NAB Holds Elections, Urges Modernization
• UPDATED: The National Association of Broadcasters’ Executive Committee elections took place at the NAB Board of Directors meeting, held June 12-13 in Washington, DC, and here are the results: Caroline Beasley, CEO of Beasley Media Group, was unanimously re-elected as NAB Joint Board chair by the NAB Joint Board of Directors. Jordan Wertlieb, President of Hearst Television, was re-elected as NAB Television Board Chairman. Emily Barr, President and CEO of Graham Media Group, was re-elected first Vice Chair of the Television Board, and Ralph M. Oakley, President and CEO of Quincy Media, Inc., was re-elected as second Vice Chair.
It was also announced that John Orlando, CBS EVP of Government Affairs, will assume the designated TV network seat on the executive committee.
And there’s more — Randy D. Gravley, President and CEO of Tri State Communications Inc., was re-elected Radio Board Chair by the NAB Radio Board. David Santrella, President of Broadcast Media, Salem Media Group, was elected Radio Board first Vice Chair, while Bruce Goldsen, President of Jackson Radio Works, was elected Radio Board second Vice Chair. Kim Guthrie, President of Cox Media Group, was re-elected to the Radio Board’s major group representative seat.
• Out of that same exciting Board meeting, the NAB announced it would urge the FCC to modernize outdated radio ownership rules as part of its quadrennial media ownership review proceeding planned for later this year.
NAB’s request “comes at a time of unprecedented consolidation among radio’s competitors in the media world. NAB noted that radio ownership rules have remained static since 1996, a date that preceded the introduction of streaming services like Pandora and Spotify, along with SiriusXM satellite radio, podcasting, Facebook and YouTube.” Anticipating the FCC quadrennial review later this year, the Board voted in favor of seeking regulatory relief that will allow radio to remain competitive while continuing its commitment to localism. NAB said it would be filing comments along with supporting evidence that justifies radio ownership modernization.
