NAB's Smith: Wheeler Open To Study Promoting Broadcast Innovation, Investment

According to National Association of Broadcasters President Gordon Smith, Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler may be open to studying ways to promote broadcast innovation and investment, just as it has been doing for the wireless industry. Smith said the FCC had become singularly broadband focused, and suggested it had lost sight of the enduring value of broadcasting. Smith offered suggestions for how the FCC might promote and enhance broadcasting:

• [M]eaningfully and efficiently review ownership rules to ensure competition with other industries.
• Allow flexibility so broadcast networks can evolve with others.
• Preserve the retransmission-consent regime, which he said is essential to broadcasters "serve the public in ways no other media is expected to.

(Nov 21)