People who love satellite radio love to hate the National Association of Broadcasters. Most of the harsh feelings came to fruition during the merger process, and I was among those that was highly critical of the NAB during that period. That being said, the NAB does lobby for some interesting and perhaps noble things, but in the end, they are simply another lobbying group that has an agenda. Right or wrong, the NAB acts to serve the best interests of its membership.

One weak point in the NAB over the past several years was the absence of CBS and Fox. People tend to think of these media power houses by their television brand, but in the case of CBS, there is a substantial radio brand as well. Along with 29 CBS television stations come CBS 130 radio stations that cover all of the major U.S. markets and then some.

This move is perhaps more important to the NAB than many realize. By bringing on CBS and Fox, the traditional media companies now have a unified front to deal with the issues that are important to all over the air broadcasters. Something tells me that the spats between satellite radio and the NAB are far from over, and paths will cross again.

Martin D. Franks, Executive Vice President for Planning, Policy and Government Affairs, CBS Corporation stated, “As the media landscape evolves ever more rapidly, over-the-air broadcasting faces a number of clear opportunities and some significant challenges. One of the very best ways to address these issues is through a resurgent NAB under Gordon Smith’s leadership. We look forward to adding CBS’s voice to NAB’s efforts to preserve and enhance broadcasting on behalf of the public we serve.”

One thing is certain. Media companies are evolving at a record pace, and will continue to do so.

Position – Long Sirius XM Radio