WASHINGTON—The NAB has announced the launch of a major public affairs campaign that it hopes will convince the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modernize local television and radio ownership regulations.
Modernizing ownership rules limiting the size of broadcast station groups has long been a major focus of the NAB’s public affairs and lobbying efforts.
The new campaign, which will include national advertising, outreach to lawmakers and a visit by more than 500 broadcasters to the nation’s capital, comes at a time when the industry is hoping that the current Trump administration and new leadership at the FCC will be more inclined to allow more industry consolidation.
The NAB has long contended that the current rules, which were written before the advent of mobile phones and the internet, stifle any ability for broadcasters to compete with Big Tech.
“This campaign underscores the urgent need to modernize outdated FCC ownership regulations that put the future of local TV and radio stations at risk,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “In today’s media environment, local broadcasters must have the ability to grow and compete with Big Tech platforms that operate without similar restrictions. As trusted sources of news and information, particularly during emergencies, local stations provide a vital service to their communities. Policymakers must act now to ensure broadcasters can continue serving the public effectively, before it’s too late.”
NAB’s campaign will launch with national advertising directed at policymakers in Washington, D.C., viewer and listener education, and resources that enable consumer outreach to lawmakers and key stakeholders, including the White House and Federal Communications Commission, the group reported.
Next week, more than 500 broadcasters will also be in the nation’s capital to advocate for ownership reform and other priorities facing local stations during NAB’s State Leadership Conference.
The FCC’s existing media ownership regulations were established decades ago, at a time when broadcasters primarily competed with one another.
The NAB contends that these outdated rules limit the growth of television and radio stations in local markets and create barriers that hinder broadcasters’ ability to compete and serve their communities. Today, broadcasters face intense competition from Big Tech platforms and streaming services like YouTube, Amazon and Spotify, that operate without similar oversight, the NAB noted.
Local television broadcast groups are restricted in reach by FCC regulation to under 39% of TV households nationwide, and are limited in the number of major network-affiliated stations they can own in a single local market. Broadcast radio owners can only offer a handful of stations to listeners in each market. Meanwhile, Big Tech platforms, pay-TV and streaming services face no such restrictions on audience reach, the NAB has long argued.
Modernizing these regulations would give local stations the flexibility to grow, innovate and better serve their communities, the NAB said, keeping the content Americans love – like local news and sports on free, local channels.
NAB’s campaign comes as the FCC reviews its media ownership rules under chairman Brendan Carr, who has previously called this a “break glass moment for America’s broadcasters,” and emphasized the need to “make it easier for broadcasters to attract the capital necessary for them to invest, compete and serve their local communities.”
The NAB's spot ad can be viewed here.
The print ad is available here.
For more information about NAB’s campaign and efforts to modernize FCC regulations, please visit nab.org/ModernizeTheRules.
