NAB's LeGeyt Condemns FCC Ownership Rules and 'Government Retribution' Against Media

Broadcasters must be able to report the news without government retaliation and need the FCC to scrap ownership limits, said NAB President Curtis LeGeyt during a Media Institute speech Wednesday. “Our democracy relies on journalists’ ability to report the news without the risk of government retribution,” he said. “Efforts to limit the ability of broadcasters to report the facts hinders the public’s right to know and chills free speech.” The FCC should eliminate the national ownership cap, or it risks damaging emergency alerting and local news, LeGeyt added. “Without a necessary course correction in our ability to compete for local advertising, local newsrooms will continue to downsize, robbing the community of its voice," he said. “Eliminating these regulations will allow local stations to aggregate resources, invest in journalism and strengthen their service to communities.”