Leveling the playing field with Big Tech is a big policy prerogative for broadcasters according to the National Association of Broadcasters’ most recent policy agenda.
NAB said the dominance of edge provider platforms threatens a free press and broadcasters’ local journalism efforts.
NAB‘s principal beef with Big Tech is that they are the gatekeepers to platforms that broadcasters' content must be available on if they are to remain relevant, but that those same platforms have drained ad dollars from broadcasters while simultaneously undervaluing broadcast content with “take it or leave it” compensation offers.
“Local journalism is now at risk due to this unchecked competitive power held by a handful of dominant digital players,” NAB said. “[B]roadcasters continue to be subject to outdated rules restricting their scale and scope, making it even more difficult to compete with digital behemoths, which are allowed unregulated and unfettered growth.”
NAB said the help it needs from Washington is broadcast ownership deregulation and a break on the regulatory fees the FCC assesses on them but not on its Big Tech competition. ■
