The NAB Show, held April 15 - 19, 2023 in Las Vegas, is celebrating its centennial year as the preeminent conference and exhibition driving the evolution of broadcast, media and entertainment. It is the ultimate marketplace for next-generation technology inspiring superior audio and video experiences, from creation to consumption, across multiple platforms.
"If we look around this week, we're with tens of thousands of our closest friends here in Las Vegas celebrating the very best of broadcasting, reflecting on the last 100 years of our legacy, while at the same time positioning ourselves to innovate to be relevant to our audiences in the future. This is just such a great opportunity to connect to really celebrate the very best of what we do in communities around the country," LeGeyt commented about the NAB Show 2023.
In its statements, the NAB President and CEO focused mainly on the most pressing issues for the industry, including threats to essential broadcasting services. "We as an industry have a role to play by stepping up and reminding the public and automakers of our ongoing relevance. The facts are, according to Nielsen, 82 million Americans tuned into AM radio at some point over the last month. Those are staggering statistics and that is an audience penetration that any one of the streaming services would bend over backwards to get. This idea that AM radio has lost relevance, I think shows how focused we are on what may be coming next, and the new shiny object, and maybe a lack of appreciation for what's going on around us and how our neighbors, our family are still consuming their media.
"AM radio is fulfilling a role in the Emergency Alerting System that is irreplaceable. For those of us who are walking around with a cell phone, it is easy to say in a time of disaster, 'well listen, I got an alert on my phone. But what does that alert say? Tune into your local media, and those AM stations serve as the backbone for the emergency alerting that goes through the broadcast system."
On the importance of local broadcasting, Curtis LeGeyt stated: "There couldn't be a more important moment to stand up for the importance of the work that local journalists are doing. We know that this climate is one where our journalists are subjected to violence, harassment and social media trolling. These are very, very difficult jobs. And we are living in a climate where everyone wants to point at us and label us fake news. And so NAB's principal role before we get to anything else, is serving as a loud megaphone for the incredible work that our journalists across the country are doing, and reminding not only communities, but policymakers that it may be politically convenient to point and label us fake news, but we are the ones rolling up our sleeves in these communities, shining a light on abuses, getting in the weeds, making sure that our communities have the information that they need."
"It is innovation that is going to enable us to further our hyperlocal connection to our communities. That is our competitive advantage every day that we are focusing on that innovation, that relevance in both television and radio. That is where we are going to continue to thrive as a strong competitor in this media landscape, but as an indispensable function for our local communities across the country. So, I couldn't be more excited to lead that fight."
"Depend on AM" Campaign
As the NAB Show is discussing the evolution of broadcasting services, the National Association of Broadcasters released new radio spots and digital ads highlighting the importance of AM radio in the automobile. These tools include a direct call to action for consumers to contact Congress and will further enhance NAB's advocacy efforts to keep AM radio in the car dashboard.
The newly released Depend on AM radio spots are available in English and Spanish, and are part of NAB's recently unveiled “Depend on AM Radio” campaign, which amplifies the voices of the over 80 million Americans that rely on AM radio for news, entertainment, community engagement and public safety alerts.
The campaign comes as certain automakers have stripped AM radio from their new vehicle models. "AM radio serves as the backbone of our nation's emergency alert system, and the dire consequences of removing it from cars require immediate action. It also plays a critical role in connecting diverse communities and offering in-language programming," the association appeals.
The new tools urge listeners to text “AM” to 52886 and contact members of Congress and ask them to help keep AM radio in cars. Stations can download the spots and digital ads at nab.org/AMtoolkit and are encouraged to air them as often as possible.
"There is no more important issue for radio listeners than ensuring AM/FM signals continue to be accessible in the automobile of the future. These new resources are important pieces of NAB's advocacy work to ensure that radio's unique ability to reach audiences with local content, entertainment and emergency alerts is maintained in the auto dash for years to come," said Curtis LeGeyt. "Local stations are encouraged to harness these tools to remind listeners of the irreplaceable role radio plays in their communities."
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