A record turnout of broadcasters converged on Washington, DC, as radio’s core policy fights of protecting AM access, stopping new performance royalties, and updating ownership rules took center stage at the National Association of Broadcasters’ State Leadership Conference.
NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt set the tone, pushing back on what he called a misconception that AM radio has lost its relevance. “According to Nielsen, 82 million Americans tuned into AM radio at some point over the last month,” LeGeyt told attendees. “Those are staggering statistics. That is an audience penetration that any one of the streaming services would bend over backwards to get.”
“AM radio is fulfilling a role in the emergency alerting system that is irreplaceable,” he said, noting that cell phone alerts typically direct people to tune into local broadcast media. “Without that entry point, that system needs to be completely rethought.” He also highlighted AM’s reach into communities that other platforms don’t serve like rural towns, niche audiences, and foreign-language programming, where, he said, “the economics just don’t make sense to do it through other mediums.”
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), one of the lead sponsors of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, brought characteristic energy to the room, recounting his efforts three years ago to sound the alarm when automakers began stripping AM receivers from new vehicles. “They told us AM radio was outdated. They said it was unpopular. They claimed it was incompatible with electric vehicles,” Markey said. “The truth, as everyone in this room knows, is exactly the opposite.” He noted that the bill has now passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously, cleared the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a wide margin, and has accumulated nearly 400 cosponsors across both chambers.
“This is not a Democratic issue. It is not a Republican issue. It is an American issue,” he said, adding that he and co-sponsor Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) will get the bill to President Trump’s desk.
Markey also used his remarks to address what he framed as a broader threat to broadcasting. “We have seen renewed efforts to threaten broadcasters over their editorial decisions,” he said. “We have watched as regulators weaponize their authority against stations whose coverage displeases those in power. When politicians attempt to bully broadcasters, that is censorship, plain and simple. The First Amendment is not a suggestion. It is a shield.”
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) took a more personal approach in addressing his support for the Local Radio Freedom Act, opening with a story about hearing James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” on AM radio as a child and how that prompted him to go out and buy the record. He spoke about the relationship between local radio personalities and their communities in terms that drew applause from the room. “The person that you hear in the morning when you turn on the radio and you get out of bed is your friend,” he said.
As for whether broadcasters will be forced to pay more performance royalties, Sen. Barrasso was direct: “You do not have to pay the performance tax.” He added that despite partisan differences on some issues, the core priorities of the conference remain broadly bipartisan. “We are joined in the importance of having local radio,” he said.
In addition to visits from lawmakers, NAB Executive Vice President Michelle Lehman outlined the organization’s America 250 campaign, offering stations a vehicle for audience engagement around the country’s upcoming semiquincentennial.
The conference also served as a moment to recognize leadership within the industry. The Crystal Radio Awards were presented for outstanding community service, and Ralph Oakley received the Chuck Sherman Television Leadership Award for his contributions to local television. Outgoing state association leaders were honored as well, including Jim Timm of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association, who served as outgoing president of the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations.
