Gordon Smith Keynote at 2018 NAB Show Las Vegas, NV -- NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith delivered the annual NAB State of the Industry address during the 2017 NAB Show. Below is a transcript of his remarks as prepared for delivery.***
I'm delighted to be here with all of you, and grateful for your attendance.
We especially welcome those of you who have travelled many miles to be here.
I always look forward to the NAB Show, an event that tells the story of broadcasting and its latter-day convergence with broadband and other technologies to deliver the content our communities rely on every day.
And it's an exciting story to share - just take a look at what's happening outside these walls: The Next Gen TV Autonomous Transport is giving riders a glimpse into the future of live broadcast television aboard a driverless vehicle; and the all-digital FM radio demonstration at NAB PILOT's Futures Park is showcasing radio's exciting future.
It's a story that began nearly 100 years ago among broadcast pioneers, men and women rooted in their desire to inform, entertain and help people understand what happens beyond the boundaries of their own lives.
Who had a sense of calling among them to be the public's eyes and ears
to lead others out of darkness during times of crisis to share profound moments and to connect with our family, friends and neighbors.
to lead others out of darkness during times of crisis to share profound moments and to connect with our family, friends and neighbors.
The National Association of Broadcasters has been around for nearly as long as broadcasting itself - created nearly a century ago with the intent to tell broadcasters' story and to support their mission, which is at the heart of what they do every day.
And that mission is to always be there, to be the voices against oppression the megaphones for freedom and democracy and to report the news without fear or favor.
Protecting this mission is the moral compass that drives all that we do at NAB, in our advocacy before Congress and the Federal Communications Commission and in our investment in future innovations and technologies.
This past year, we at NAB worked hand in hand with our broadcasters to educate policymakers on stations' vital role, and together we achieved five enormous wins.
* The FCC approved voluntary deployment of the Next Gen TV standard, which promises to deliver the benefits of ultra-high definition television, interactive features and customizable content to viewers.
* We again fought back attempts by the record labels to tax radio stations simply for promoting and playing the music listeners love to hear.
* We prevented a $169 billion tax on advertising that would hurt every broadcast station, as well as small businesses and vital, local jobs.
* More, the Commission made significant strides to modernize outdated media ownership rules.
* And, most recently, broadcasters were instrumental in securing $1 billion in legislation passed by Congress to reimburse radio and television stations for their costs during the spectrum repacking process, ensuring viewers and listeners don't lose access to their stations.
These wins did not come by accident or chance.
They were won because of the willingness of radio and television broadcasters all across the country to advocate on these critical issues.
When this industry speaks with one voice, these wins demonstrate that it is a powerful voice.
So, while appropriate to enjoy a moment of thanksgiving and celebrating, this much we also know - the challenges will keep coming and our cause cannot rest.
The world as we know it is unpredictable - we face a very divided government that struggles to find compromise and solve the nation's problems.
In just a few minutes, we will welcome House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, who was instrumental in helping to secure the funds to reimburse broadcasters for their relocation costs, to talk about some of the issues that are impacting the future of local stations.
But, right now with all of you, I want to talk about how we envision broadcasting's future and what we want that future to be.
In thinking about the future of this great industry, I am reminded of the time my son and I attended a sporting event.
Since he was a young boy - maybe four or five years old - he asked if he could see what I saw from my height.
He pleaded with me to put him up on my shoulders so that he could see the action and look farther into the distance.
In his eyes, I was as tall as a giant.
I obliged and picked him up by the ankles and stood him on my shoulders.
My son was amazed by all that he could see standing on my shoulders, he could see more than just the action on the field - he could see beyond the horizon, the trees, hills and houses that dotted the landscape - things that he could not see standing on his own.
Here at the NAB Show, broadcasters are standing on the shoulders of the innovators, creators and storytellers, whose creativity, passion and energy are allowing us to see broadcasting as it could be in the future.
We have also inherited so much from those broadcasters before us and continue to learn from those in the present.
And, standing on the shoulders of these giants, we can imagine a brighter future than we could on our own.
And, if we are like a little boy or girl standing on the shoulders of giants looking into the horizon, what do we want to see?
What is our vision of broadcasting's future?
I believe our future lies in investing in the innovation that is crucial to our long-term growth, so that we can always be there for our communities anywhere they are, and always for free.
There is no better or more reliable resource for information during times of crisis than broadcast stations.
But
