
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
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
10/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/07/2026
With 50+ cameras, three trucks, 60+ EVS channels, RFID hole-card workflows, and ...
09/07/2026
A recent graduate from Westchester, NY, this experienced technician has already started her first gig in the industry, as a REMI A2 Comms Specialist at ESPN
In...
09/07/2026
Live sports production is a fast-paced industry with no signs of slowing down. W...
09/07/2026
From a rooftop studio in Manhattan, multiple Germany-based companies share respo...
09/07/2026
Overtime has announced a content partnership with FOX One to produce Race to Glo...
09/07/2026
Clear-Com has announced that Ross Production Services (RPS) has standardized on ...
09/07/2026
The NFL has announced that NetApp will return as Presenting Partner of the NFL Madrid Game, featuring the Atlanta Falcons against the Cincinnati Bengals at the ...
09/07/2026
The R&A and Cisco have announced a multi-year partnership making Cisco the Official Network Supplier of The R&A and its Championships. Cisco will deploy AI-read...
09/07/2026
Fox Television Stations, Extreme Reach (XR), and LTN have announced the completi...
09/07/2026
Kiswe has announced a partnership with Wynn Records to launch the Wynn Records Network streaming platform, debuting Saturday, July 11 with a Salita Promotions b...
09/07/2026
NEP Europe has announced a new multi-year agreement with Wimbledon Broadcast Ser...
09/07/2026
Thropic Games, a company offering casual mobile games tied to fan fundraising for sports programs, has announced a pre-seed funding round led by The Famous Grou...
09/07/2026
Game Creek Video has reached an agreement with Grass Valley to purchase 10 K-Frame production switchers as part of a two-year fleet expansion. Two systems have ...
09/07/2026
Gravity Media is delivering a three-hub remote production workflow for ITV's...
09/07/2026
A new report from Quickplay and Caretta Research, The Broadcaster Revolution Wi...
09/07/2026
DAZN, the world's leading sports entertainment platform, has announced a long-term strategic partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation to serve as t...
09/07/2026
The regional sports network is staying busy this summer with broadcasts of the N...
09/07/2026
Latest analogue-emulation plug-ins revealed
Universal Audio have just added two new analogue-emulation plug-ins to their DSP-powered UAD line-up. Developed ...
09/07/2026
Limited-edition mic celebrates rock icon
Neumann have partnered with the Bon Scott Estate to create a limited-edition version of the U 47 FET that honours b...
09/07/2026
Handles organisation, updates, troubleshooting & more
Created by pro-audio software developer Julian Worden, Plugin Station from Julian Michael Technologies...
09/07/2026
Introduces new $1 million advance programme
LANDR have just announced the next phase of their Fair Trade AI programme, a pioneering opt-in music-licensing p...
09/07/2026
Four new titles now available
Spitfire Audio have just introduced four new titles in their Originals range, bringing the total count of libraries in the low...
09/07/2026
SBS statement Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion
9 July, 2026
Media releases
SBS acknowledges the gravity of the matters before the Roy...
09/07/2026
08 July 2026, Johannesburg - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
09/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces New UltraStudio Express 3G
Brie Clayton July 9, 2026
0 Comments
New extremely portable capture and playback models with 3G...
09/07/2026
Miri Introduces Self-Service Cellular Data and SIM Card Management Platform for ...
09/07/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), one of Asia's most prestigious horse racing organizations, has significantly up...
09/07/2026
Leading North American mobile production facility provider standardizes on Grass Valley's fully IP-native K-Frame production switchers for its fleet of next...
09/07/2026
Miri Technologies Inc. is rolling out a new online portal that provides customers and resellers with self-serve management tools and usage analytics for the com...
09/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/07/2026
Cinematographer Aakash Subramaniam, WICA faced a conceptual challenge: how could he make a film about dying that doesn't feel like one? The film, Our Weird...
09/07/2026
Years in the making, this intimate documentary draws on rare access to Leah Crouchers family to tell the story behind one of Britains most high-profile missing ...
09/07/2026
Thursday 9 July 2026
Enjoy Gigafast speeds and Ultimate TV pack for less
The latest deals have dropped from Sky TV and Sky Broadband, the award-winning provid...
09/07/2026
Hands up who would like to dress up as a giant crisp packet?
The call that went out across the agency as our anti-litter campaign, Wish you weren't here fo...
09/07/2026
This GFN Thursday brings more games, more power and more ways to play on GeForce NOW.
The cloud gaming service is expanding with a new GeForce RTX 5080-powere...
08/07/2026
The end of the Big A' marks the demise of one more iconic sports venue and its signature sound
After 132 years as one of the preeminent horse-racing track...
08/07/2026
Memphis Athletics and Learfield have signed a long-term renewal to their 25-year relationship, which sees Learfield's Tiger Sports Properties continue repre...
08/07/2026
MLB All-Star Week returns to Philadelphia for the first time in 30 years as Amer...
08/07/2026
Former Wall Street Video event expanded to include all Enterprise sectors
SVG Enterprise has announced the inaugural Enterprise Video Summit, taking place Oct....
08/07/2026
An offseason project enhanced eight video displays around the venue in time for ...
08/07/2026
Kaseya Center has a ton of new features that weren't available to the indust...