The Society of Broadcast Engineers announced the candidates for its 2016 board elections in June. Ahead of voting, which begins next week, we�re profiling the candidates to learn more about those on the ballot.�
Kirk Harnack is a candidate for board member. He currently serves as the director of multimedia marketing for the Telos Alliance, vice president of engineering and IT for Delta Radio LLC and vice president of engineering and IT for South Seas Broadcasting, Inc. He has been an SBE member for approximately 21 years and is certified by the society as CBRE, CBNE. Harnack was previously a member of the board of directors for the 2013�15 term.
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Radio: If elected, what would you like to see the SBE do differently than it does now?
Kirk Harnack: Improve social media outreach. Focus on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter areas both for national-level outreach, but provide easy access for chapters to contribute. Local chapters would be encouraged and incentivized to participate at least monthly, promoting their activities.
Radio: The Federal Communications Commission has asked for comment on whether there is an increasing spectrum noise problem and if so, what it should do about it. How would you answer that?
Harnack: FCC enforcement of larger culprits, such as wideband RF-generating power line faults. Enforcing the consumer electronics noise issue is particularly difficult. Current �Class A� and �Class B� warnings are not meaningful to consumers. New warnings should include description of possible impact to Wi-Fi and mobile phone reliability.
Radio: Should the SBE play a more active role in technical standards-setting for issues like digital radio? Why or why not?
Harnack: SBE should be viewed as a reliable source of information for standards-setting bodies and private sector initiatives. SBE and other engineering communities must not be viewed as groups that simply warn of bad outcomes for ill-considered tech. Rather, such engineering communities as SBE must be regarded as sources of workable solutions.
Radio: For decades we�ve heard the question �Where will the next generation of broadcast engineers come from?� What can the SBE do, that it hasn�t done already?
Harnack: The new emphasis on mentoring is a terrific start. SBE members and chapters would do well to reach out to schools, encouraging �Engineering Days� and other opportunities to address students with information and enthusiasm for the broadcast industry engineering field.
Radio: What else would you like voters to know about yourself or your stand on industry issues?�
Harnack:�Everyone has some skill or gift. My desire to work on SBE members’ behalf is to improve the flow of information. Social media, dissemination of technical topics via video and podcast, easy feedback for members to comment and ask questions � these are talents that I bring to the table, along with a solid foundation of RF and audio engineering skills. I ask to be re-elected to the SBE Board of Directors, to improve the interaction and information flow between and among SBE members, friends and colleagues.
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The full slate of candidates for both officers and at-large board members can be found�here. Read more candidate profiles here.
The election will take place July 25 through Aug. 25.
