NAB spent $9 million on lobbying in 2007
Monday, April 7, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Tags: Lobbying, NAB
The National Associations of Broadcasters spent nearly $9 million to lobby Capitol Hill in 2007, according to the Senate's public records office. That's more than 3-times what Sirius and XM spent on lobbying last year.
The difference, of course, is that a chunk of that money was to argue that the NAB didn't in fact compete with satellite radio. A rather self-defeating argument in my opinion (and the DOJ apparently agreed).
To be fair though, the NAB also used a portion of that lobbying fund to argue against the use of unused TV channels, known as white spaces, for high-speed internet (because who needs more internet in this day and age, when you could have... nothing, instead). They also lobbied over issues related to radio royalties and media ownership.
The first-half of 2007 saw a lobbying spend of $4.3 million, while the second-half saw an increase to $4.6 million.
[AP]
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What is so strange is that HD has almost destroyed AM RADIO and AM is doing it to itself.
I know many people that were AM listeners that have stopped listening because of how HD has added so much noise they cannot get the stations they want.
Why are stations doing HD when it means less listeners?
Posted by: John | April 8, 2008 2:14 AM
"A rather self-defeating argument in my opinion (and the DOJ apparently agreed)."
Exactly, what a waste. The NAB should have been focusing ALL of that money on the royalty issue instead. Not that I agree with it or anything. but satrad and whitespaces have little impact, while paying royalties has an immediate and FINANCIAL impact.
Rehr will go down as the person who killed the radio industry.
Posted by: banff21 | April 8, 2008 8:12 AM
That 9 million is lobbying only... what about the cost of all that add time on terestrial for HD?
Posted by: jeff | April 8, 2008 9:18 AM
You're dreaming if you think that Xm and Sirius only spent $3 million on the merger. Try $15-20 million, if you add up the lobbying, legal fees, PR firms, ad buys, bribes to women in farm economics and think tanks, plus who knows what else.
Posted by: jose | April 8, 2008 9:58 AM
You're dreaming if you think that Xm and Sirius only spent $3 million on the merger. Try $15-20 million, if you add up the lobbying, legal fees, PR firms, ad buys, economic studies, bribes to women in farm economics and think tanks, plus who knows what else.
Posted by: jose | April 8, 2008 9:58 AM
Off topic: Is it me or does he look like Matt Damon's evil twin brother?
Posted by: SatelliteRadioFan | April 8, 2008 10:14 AM
I went to BestBuy in Tallahassee, FL a couple weeks ago and saw a table top HD radio for $299. I thought that I would turn it on and see how much better HD was than regular FM. I punched in the command to do a search for all HD stations in the area. There was not one! Who in the world is going to spend that kind of money for a radio that doesn't have HD stations transmitting in the area. There might me one or two in a couple years (maybe), but it's a far cry for 130 stations on 'each' Sirius and XM. The NAB is fullay aware that they cannot comprete with satrad in the maaketplace. So, if you can't beat them in the marketplace then try to do it in court.
Posted by: Paul | April 8, 2008 11:01 AM
Considering the size of the NAB compared to XM/Sirius, XM/Sirius spend way more money in their lobbying efforts.
He really does look like a retarded Matt Damon though.
Posted by: pfreak | April 8, 2008 11:04 AM
People seem concerned that NAB is lobbying and spending $9M to do so. My questions is, why are people upset? NAB is an organization advocating on behalf of its constituency. Moreover, the amount of money spent by NAB and its members comes from money making ventures. Remember, neither XM nor Sirius have ever made a penny in their entire existence. Nada. Zilch. Zip.
Let the NAB do its business and let XM/Sir do its.
Posted by: Exercising 1st Amendment Rights | April 8, 2008 11:19 AM
David Rehr's gonna be that lone guy, standing in the pile of rubble that used to be his office, still screaming about terrestrial radio when all's said and done. Like a bad sci-fi movie. It's like newspapers and CD sales - it's going bye bye fellas, wave goodbye, seeya, no one cares about the next 20 minutes commercial free. We have your entire catalogue on our MP3 players and satellite radio for new music, talk, whatever.
The only person I know still listening to radio is that little old lady up there in HR-land, shuffling papers, with her tiny portable radio. You know that lady.
Posted by: BW | April 8, 2008 1:06 PM
They should have spent it on programming...
Posted by: iband | April 8, 2008 1:49 PM
Creepy Guy is BACK. Matt Damon with a chromosome missing.
Posted by: G. W. Bush | April 8, 2008 5:21 PM
The white space you seem so unconcerned about is used by just about every wireless mic on the market. As someone put it, if you auctioned off the white space to internet and phones, the Superbowl would have to cancelled because of the extensive use of white space frequencies by all the ENG crews, half time performers and support staff.
Posted by: Philip Altenburg | April 8, 2008 7:55 PM
Now Ryan lets be upfront here... how much has the "merge" MONOPOLY hopefuls Sirius/xm spent on lobbying in 2007?
The TRUTH would be good.
Posted by: Anonymous Coward | April 8, 2008 8:29 PM
When I was a kid growing up in Ohio, I had a little retarded boy for a neighbor. He use to pull his little pecker out and wave it at all the girls.
I never knew what happened to him till today. He looks different in a suit.
Posted by: Plowboy | April 8, 2008 8:29 PM
In all fairness to NAB's budget, at least 2.1 million of it was spent to paying off Kevin Martin wasn't it? .... He's got his moneys worth too as the merger is five months overdue!
That's only 400K of payola per month!
Posted by: Plowboy | April 8, 2008 8:33 PM