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David Rehr Warns Radio’s Competitors: ‘We Will Beat You’
Taking the stage at the first NAB Convention with him at the group’s helm, NAB president and CEO David Rehr had stern words for newer services – satellite radio in particular – that are angling to wear away at radio’s audience.
“To our competitors I say, ‘We will beat you,” he said during the Monday morning address delivered from the Las Vegas Hilton. “Radio’s history is one of meeting new competition head on and coming out on top. That hasn’t changed. All we seek is a level playing field.”
On that last point, Rehr called on the FCC to take a harder look at imposing content restrictions on satellite radio, saying that the agency, “needs to pay more attention to the indecency and obscenity that has found a home on satellite radio.”
Rehr added that the FCC must do a better job of making clear what kind of content might run afoul of its indecency regulations. “We have no objection to playing by the decency rules, but we have to know what they are. We need clearer guidance from the FCC and Congress on where the lines are drawn.”
While Rehr took a hard line stance against satellite radio, he believes an important part of radio’s future lies in forging partnerships with the makers of other emerging media devices. “Content is still king, but distribution is key,” he said. “Broadcasters must move quickly to increase the number of distribution channels and platforms for our content. Our signals must go everywhere, to everyone, through every device.” In particular, Rehr noted that Motorola and Apple are offering products that integrate FM radio, including FM adapters for iPods. “Companies that have new media devices on the drawing board are taking a much closer look at the value of local content,” he said.
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