Our Legislative Outreach Focus
The NMBA seeks to educate New Mexico's local, state and federal officials along with other community leaders about important broadcast issues. During each state legislative session, the NMBA’s lobbyist, Art Melendres, works on issues such as labor concerns and taxes as well as trends in advertising and retail business.
Working with the National Association of Broadcasters we participate in filings before the FCC, as well as meet with federal, state officials and other decision-makers in matters of concern to New Mexico's broadcast industry. Each February the NMBA Board makes a trip to Washington, DC to visit with the New Mexico Congressional Delegation to raise concerns about issues important to all New Mexico broadcasters.
Some of our current concerns include...
Support Broadcasters and their
Efforts to Respond During Times of Disaster |
Broadcasters provide a vital public service, staying on the air to provide crucial, lifesaving information during emergencies, disasters and recovery efforts. Time and again, broadcasters give selflessly in times of community need. Recognizing this crucial role, federal legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate that would give
broadcasters “first responder” status in emergency situations, enhancing stations’ ability to serve their communities during challenging situations. Come tell your stories, share your first hand experiences and help us advocate for the First Response Broadcasters Act of 2007. |
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Ensuring Opportunities for
Radio Internet Streaming |
In March 2007, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) issued new royalty rates for years 2006-2010 that increase streaming rates by an outrageous 138 percent over
four years. The CRB rates are a significant concern to broadcasters who stream music over the Internet, as they threaten the vitality of a new medium still in its infancy
and will virtually shut the door to new entrants in the future. NAB has made good faith proposals to the music industry for a more fair royalty structure, which, after
months of no response, were dismissed by SoundExchange without fair consideration. NAB continues to advocate for legislation that would set a new reasonable rate system for all radio stations that stream music. |
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The Retransmission Consent Process
is Working as Congress Intended |
| The American Cable Association (ACA) continues to distort the facts on Capitol Hill with regard to the rights of broadcasters to be fairly compensated for the retransmission
of their valuable programming. For the last 15 years, the evidence demonstrates convincingly that retransmission consent negotiations have succeeded as Congress intended.
Local broadcasters need to ensure that Congress continues to reject the cable monopolies’ attempt to create an unfair advantage for cable in private, market-based negotiations. |
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Oppose Portable Unlicensed
Devices in the Television Band |
Some high tech companies have been petitioning the FCC and Congress for access to portions of the television spectrum — known as “white spaces” or “interference zones”
— to offer new services to consumers. These companies want permission to market unlicensed personal and portable transmitting devices, even though studies conducted by
the FCC have demonstrated that these devices will cause interference with over-the-air broadcasting. It is imperative that we protect the integrity of the television spectrum and
prevent these interference-causing devices from harming the viewing public. Especially during the unprecedented digital television transition, we must ensure consumers continue to have access to interference-free television. |
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Oppose a New "Performance Tax"
on Local Radio Broadcasters |
| The recording industry is lobbying Congress to impose a new performance tax on local radio stations that would require stations to pay a fee for the music they play on the air. This would upend the longstanding symbiotic relationship between recording artists, composers, record labels and local radio broadcasters that has enabled the American music industry to thrive and grow. The performers and recording industry benefit from the immense free promotion they get from radio airplay and on-air interviews, in many cases timed to coincide with concert appearances in the community. In fact, Americans name free, local radio as the number one way they discover new artists and new music. Now with their revenues sliding, the recording industry wants to impose a tax on local radio broadcasters, essentially biting the hand that feeds them. While three of the four major record labels are located outside the U.S., free, local radio stations are the lifeblood of towns and communities right here in our country — delivering vital local news, weather and emergency information to its listeners. Imposing a new performance tax on local radio broadcasters would radically alter the balanced system that has fairly compensated performers and labels for over 80 years. |
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Preparing Consumers for
the Digital (DTV) Transition |
The transition to digital television is a top priority for broadcasters across the nation. Working with industry partners, NAB has unveiled a multifaceted and multiplatform
approach to ensure consumers across the country are prepared for the switch. But policy makers need to hear directly from broadcasters what they are doing in their local
communities to ensure no viewer is left unprepared for the transition due to a lack of information. There are some in Congress that would like to mandate how broadcasters
inform their viewers, but we all know that local stations are best at understanding how to reach those in their communities. We must educate Congress on broadcasters’ many initiatives to ensure consumers are prepared to make the switch to digital by February 17, 2009.
Visit our DTV website |
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