Section One: Overview
In the Fall of 1996, NBC approached Burson-Marsteller (B-M) with a conceptual framework for a manager's education program. The target audiences for this project were the managers of the 13 stations owned and operated by NBC nationwide. The B-M team, led by Jeffrey Belanger, was asked to develop a program to training the station managers --- in a non-aggressive, non-threatening but beneficial manner --- in the importance of politics and lobbying to the vitality of the television industry.

Section Two: Tactics
The program, designed and executed by Jeff Belanger's Washington team, was the first of its kind to couple curriculum style development methods and the latest multi-media technology to services a client on lobbying issues. The tools used were a CD-Rom stand-alone program and a supporting text manual. The multi-media portion of this program has the ability to run on a personal computer with certain memory and graphic specifications. The manual supplemented the CD by providing hard copy examples and exercises in a workbook style format.

Because business managers in the TV industry are accustomed to the visual stimulation and "bells and whistles" of modern television technology, the program was designed to capture their attention and at the same time be a useful resource for the future. The program gave short profiles on the Members of Congress most relevant to the television industry and how best to influence them. Sample letters and maps of each stations coverage area were included to enforce the relevance of Member influence.

The Washington Team constructed a grassroots database, maintained by Burson-Marsteller's Campaign Division to provide the most current and updated information regarding all Members of Congress. This provided an additional reference source to help compliment and enhance the versatility of the NBC program.

Section Three: Results
The program was executed in New Orleans in January of 1997 over a two-day period. Through this education program NBC managers learned how to train their own personnel on efficient and successful lobbying techniques to help grow awareness of their industry issues.