Curtis LeGeyt

NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt says he’s “tremendously frustrated” with the FCC’s late December decision to reaffirm and tighten its regulations on broadcast ownership. So, what’s the organization’s next move? A full transcript of the conversation is included.

Members of Congress have long said they see a unique role for local broadcasting, not only providing free entertainment to Americans but also ensuring they have access to local emergency alerts. National Association of Broadcasters President Curtis LeGeyt thinks it is time to put those positive words into actions that will help local radio and television stations survive as the industry finds itself on lopsided playing field with big tech.

“Her wealth of experience in telecommunications policymaking will help the FCC address the critical issues facing radio and television broadcasters,” reads part of the statement from NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt.

Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, will be the Featured Speaker at The Media Institute’s “Free Speech America” Gala on October 19.  The event will take place in person at The Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (N.J.) took to the Senate floor to express his concerns over the Federal Communications Commission’s review of the proposed Standard General-Tegna transaction. His is the latest in a chorus of alarm bells sounding over a flawed merger review process that risks undermining both investment in local television stations’ free service to the public and media diversity.

Curtis LeGeyt, CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters expressed alarm at the “needlessly prolonged” regulatory review of Standard General’s proposed acquisition of Tegna. After more than a year, the FCC’s Media Bureau referred the transaction to an administrative law judge, a move that will delay potential approval of the deal and possibly kill it.

ATSC 3.0 has hit a sludgy stretch of path toward its end goal of broad U.S. adoption and providing new content services. It will take many hands — a potential FCC task force, station group cooperation and an elongated pipeline for receivers included — to get the standard’s implementation flying again.

The NAB New York Show will be back at the Javits Center after a long pandemic hiatus. Following a strong showing at IBC earlier this month, expectations around it are rising.

Curtis LeGeyt, NAB president and CEO, offered his State of the Industry presentation at the NAB Show in Las Vegas on Monday. He broke down his four priorities as he works with policymakers. Among them, he said Congress must take action to rein in “the gatekeeping ability of the Big Tech giants,” mentioning how local broadcasters lose some $2 billion annually when their content is accessed through Google and Facebook.

The FCC should conclude its long-overdue, congressionally mandated quadrennial review of whether its media ownership regulations are necessary in the public interest, NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt told FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel earlier this month, according to an FCC filing. A politically tied FCC is unlikely to approve reregulation of broadcasters and so far there has been no movement on a Senate confirmation vote on Gigi Sohn, the Democratic nominee who would break that tie.

NAB members are briefed on legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry by the trade association’s new CEO and other execs.

In his first blog post as NAB President-CEO, Curtis LeGeyt pledges NAB’s continued advocacy for policies ensuring a level playing field that allows broadcasters to compete against Big Tech platforms and preserve local journalism.

He succeeds Gordon Smith. Michelle Lehman is named to the newly created chief of staff role.

He will move to an advisory and advocacy role beginning next year. The former senator has led the broadcasters’ group for more than a decade. He’s being succeeded by NAB’s COO Curtis LeGeyt.

COO Chris Ornelas leaving to become Beasley Media Group general counsel; NAB Government Relations head Curtis LeGeyt is promoted to succeed him. Also, April Carty-Sipp, Shawn Donilon and Trish Johnson all were bumped up to executive vice presidents.