About the National Radio Talent System

Initially developed by NRTS Founder Dan Vallie, the unique hands-on and immersive program enables students to participate in sessions, that included such topics as on-air delivery, sports, news, promotions, production, podcasting, engineering, digital, and sales, as well as complete the RAB Radio Marketing Professional certification course.

Since acquiring the talent system in 2020, RAB has assembled an NRTS Board Committee chaired by Seven Mountain Media's Kristin Cantrell and an NRTS Alumni Advisory Council focused on helping the organization develop and plan for future institutes, recruiting new talent into broadcast radio, and fostering engagement between broadcasters and institute graduates.

The National Radio Talent System, a division of the Radio Advertising Bureau, (RAB) produces Radio Talent Institutes on college campuses across America. It is the first and only program of its kind in the world, discovering and preparing the next generation of broadcasters.

About the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia is one of the elite journalism schools in the country, according to the Radio Television Digital News Association, and is the home of the Peabody Awards.

Established in 1915, the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is named after legendary Atlanta journalist and University of Georgia alum, Henry Woodfin Grady. Grady served as editor for the Atlanta Constitution, building the newspaper into one of the most influential in the nation.

Grady College offers undergraduate degrees in advertising, public relations, digital and broadcast journalism, and mass media arts with an emphasis in magazines, public affairs, publication management, or visual journalism, and a certificate in new media. The College also offers a master’s and doctoral degree in mass communication, as well as a certificate in media industry research. Accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Grady is a leader in journalism research and education. The College is home to several prominent centers and institutes, including the Peabody Awards, recognized as the most prestigious award in electronic journalism. Grady’s faculty comprises internationally known researchers and respected industry professionals. Alumni include Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, Emmy Award-winning producers and reporters, and company CEOs.

The mission of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is to prepare students to be effective users and practitioners of the mass media, to provide the mass media with more and better services for their consumers, and to assist the public in using the mass media to meet personal and community needs.

About the Georgia Association of Broadcasters

The Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) is the sponsor responsible for making the GAB Radio Talent Institute possible in Georgia.

Bob Houghton, president of the GAB, praised the Institute saying, “I believe that this is one of the most impactful things that we have accomplished at the GAB. The 150+ students that have participated in the program actively learned from the very people in our industry that do the work they aspire to, as well as the hiring for those jobs! These young broadcasters are engaged, talented, and developing a passion for our industry. This program is the opportunity to cultivate that passion and turn it into a career. I am thrilled with what we and our partners are doing at the University of Georgia and the Radio Talent Institute. This program is fantastic for the overall good of our industry and our hope is that it will be done all over the country.”

The GAB is the trade association representing the interests of Georgia’s over-the-air radio and television licensees who reach over 90 percent of Georgia’s population every week. GAB provides technical, regulatory, and advocacy support to our members as well as offering continuing professional enrichment opportunities designed to keep Georgia broadcasters at the forefront of serving their communities.

 

Our Mission

The GAB Radio Talent Institute attracts, trains and creates opportunity for talented, enthusiastic and well educated young adults who have a passion for the broadcast industry. College students, recent graduates, grad students, interns and part-timers at radio or TV stations work through an intensive 10-days to bring them to a better understanding of each aspect of the industry, including on-air, programming, writing, news, sports and sales; all students also participate in RAB training and take the exam to earn their Radio marketing Professional Certification.

The GAB Radio Talent Institute prepares the students to excel in entry-level positions upon their graduation, and better ensures they get a start in and have a successful career in broadcasting.

Part of the goal is to prepare students, along with their Liberal Arts education, to the point that they can walk into a professional radio station environment and not only be comfortable, but to excel in every area of the business, from on-air to programming to sales to management ... we expect no less than to prepare a future generation of broadcast leaders.

We look to attract the brightest of the brightest students to bring fresh talent into the industry who can contribute to make the industry even more dynamic.

 

Contact

If you have any questions regarding applying or need assistance in any way, please don't hesitate to contact us directly.

• NRTS Contact: Erica Farber
• Call: 972-753-6720
• Email: nrts@nationalradiotalentsystem.com