The National Association of Broadcasters has laid out six policy priorities it hopes to achieve during the 119th Congress.
Removing ownership caps on radio and TV companies tops the list. The NAB describes its goal as modernizing “antiquated” ownership rules that it believes restricts the ability of broadcasters to compete. It recently launched an ad campaign toward that goal. The FCC under the Biden administration kept radio ownership caps in place in a 2023 vote.
Here’s the list of policy priorities in the words released by NAB:
- Modernizing antiquated broadcast ownership rules to let stations compete
- Keeping AM radio in cars to ensure public safety
- Supporting NextGen TV to protect our critical infrastructure
- Preventing harmful changes to existing advertising tax deductibility
- Opposing a new performance tax on local radio
- Protecting broadcasters’ investment in local content
President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt discussed the list with association members at an event at the NAB Show.
“LeGeyt announced the launch of a new NAB website that broadcasters can use to inform their advocacy efforts and guide conversations with policymakers,” the association announced.
NAB noted that the bill to make AM radio mandatory in new cars enjoys support once again in this Congress, including “a filibuster-proof majority of the Senate and over 140 cosponsors in the House,” though bipartisan support was not enough to secure passage of the bill in the previous Congress.
[“LeGeyt: It’s Time for the FCC to Eliminate Its Arbitrary National TV Broadcast Ownership Cap”]
