The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has produced a TV spot informing viewers of discussions in Washington that could limit free, over-the-air broadcast television. The 30-second spot, produced in English and Spanish, was distributed via satellite in late December and has been airing on local stations this month. The TV spot comes on the heels of several third-party filings submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calling for the reallocation of broadcast spectrum for new wireless broadband devices.
“Following NAB’s historic campaign to educate Americans on the benefits of the government-mandated digital TV transition, we feel it is equally important to ensure our viewers are aware of proposals in Washington now aimed at limiting free and local DTV service,” said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. “We remain committed to a dialogue with policymakers and legislators on how to best serve the needs of the American people for fast Internet access without jeopardizing digital TV’s promised potential for millions of TV viewers.”
The full script of the 30 second spot reads:
“It’s our connection to our community. It’s our lifeline to the emergency information we need. It’s a free service that provides free entertainment.
“But one day soon, it could be taken away. There’s a movement among special interest groups to limit free antenna TV, and millions of Americans who depend on it would lose out.
“Always free, always local. Let’s tell Congress to keep free antenna TV as part of our communications future.”
The English and Spanish-language spot, provided to stations in both high-definition and standard-definition quality, can be viewed online in WMV format.
