene Ware, Tom Joyner, Herb Kent, Walt 'Baby' Love and Donnie Simpson Were Toasted In Miami For Their Contributions To The Radio Industry
Miami, FL, December 5, 2007 - The 2nd Annual I Rock The Mic Conference (IRTM) culminated with the presentation of this year's IRTM Urban Radio Legend Awards. The dinner ceremony, hosted by nationally syndicated radio show host Doug Banks of ABC Radio Networks' The Doug Banks Show, was held Saturday, December 1 at the Conrad Hotel in Miami, Florida.
The IRTM Urban Radio Legend Awards were created to celebrate and honor legends in urban radio. This year's honorees include gospel radio pioneer and industry executive Irene Johnson-Ware, the hardest working man in radio Tom Joyner, the king of the dusties and smooth gent Herb Kent, radio pioneer and industry editor Walt 'Baby' Love and drive-time master Donnie Simpson. ABC Radio Networks syndicated host Doug Banks will serve as host for the evening.
"We are honored to present the IRTM Urban Radio Legend Awards, one of the only remaining ceremonies of its kind that exclusively acknowledges urban radio legends," says Rick Party, cofounder of IRTM and CEO of Sizzle Productions. "We salute each of our honorees and applaud their contributions to the history and forward movement of urban radio."
Each of the IRTM Urban Radio Legend Awardees was toasted by their industry friends. Irene Johnson-Ware was toasted by R&B singer Betty Wright, Herb Kent by Star 99.7FM/Charleston, SC radio personality Geno Jones, Walt 'Baby' Love by Doug Banks and Heaven 600/Baltimore Program Director and Morning Show Host Lee Michaels, and Donnie Simpson received a very heartfelt toast by former show producer and protege Reggie Rouse, Vice President/Urban Programming of CBS Radio. Elroy R.C. Smith, Operations Manager of Radio One Philadelphia, did a very special tribute and award presentation to Tom Joyner earlier in the day following his personality workshop.
Over 400 of urban radio's top industry professionals, including radio station owners, management executives, programmers, nationally syndicated show hosts, personalities and those aspiring to become radio jocks, gathered for the 2nd Annual I Rock The Mic Conference & Awards at the Conrad Miami Hotel in downtown Miami, Florida.
The annual event, billed as "The Family Reunion of Urban Radio", creates a unique environment where accomplished industry professionals and the aspiring convene for power networking, informative panels, talent development workshops and exclusive entertainment events. Highlights from the weekend conference include the following workshops, discussions and panels:
§ Executive roundtable discussion for industry power players with FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein
§ Talent Development Boot Camp moderated by Lee Michaels, Network Program Director of Syndication One, with Coz Carson, Program Director of WVON/Chicago, Terry Monday, VP/Programming of Perry Broadcasting and Andre Eggelletion, Talk Show Host on XM 169 The Power
§ PPM In The Urban World presented by Julian Davis, Arbitron's Director of Urban Media Services
§ Special Screening of Codeblack's DIRTY LAUNDRY hosted by actors Rockmond Dunbar and Terri J. Vaughn
§ Premiere Radio's Keith Sweat Lounge hosted by R&B recording artist and syndicated radio host Keith Sweat
§ Gospel In Urban Radio Workshop & Showcase hosted by Flow Records with Lee Michaels, Program Director & Morning Show Host of Heaven 600/Baltimore, Gary Bernstein, President of Programming of Syndication One, Tracy Bethea, Midday Host of Hallelujah 95.7/Memphis, Pastor Junius Dotson, St. Mark United Methodist Church/Wichita, Cheryl Jackson, Program Director of Heaven 1580/Washington, DC, Antonio Johnson, Program Director of Heaven 97/Dallas, CeCe McGee, Afternoon Host on Praise 103.9/Philadelphia, Willie Mae McIver, National Program Director of Rejoice!Musical Soul Food
§ Meeting In The Ladies Room moderated by Lynn Haze, Midday Host on 94.5 K-Soul/Dallas with Stephanie Broomfield, Midday Host of WLVE/Miami, First Lady Khris Raye, Midday Host of WTLC/Indianapolis, Simone Party, Midday Host of WIZF/Cincinnatti and Karen Vaughn, Assistant Program Director & Midday Host of WHQT/Miami
§ Integrated Marketing In Urban Radio moderated by Toska Medlock-Lee, General Manager of Flow Records with Michael Bailey, National Director of Events & Promotions for Carol H. Williams Advertising, Tamiko Fletcher, Marketing Director of ABC Radio Networks, Oscar Joyner, President & Chief Operating Officer of Reach Media Inc. and Gary Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer of VIBE Magazine
§ Why Urban Radio Needs To Rock The Mic On HIV/AIDS with celebrity spokeswoman Sheryl Lee Ralph
§ Decency In Urban Radio: The Parameter of Entertainment discussion moderated by Big Boy, Host of Big Boy's Neighborhood with Michael Baisden, Host of The Michael Baisden Show, Nate Bell, Program Director of WMIB/Miami, Big Tigger, Personality on WPGC/Washington, DC, Rickey Smiley, Host of The Rickey Smiley Show and Doc Wynter, VP/Urban Programming of Clear Channel
§ Radio Needs Personalities - Not DJs Workshop presented by Elroy Smith, Operations Manager of Radio One Philadelphia
§ A Different Spin: Music, Research and Jobs moderated by Jerry Boulding, Urban Editor of All Access Music Group with Derrick Baker, Program Director of WEDR/Miami, Gary Bernstein, President/Programming of Syndication One, Tony Gray, President of Gray Communications, Helen Little, Program Director of WWPR/New York, Terry Monday, VP/Programming of Perry Broadcasting and Reggie Rouse, VP/Urban Programming of CBS Radio
§ Rules of Engagement moderated by Frances Jaye, Founder & Hostess of Neo-Soul Cafe with T. J. Chapman, President of TJs DJs, Attorney Carlos Linares Jr., VP/Anti-Piracy Legal Affairs of RIAA, DJ Nabs, President of DEF DJs and Tony Neal, President of Core DJs
§ A Conversation With Michael Baisden hosted by Dana Hall, Executive Editor of Radio-Info.com
I Rock The Mic was cofounded by Rick Party, President of Sizzle Productions, and Winsor Barbee, President of The Marketing Collaborative, in 2005.
IRTM conference photo gallery is available for viewing, prints and downloads at the following link and by entering the password "irocthemic":
http://pa.photoshelter.com/invite/g/U0000mhFqgRDPWwY/G0000pHQlR2Kcbao/bdad78947208
More information on IRTM and the conference is available online at www.irockthemic.com, via phone 214.943.1559 or by email: info@irockthemic.com.
