NAB BOARDS ONLY DISCUSS MAJOR ISSUES, TAKE NO ACTIONS
Controversial issues that appeared to be lurking behind scenes were kept there during Tues.-Wed. NAB board meetings in Washington as no new positions of any substance were taken. Radio issues had been expected to be dominant (CD June 7 p6), but only vote announced was to urge FCC “to rapidly move to permit the introduction” of AM and FM in- band, on-channel (IBOC) digital broadcasting. That came after Robert Struble, pres. of iBiquity Digital Radio, reported on IBOC progress.
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House Telecom Subcommittee Chmn. Upton (R-Mich.) told NAB board he would oppose as unworkable any congressional effort to mandate free TV time for candidates for federal office. Backed by Alliance for Better Campaigns, Sens. McCain (R-Ariz.) and Feingold (D-Wis.) plan to hold news conference next week to announce introduction of mandatory free time bill (CD June 12 p8).
Transition to DTV received much attention from TV board. Senior Vp John Orlando said NAB’s “digital TV zone” program to educate consumers in Indianapolis, Houston and Portland, Ore., had been valuable in building consumer interest in those cities. Some TV dirs. had questioned value of program, but board agreed to expand educational program to additional cities.
Orlando told joint board that pledges to broadcasters’ political action committee TARPAC were at same level this year as in 2001, but ahead of those in election year 2000. Since Jan., he said, TARPAC has contributed to 176 congressional candidates. Dwight Ellis, vp-human resource development, said 1,800 “job-seekers,” up 17%, participated in NAB “career fair” at April convention and that his department received notices of 500 job openings in first 4 months of year -- same number as for all of 2001.
One unexpected contest developed in elections for NAB leadership posts when Andrew Fisher, Cox Bcstg., defeated Jerald Fritz, Allbritton Communications, for TV vice chmn. to succeed Michael Fiorile, Dispatch Bcstg. Fiorile moves up to TV chmn., replacing Paul Karpowicz of LIN TV, who goes off board after 4 years. On radio side, Virginia Morris of Hubbard Radio was named pres. to succeed John Dille, who also goes off board, while Steven Newberry, Commonwealth Bcstg., succeeded Morris as vice chmn. David Kennedy, pres. of Susquehanna Radio, was re-elected joint board chmn. Appointed nonvoting members of Exec. Committee were Carl Gardner (radio), Journal Bcst. Group, and Alan Frank (TV) of Post-Newsweek Stations. Jack Sander of Belo was named earlier to TV board, succeeding Michael McCarthy, also of Belo, who is retiring and is expected to join Washington law firm in fall.