NAB filed reply comments in the four-year-old localism proceeding before the FCC last week, asking the FCC not to impose what NAB asserted would be unnecessary and costly regulation. In its reply, NAB stressed that broadcasters, faced with the increasing competition from a number of sources, must provide quality locally targeted programming to remain relevant with their viewers and listeners. Therefore, NAB claimed, new regulations ostensibly designed to increase local programming are unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest. Citing extensive broadcaster and third party comments in the record, NAB indicated that a majority of local broadcasters already strive to serve their local communities - listing extensive local programming and community service examples from around the country - and stated that the proposed rules would in fact harm these efforts.

This latest round of localism debate comes in response to the FCC's January 24 release of a new Report on Broadcast Localism and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in which the FCC claimed that most broadcasters are out of touch with their local communities. As a remedy, the FCC proposed a series of rule changes that could, if imposed, mark the return of a number of old regulations previously dismissed by the Commission as burdensome and ineffective. Broadcasters responded to the charge by flooding the docket with thousands of examples of local public service and programming.

NAB suggested that these proposed regulations would be contrary to the FCC's stated public interest goals, and claimed that such regulations would require stations to devote less time and resources to producing quality, diverse, local programming and, in some cases, even force stations off the air entirely. For example, NAB expressed concern that a new rule requiring stations to form and meet with mandatory community advisory boards may stifle diversity in local markets. Citing numerous broadcasters' replies to the Report, NAB also said that narrowing the requirements of main studio location and around-the-clock staffing rules would create financially impossible conditions for many stations. The reply also expressed concern that the Commission's proposed new license renewal process would establish artificial guidelines for determining "locally-oriented" programming.

Read NAB's extensive localism comments here.