FCC Chairman Ajit Pai had kind words for broadcasters when he spoke at the NAB Show in Las Vegas this week. He welcomed the technological innovations he saw all around him at the event and said, “In my view, the idea that you should increasingly think of yourselves as digital media companies is sound advice, with one important caveat: You are still broadcasters first.”
Pai highlighted the unique trust and personal connections built between members of local communities and their broadcasters, as well as the free nature of their service. He highlighted ways the FCC is working to help broadcasters in their mission such as in the spectrum auction repack, AM radio revitalization, eliminating outdated rules, and working to stop pirate stations.
The chairman declared that he would remain a friend to broadcasters as they serve their communities, and he lauded them: “In a time when America seems torn and divided, you mend and bring us together. Your public service during times of want, just as in times of plenty, is just what you do…. There is no balance sheet that will depict the value of this work. But I know in my bones that this kind of dedication will help you thrive, no matter how much technology evolves.”
By Aaron Mercer, Vice President of Government Relations
