The Orange County Register's longtime radio writer and an active member of Southern California media, Gary Lycan, died in his sleep on Tuesday, April 9th the paper reported. Lycan had prostate cancer in recent years. His final column for the Register ran just the previous Saturday. Gary's passing has been mourned by all who knew him. Besides writing and reporting Gary was a radio producer and active in all media circles, especially the Media Alliance where he helped write the first televised Newprt Beach Film Festival Awards Show. OC Film Commissioner, Janice Arrington said, "Gary was extraordinary and always a positive force, helping everyone and sharing information and news. He was a lovely man—and will stay in our hearts."

There's a nice tribute posted at the Forgotten Hollywood website by friend and collaborator Manny Pacheco. He wrote:

This is the most difficult blog story I have ever written…My dear, dear friend Gary Lycan has passed on. Part of the fabric of Southern California, he was the award-winning radio columnist of the Orange County Register since his initial assignment in 1968. Gary was also my cherished co-host on Forgotten Hollywood, a weekly radio program that airs on the Financial News and Radio Network. And, he wrote the Foreword and Introduction, to my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series.

Though, we’ve been like brothers working on the Forgotten Hollywood franchise for these past 4 1/2 years, I’m smart enough to know that he had a really keen friendship with every Southern California broadcaster who has cracked a microphone during the Golden Age of Format-Radio. He was inspired by the disc jockeys, radio personalities, and news-related folks who worked at KFWB, KRLA, and KHJ back in the 1960s. He wanted desperately to join this fraternity. But, his unparalleled talent lay in the written, not spoken, word. Through his weekly radio column, he became an elder statesmen of this so-called fraternity. Orange County folks learned about the business of broadcasting in a digestible, easy-to-read, and friendly way, which made his readers feel that we were all part of the inner circle. Never to rest on his laurels, Gary Lycan also had longtime allies who fought for animal rights (a particular passion of his), and ultimately, the Golden Age of Hollywood community. During one of our programs, he secured an interview for us with the legendary Debbie Reynolds.

Last May, Lycan wrote in the Register that he had advanced prostate cancer and had discovered that one of his caregivers was an athlete he profiled for the student newspaper at Santa Ana High School 50 years earlier.

Gary Lycan was 68. He will be missed by not only his many friends but all media professionals in Southern California. Perhaps the impact of his death was best captured by VoiceOver artist, Travis: "We, and everyone else in Southern California media, have lost someone who has served our industry in ways few others have."

We all know you can spend days at the annual NAB conference and still not see it all. It's the digital media Industry's core event with the newest on technology, equipment, software, content creation and distribution—and a lot more. MCA-I has four of our members who will report back on all the industry trends, events and developments so you don't have to miss a thing! This way, if you go to NAB in Las Vegas you can hit all the parties and still get the new information crucial to your business! Of course, if you're one of the many who can't spare a few days to go to Sin City, you really can't afford to miss our April MCA-I meeting on the 17th!

Read more...

Among the many industry events at this year's NAB convention in Las Vegas is the MCA-I Leadership Conference and the MCA-I Media Festival, known to many as the Golden reel Awards. In and around the convention, MCA-i chapter leaders and members from all over the country will be gathering for a MediaProCamp as well as meeting to determine the direction of the 40-plus year old organization. Of Course, the judging for the Golden reel Awards has been completed but winners will be announced at a special red-carpet presentation screening on Tuesday evening at Harrah's. If you're going to be at NAB don't miss the fun!

Videographer and editor, John Primm, a long-time member of MCA-I and proprietor of DV Post in Santa Ana, www.dvpostvideo.com proudly announced his involvement in a new feature film, We've Got Balls . "While the title sounds gross, it is a G-rated film," said Primm before adding, "It's really funny." 

Read more...

 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) http://www.fbla.org for high schoolers and its college division, Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) is holding its annual conference in late June at the Anaheim Convention Center. They're looking for professionals from every industry to volunteer as judges. If you can donate six hours in either a morning or afternoon session contact them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or signup online at fbla.org/judgesform.asp

Read more...

MCAI's popular signature event for professionals from every area of media comes to OC for the 5th consecutive year. (see the video here) and learn about past MediaProCamps. Again sponsored by Panasonic Solutions Company and booked for Santa Ana College's Digital Media Center on Bristol, the event is a series of collaborative roundtables in which media pros brainstorm solutions to common problems by sharing their experiences, knowledge, perspectives and wisdom. Thanks to sponsors like Panasonic, the event is FREE and includes lunch.

Read more...