NAB's Smith Defends Broadcast Future

Appearing on C-SPAN's The Communicators, National Association of Broadcasters President Gordon Smith said that as the original wireless service, broadcasting remains "highly relevant," particularly given what he says is mobile's limitations on video delivery and the indecency regulations that keep it a family viewing destination.

Smith used the word "fail" repeatedly to talk about mobile's inability to deliver the kind of live, real-time video, including high-value sports, which broadcasters supply through their one-to-many architecture. Smith warned that in a world where broadband has replaced, rather than complemented broadcasting, important public values like free, local and decent content will be lost. He stood up strongly for indecency regulations, calling them good public policy as well as a good talking point with Congress.