FROM THE CHAIR
One of the primary benefits of serving as the Forum's Chair is the opportunity it provides for interacting with other lawyers who specialize in this field. In the few short months since I became Chair, it has been gratifying to hear from media practitioners across the country, expressing interest in learning more about the Forum and in becoming involved in Forum activities. One of my goals during the next two years is to build on the efforts made by my predecessors to increase both the number and diversity of participants in the Forum. To that end, I encourage anyone who is interested to contact me, members of the Governing Board, Division Chairs, or the editors of Communications Lawyer to volunteer your time and expertise.
There are a variety of ways to become more involved in Forum activities. Although there are only a limited number of slots each year on the Governing Board, there are many other opportunities to provide input or offer assistance in planning one of the Forum's various programs. In 1999, for example, we are looking forward to the Fourth Annual Meeting in Boca Raton (brochures have been mailed, and I hope that you will all join us for a terrific program), and we already are beginning to make plans for the Fifth Annual Meeting in Rancho Bernardo, California, for the year 2000. The Forum's annual program on "Representing Your Local Broadcaster" will take place in Las Vegas on April 18, 1999, and promises to be an interesting mix of content and regulatory issues. If you plan to attend this program, we recommend that you make your hotel reservations early-the NAB holds its meeting in Las Vegas during this same week, and thousands of NAB attendees will be descending on the city while we are there. Plans also are in the works for a presentation at the ABA's Annual Meeting in Atlanta in August 1999, focusing on press coverage of the civil rights movement. And, of course, the three top-notch media lawyers who devote their time to be editors of Communications Lawyer are eager to hear from people willing to write articles for the Forum's quarterly publication, or simply offering suggestions for topics or authors. Join in!
As I mentioned in my last column, one of the items on the agenda for the Forum's annual meeting in Boca Raton in February will be the election of new Governing Board members to fill terms that expire in August 1999, and to select the Chair-Elect, who will take office when my term ends in the year 2000. The Forum's nominating committee, made up of Barbara Wall, Jerry Birenz, and Jim Grossberg, has selected an impressive slate of candidates. For Chair-Elect, the committee by acclimation selected George Freeman of The New York Times Company, who has been involved with the Forum in many capacities over the years, including as one of the founders of the Forum's Annual Meeting (which he is cochairing again this year, along with Barbara Wall and Lee Levine). For the Governing Board, the committee unanimously nominated Jim Borelli of Media/Professional Insurance in Kansas City; Jerry Fritz of Albritton Communications in Washington, D.C.; Tom Kelley of Faegre & Benson's Denver office; Mary Snapp of Microsoft; and Jim Stewart of Butzel Long in Detroit. Individually, the nominees are leaders in their respective fields; collectively, they offer a breadth of experience and expertise covering virtually every facet of communications law.
It will be my distinct pleasure to present this slate of candidates to the membership for approval at the Annual Meeting in February. I look forward to seeing you all in Boca Raton.