The Society of Broadcast Engineers

The Association for Broadcast and Multimedia Technology Professionals

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Member Qualifications

You may qualify for the Member category if at least one of the following applies to you:

  1. You are actively engaged in broadcast engineering or its allied fields.
  2. You hold an academic degree in electrical engineering or its equivalent.
  3. You have scientific or professional experience in the communications field, including the design or marketing of broadcast-related products; have at least four years of active participation in broadcast engineering or its allied fields and have demonstrated acceptable technical proficiency.

Even if you don't meet one of the three requirements, you may still qualify for Associate, Student or Youth membership. Those are described below.

Need more reasons to join? We've made a list.

The full-color SBE membership brochure is available from the SBE National Office for chapters and members to use to invite people to join the society.

Download PDF of Brochure

Membership Options

There are two options to choose from when joining the SBE.

Traditional SBE Membership

Traditional SBE membership includes bi-monthly issues of The Signal, the SBE's print membership newsletter and e-publications including SBE-News, SBE Legislative and Regulatory Alerts and Updates and the SBE Career Advancement Newsletter.  Also included are SBE social media outlets, SBE JobsOnline, SBE Compensation Survey results and access to group life insurance, all at no additional cost.

Traditional membership also provides members with discounts for SBE certification, education programs and purchases at the SBE Bookstore. Members located near one of the 115 local SBE Chapters can also participate in their monthly meetings. The annual membership cost of traditional Regular, Senior and Associate membership is $85.

SBE MemberPlus

The SBE MemberPlus option includes all the benefits of traditional membership, plus unlimited access to the entire archived catalogue of SBE educational webinars and all new webinars produced during the membership year. There are currently more than 100 archived webinars available. The membership cost for the SBE MemberPlus option is $175 per year.

To recap, for an additional cost that is less than the price of two SBE webinars, those who choose the SBE MemberPlus option have access to a wide variety of broadcast technical, regulatory and safety educational topics for the entire membership year. Many of which can be used for SBE recertification credit. Learn more »


Apply Online Now PDF Application


Membership Reinstatement: If your membership expired in this current year between June 30 and December 31, you can reinstate it using the Online Reinstatement Form. If your membership expired prior to July 1 of last year, you can reinstate it by completing a new membership application.

Senior Member

The Senior Member level is available to those Members with at least five consecutive years of membership in the society. They also must have at least 15 years of active participation in broadcast engineering or its allied fields and have demonstrated professional responsibility in the area of supervision, equipment design, physical plant design, marketing and/or equipment systems integration. There is no cost to upgrade membership to Senior status but there is a simple application to complete. Senior status is available to both traditional and MemberPlus members.

Associate Member

You may qualify as an associate member if you do not meet the above qualifications of a Member but are actively engaged in the objectives of the society. The SBE MemberPlus option is available to Associate members.

Apply Online Now PDF Application

Student Member

You may qualify as a student member if you are actively engaged in the study of broadcast engineering or related fields at a post-secondary institution. The annual membership fee is $25.

You have the choice of taking the SBE Student MemberPlus option, which will provide you with access to more than 100 SBE-produced webinars and all new SBE webinars produced during the membership year. The annual fee is just $90 for quailfied Students.

Apply Online Now PDF Application

Youth Member

You may qualify as a youth member if you are a high school student who is active in the technical operation of a broadcast station; who is involved in a school club or community organization, such as an amateur radio club, with the purpose of learning about the field of broadcast engineering or who has a general interest in broadcast engineering. Learn More »

Youth Member PDF Application

If you have questions and need a quick response, email Scott Jones.

Life Member

Life Membership is granted to members who have reached full retirement from broadcast engineering, are at least 65 years of age, and have maintained membership in good standing for fifteen or more consecutive years at the time of applying for Life member status. Requirements for life membership, according to the SBE by-laws section 1(g):  "Any Member or Fellow in good standing who has retired from broadcast engineering, is at least 65 years of age, and who has been a member in good standing for FIFTEEN (15) or more consecutive years immediately preceding application, may, at his request, be placed on the Life Membership list." There is a one-time application fee of $85, which must be included with the application.

Those eligible for Life Membership have the choice of taking the SBE Life MemberPlus option, which provides you with access to more than 100 SBE-produced webinars and all new SBE webinars produced during the membership year. The annual fee is just $90 for qualified Life members.

Life Membership PDF Application
A List of SBE Life Members

SBE Fellow Member

The SBE Fellow is the highest grade of membership. Elected by the board of directors, Fellow members are recognized for having rendered conspicuous service or having made valuable contributions to the advancement of broadcast engineering or its allied professions. The board considers nominations for Fellow each spring, at their meeting held during the NAB Show.

Details on nominating candidates for SBE Fellow
A List of SBE Fellows

Sustaining Member

This corporate level of membership is intended for individuals and organizations actively engaged in broadcast engineering, its allied fields and/or the objectives of the society. The benefits of sustaining membership differ from those of individual memberships.  Learn More »

Sustaining Member PDF Application

Honorary Member

A person of outstanding repute and eminence in the art and science of broadcast engineering or any of its allied professions may be elected to Honorary Membership by the board of directors.

Candidates for election to Honorary Membership shall be proposed in writing by a voting member. Such proposal shall include a biography of the candidate and the endorsement of 15 voting members and shall be submitted to the board of directors for consideration. If elected, the candidate shall be notified by the secretary. The board of directors shall confer the Honorary Membership in such a manner as they deem appropriate.

A List of SBE Honorary Members


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