That’s what Gordon Smith said the National Association of Broadcasters is up to, as he addressed the State Leadership Conference Tuesday, the last speech he’ll deliver to the group as the CEO of the NAB. Smith mentioned the NAB’s top priorities…
On top of Smith’s to-do list as he transitions into an advisory role at the NAB is the Local Radio Freedom Act, which again is a resolution winding through the new Congress opposing any new tax on radio for playing music.
Smith says the NAB is urging legislators to cosponsor the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, “to allow stations to fairly negotiate for their local news content as the overwhelming power of big tech threatens Americans’ access to quality journalism.”
And Smith says the NAB plans to continue to fight to against proposals to alter the tax treatment of advertising expenses, including for specific types of products. “This would ultimately make advertising more expensive for small businesses, threaten local jobs and have a devastating impact on local stations that rely on advertising revenue to survive — all during a post-pandemic economic recovery.”
Finally, the NAB is urging Congress to support legislation to reinstate the diversity tax certificate to ensure station owners are as diverse as the communities they serve.
After 12 years as the NAB CEO Smith is in the process of turning over the NAB gavel to Curtis Curtis LeGeyt, the NAB’s current COO.
