NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith testified last week before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship regarding government efforts to expand broadband access in America. Smith's remarks highlighted the role of local broadcasters and reiterated NAB's support for spectrum inventory legislation.

Smith emphasized NAB's desire to see both broadband and broadcast flourish, and he stressed the important role broadcasters can play in furthering the rollout of nationwide broadband.

"Simply put, any notion that we're looking at a world of broadband verses broadcast is false. It's a false choice," he told the committee.

Calling proposed spectrum fees "punitive," Smith expressed concern that such regulatory action could be viewed as a mechanism to force broadcasters off the airwaves.

"Make no mistake: such a punitive measure, such a fee, would be a devastating blow to the small businesses that I represent in the broadcast industry," Smith said.

Smith also outlined broadcast television's efficient use of spectrum, noting that broadcasters provide entertainment programming as well as critical information during times of crisis. Because broadcast TV is a one-to-everyone delivery system, he said, viewers are never subjected to the network congestion routinely experienced by mobile phone users.

"Broadcasting is a highly efficient use of spectrum. It's one-to-everyone. Broadband is one-to-one, and it's spectrum hogging," Smith explained.

A copy of Smith's written testimony is available here.