Logo of the National Association of Broadcasters.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is a trade association representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States. The NAB represents more than 8,300 terrestrial radio and television stations as well as broadcast networks.
As of November 1, 2009, the president and CEO of the NAB is Gordon Smith, a former United States Senator from Oregon.[1]
Founding
The NAB was founded in 1922 (the same year that the nonprofit BBC was founded in the United Kingdom) at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. The association's founder and first president was Eugene F. McDonald Jr., who also launched the Zenith corporation.
Commercial radio
The NAB worked to establish a commercial radio system in the United States. The system was set up in August 1928 with the establishment of General Order 40 — a radio reallocation scheme by the Federal Radio Commission which awarded the choicest frequencies and broadcast times to the then-emerging commercial radio industry. In the wake of General Order 40, a loose coalition of educators, nonprofit broadcasters, labor unions, and religious groups coalesced to oppose the NAB and their allies through the 1920s and 1930s, and to develop a public, nonprofit, license-funded radio system without commercials (similar to what happened with the BBC). The coalition claimed that the commercial industry would only promote profitable programming, thereby reducing the quality and future potential of radio broadcasting.
Not having the political connections, resources, or publicity of the NAB and the commercial radio industry, the non-profit coalition eventually lost the fight with the passage of the Communications Act of 1934.[2]
Notable NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame Inductees
Low-power FM radio
NAB is not opposed to additional low power FM stations provided those stations do not undermine the integrity of the existing signals currently in operation. Instead of risking interference to the hundreds of millions of people who regularly listen to their favorite full power FM stations, the FCC should aggressively process pending license applications, which everyone agrees will not cause interference. Additionally, the FCC should use better studies that address the issues the Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 2000 required to ensure that any new low-power stations do not undermine existing full power stations. This viewpoint is backed by other groups.[3]
Satellite radio
Many satellite radio enthusiasts have criticized the NAB for lobbying against legislation approvals for those services. The NAB protested the FCC's approval of both satellite radio services in the United States — XM and Sirius — and furthermore criticized the 2008 merger of the two companies.[4]
White space
The NAB has lobbied against the use of white spaces, unused broadcast spectrum lying between broadcast channels, for wireless broadband internet and other digital use. The NAB has claimed that use of white space will interfere with existing broadcast spectrum, even though tests by the Federal Communications Commission at levels far stronger than that being advocated for in policy circles have not supported such claims.[5] Indeed, the FCC has recommended the use of white spaces for broadband and other digital use.[6]
Similar organizations
Organization similar to the NAB exist in individual U.S. states, including Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) in Georgia, and the Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA), in Illinois. In Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has a similar role.
NAB awards
The NAB presents several annual awards:
- NAB Marconi Radio Awards, to the country's top radio stations and personalities
- NAB National Radio Award, to an outstanding individual leader in the radio industry
- NAB Crystal Radio Awards, to radio stations achieving excellence in community service
Gatherings
NAB's annual spring convention is the NAB Show. It typically draws over 100,000 industry professionals.[7] NAB also manages the NAB Radio Show which is held each autumn and draws over 3,000 radio professionals.
External links
References
- ^ [1]18 September, 2009 "NAB NAMES GORDON SMITH NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO" NAB.org
- ^ "The Battle for the U.S. Airwaves, 1928-1935", in The Political Economy of Media: Enduring Issues, Emerging Dilemmas by Robert W. McChesney (New York: Monthly Review Press, 2008).
- ^ [2]27 August, 2007 "Listeners want their favorite stations, not fuzz" Bud Walters, president, The Cromwell Group
- ^ [3] 28 February 2007 testimony of NAB President David Rehr before US House Judiciary Committee Antitrust Task Force
- ^ [4] Tim Karr, "The NAB vs. Reality"
- ^ [5] Megan Tady, "A Win for White Spaces"
- ^ The NAB Show website
