President’s Message: February 2023 – The Ground Hog Can’t Be Right

by Bob Duthaler





Ground Hog’s Day has past, and the ground hog saw his shadow.  According to folklore, we have 6 more weeks of winter.  If you look back on the last two months of winter, you would think that winter hasn’t even begun.  The weather for the most part has been unseasonably warm with little to no snow.  Long range forecast shows the same when it comes to snow.  You will hear no complaints from me!

President’s Message: November 2022 – Your Odds Are Better With JAG

by Bob Duthaler





With the Powerball jackpot reaching almost 2 billion dollars, what a change to your life winning that money would make.  I read somewhere that you have a better chance of being struck by lightning 249 times before winning the lottery.  That is crazy!  Realistically, you are better off taking the money you would spend on buying lottery tickets over the years and investing it.  You would see a better return on your money over the years.  Still, like me, most of us will still buy tickets for the big jackpot.

President’s Message: October 2022 – You + 1 Committee = JAG Member

by Bob Duthaler




math problem? It’s not a math problem, but rather an organizational
problem. But just like a math problem, it has a solution. So, let’s break
down the problem and together we will reach the solution.

An insight to what the problem is for JAG is not unlike any other organization’s
problems. JAG does many great things. This organization provides many avenues of
information for its membership. Everything from monthly meetings, managers round
table discussions, webinars, conferences, and awards shows. These are the things
that we do well and which separate us from other organizations.

President’s Message: September 2022 – Finish or Start The Year Strong. It’s All In The Way You Look At It

by Bob Duthaler




September is upon us, and it invokes many different emotions.  There have been several songs about September as well: “Wake Me Up When September Ends” – Greenday,  “September” – Earth, Wind and Fire, just to to name a couple.  For parents and teachers, it starts the beginning of a new school year.  For some businesses it’s the end of the first quarter and for those using a calendar year, you are in the final third of the year.

President’s Message: August 2022 – Short and Sweet … Just Like Summer

by Bob Duthaler




I think the title of my article tells my feelings about summer, it is a great time of the year, but way too short. In summer, you find ways to cram a whole bunch of things to be done in a short time both on the personal and business side. From a production standpoint at the stations I am involved with, summer is a very busy time. There are events throughout the summer we are covering, along with meetings and concerts. I find myself covering three concerts a week at times! Then there are the graduation parties, summer BBQs and most importantly …. VACATION!

President’s Message: July 2022 – How Municipal Channels Helped Fight the Pandemic

by Bob Duthaler



Local municipal television channels have come a long way since their portrayal in Wayne’s World.  Plastic potted plants and silly content have given way to serious programs that inform, educate, and entertain the citizens they serve.  In addition to the importance of open government through meeting coverage, Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels carry various general interest programing for everyone from kids to seniors, with subjects that range from high school sports to cooking shows. 

President’s Message June, 2022

by Bob Duthaler

JAG Honors One of Its Own and Another Who Promotes JAG

One of my favorite times during the year is our annual JAG/Eastern Video Expo and Conference.  This year was no exception.  In fact, there was something even a little more special about this year, as it was the first time we have gathered in person since 2019.  This year we gathered for our Trade Show, Banquet and JAG Awards on Wednesday, May 25th at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, NJ.

President’s Message May, 2022

by Bob Duthaler

You Don’t Want to Miss This One, and JAG Can’t Afford You To!

Have you even driven down a block, come to the street you were looking for, only to find out it is a one-way and the place you were looking for is in the other direction?  This caused you to have to circle back to find another route.  Other times you might have been using a GPS system only to find out it has taken you down a street with no outlet, and the place you want is just on the other side of the dead end.  So, what does this have to do with JAG?  Ultimately nothing, other than to say that the JAG Membership and Organization relationship is like a two-way street.  Sometimes to get the most out of something you need to give something back.