Jim Winston’s letter to The FCC was short and sweet. The NABOB CEO said his Board of Directors voted 6-4 to discontinue support of the rule change that would permit FM boosters to transmit several minutes per hour of local programming to specific communities.
NABOB had been in support of the rule change up to this point. GeoBroadcast Solutions is awaiting an FCC decision on whether its technology will allow broadcasters to target programming and advertising to specific communities for several minutes per hour.
The NAB has been fighting hard against the rule change, arguing the technology is flawed and it will take advertising dollars away from other broadcasters upending radio’s business model.
Supporters of the rule change believe this has become a fight between how many arms the NAB can twist to oppose the rule change and those who stand their ground in support.
It was back in June that Winston signed onto a letter to the FCC in support of the technology, “because it could give small and minority broadcasters new tools to serve their listeners.” That letter urged the Commission to “give FM radio broadcasters the same capability that it gave to TV broadcasters five years ago, and that every other media has enjoyed for many years: the ability to deliver hyper-local content to their audiences.”
Steve Roberts, Founder and CEO of Roberts Broadcasting Companies, and a founding member of NABOB was joined by Newspaper Publishers Association President Benjamin Chavis, JAM Media CEO Jonathan Mason and MMTC CEO Robert Branson in a follow-up letter to the FCC once NABOB reversed course.
Here’s what their letter said: “We are deeply concerned by the NABOB Board’s vote to discontinue its support for the FCC rule change that would bring geo-targeting to broadcast radio. Clearly this action is yet another in a string of savage actions NAB has taken in the interest of its largest members and to destroy the advancement of new technology to an industry badly in need of expanded revenue sources. We believe that the FCC will recognize the source beneath today’s action. The FCC should reject this cynical effort and keep its eye on the prize of enabling innovative technology to small and medium-sized broadcasters.”
GEOBroadcast Solutions, the company behind the technology, said in a statement: “We have overwhelming support from minority broadcasters and are confident that the FCC will recognize that geo-targeting for broadcast radio is in the public interest.”
