4-7-14
Following up on NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith's scorching speech from the day before, FCC Chairman Thomas Wheeler opened up his keynote Tuesday by saying there would be no pay-per-view fight between the two executives. "Obviously, that?s ridiculous. If Gordon and I were to fight it would be broadcast free, over-the-air. It?s no secret that NAB has been critical of some of my actions as FCC Chairman. The Broadcasting & Cable cover feature on Gordon entitled ?No More Mr. Nice Guy? says it all. Gordon Smith ?has his sleeves rolled up for a brawl.? Because of me? Say it ain?t so. Wheeler said his mantra at the FCC is, ?Competition, Competition, Competition.? The two men also had a discussion of which radio played a tiny part
Not surprisingly, Wheeler's words on Tuesday were mainly focused on TV and the Internet, much like the Las Vegas NAB show in Vegas has become. He said his purpose for coming to the NAB show was optimism, not opposition. "I strongly believe the interests of the American people are served by a vibrant broadcasting industry and include the continuation of broadcasting?s historic role as a principal conveyor of news and entertainment, and especially of its invaluable role as ?first informer.? We believe that competition is better than regulation at stimulating innovation and protecting consumers. I recognize that the broadcasting industry is subject to competition ? more, in fact, today than ever before. And I recognize that more is coming." Wheeler went on to say that, "Broadcasting is positioned to be not only the reluctant object of competition, but the instigator as well. We are at an inflection point where broadcast licensees can move from being the disrupted, to being the disruptor."
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