National Association of Broadcasters

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is a United States trade association and advocacy organization for the terrestrial radio and television broadcasting industry. It represents commercial and non-commercial over-the-air broadcasters, including thousands of local radio and television stations and broadcast networks. Its work combines government relations, regulatory advocacy, industry standards, professional events, awards, research, and educational resources. The organization was established in April 1923 at Chicago's Drake Hotel as the National Association of Radio Broadcasters (NARB). Eugene F. McDonald Jr., who was also associated with the founding of Zenith, served as its founder and first president. The association initially developed during the formative period of American commercial radio, when policymakers were deciding how scarce broadcast frequencies should be allocated and how broadcasting should be financed. In 1951, as television became an increasingly important medium, the organization changed its name to the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (NARTB). It adopted the name National Association of Broadcasters in 1958. A central part of NAB's historical role has been the defense of a commercially funded, advertiser-supported broadcasting system. The association supported the regulatory structure that followed the Federal Radio Commission's General Order 40 in 1928, which reorganized radio frequencies and favored the development of a national commercial broadcasting sector. Educators, nonprofit broadcasters, labor organizations, and religious groups opposed this direction and advocated a more publicly oriented, noncommercial model. The debate continued into the 1930s, but the commercial model was reinforced by the Communications Act of 1934. NAB also supported the interests of independent broadcasters through the National Independent Broadcasters, a group created within the association in 1939 that became separate in 1941. NAB has repeatedly intervened in major technology and regulatory disputes. It opposed the authorization and later consolidation of the XM and Sirius satellite radio services, arguing that their 2008 merger could create excessive market power. It also resisted proposals to make unused television-channel spectrum, commonly called white spaces, available for unlicensed wireless broadband and other digital applications. The association argued that such uses could cause interference to existing broadcasters, while the Federal Communications Commission ultimately supported broader use of the spectrum. During the United States transition from analog to digital television, NAB and the Association for Maximum Service Television helped develop a low-cost digital-to-analog converter-box specification that was later used by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's coupon program. The association is also known for its industry conventions. The NAB Show in Las Vegas is a major global gathering for broadcast, media, entertainment, production, post-production, and technology professionals. NAB additionally operates the NAB Radio Show, focused on radio broadcasters and related business issues. Its awards programs include the Marconi Radio Awards, Crystal Radio Awards, National Radio Award, Engineering Achievement Awards, and Distinguished Service Award. NAB has historically promoted forms of broadcast self-regulation. In 1952 it introduced a Code of Practices for Television Broadcasters covering subjects such as profanity, sex, violence, crime, substance abuse, religion, and depictions of family life. Courts ultimately invalidated the code in 1983 on constitutional grounds. The NAB board then issued a less prescriptive statement of principles urging broadcasters to exercise responsible judgment in programming decisions. The organization continues to represent broadcasters before Congress, the FCC, and other policymakers. In 2022 it urged broadcasters to stop carrying state-sponsored programming connected with the Russian government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As of 2022, its president and chief executive officer was Curtis LeGeyt.

The National Association of Broadcasters began in April 1923 as the National Association of Radio Broadcasters, or NARB. It was founded at Chicago's Drake Hotel by Eugene F. McDonald Jr., an entrepreneur associated with Zenith, who became its first president. The new organization emerged while the United States was building a national radio system and broadcasters were seeking a collective voice in discussions over licensing, frequency allocation, commercial programming, and industry standards. The association became an important advocate for advertiser-supported broadcasting. In August 1928, the Federal Radio Commission issued General Order 40, a broad reallocation of radio frequencies that gave preferred frequencies and valuable broadcast hours to the developing commercial sector. NAB supported the resulting system. A coalition of educators, nonprofit broadcasters, religious organizations, and labor groups challenged the commercial model during the 1920s and 1930s. They argued that broadcasting should place greater emphasis on public, nonprofit, license-funded programming rather than profitability. The commercial model nevertheless prevailed, and the Communications Act of 1934 provided a broader statutory framework for United States communications regulation. NAB also attempted to represent stations that operated outside the major radio networks. The National Independent Broadcasters was formed as an NAB division in 1939, but it separated from the association in 1941. The organization later broadened its formal identity as television became central to American media. In 1951 it became the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters, or NARTB, and in 1958 it adopted the current name, National Association of Broadcasters. Self-regulation was a major part of NAB's mid-century activity. In 1952 the association established the Code of Practices for Television Broadcasters. The code addressed profanity, sexual material, violence, crime, alcohol and drug use, religion, family life, depictions of law enforcement, and other subjects considered sensitive at the time. It was enforced through a committee appointed by the association's president. Courts struck down the code in 1983 as unconstitutional. NAB's board responded with a shorter statement of principles that encouraged broadcasters to exercise care and responsibility when selecting material involving violence, drug abuse, and sex, rather than imposing the earlier detailed restrictions. The association continued to act as a powerful representative of broadcasters during successive technological changes. It opposed the regulatory approval of XM and Sirius satellite radio and later criticized the 2008 merger of those services, warning that the combined company could become a monopoly. NAB also lobbied against the opening of television white spaces, the unused portions of spectrum between broadcast channels, for unlicensed broadband and other digital services. It maintained that such uses could interfere with broadcast signals, while the FCC supported wider deployment of white-space technology. During the transition from analog to digital terrestrial television, NAB and the Association for Maximum Service Television developed a prototype low-cost converter box. The resulting specification was adopted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as a technical requirement for devices eligible for its digital-to-analog converter-box coupon program. This work illustrated NAB's broader role in combining policy advocacy with technical and consumer-transition initiatives. NAB has also used public advertising to influence spectrum and media policy. Its 2011 campaign, The Future of TV, presented private control of broadcast spectrum as a threat to free television and opposed proposals to repurpose white spaces. A further campaign in 2014 urged viewers to resist what NAB described as a congressional threat associated with the cable television lobby. The organization's principal industry gatherings are the NAB Show, held in Las Vegas and covering broadcast, production, post-production, media technology, and related businesses, and the NAB Radio Show, which focuses on radio. NAB also administers professional awards including the Marconi Radio Awards, Crystal Radio Awards, National Radio Award, Engineering Achievement Awards, and Distinguished Service Award. Its publishing activity has included works on broadcast self-regulation, the television code, and broadcast law. In international and geopolitical matters, NAB called in March 2022 for broadcasters to stop carrying state-sponsored programming tied to the Russian government after Russia invaded Ukraine. In 2024, it withdrew a planned leadership award for Robert De Niro after he publicly criticized Donald Trump outside Trump's criminal trial in New York. As of 2022, Curtis LeGeyt served as NAB president and chief executive officer. The association remains an active advocate for United States commercial and non-commercial over-the-air radio and television broadcasters.

• 2022

  NAB Show returns after pandemic interruption

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  The Las Vegas NAB Show resumed after a two-year absence, with preliminary attendance exceeding 50,000 visitors.

• 2011

  The Future of TV campaign

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  NAB funded a campaign opposing proposals to make unused television spectrum available for private or unlicensed digital uses.

• 2005

  Digital converter-box project begins

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  NAB and MSTV began developing a low-cost digital-to-analog television converter specification.

• 1983

  Television Code invalidated

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  Courts struck down NAB's detailed Television Code as unconstitutional, after which the board issued a less prescriptive statement of principles.

• 1958

  Current name adopted

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  The organization became the National Association of Broadcasters.

• 1951

  Name changes to NARTB

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  The association adopted the name National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters to reflect television's inclusion.

• 1934

  Commercial broadcasting model reinforced

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  The Communications Act established a major statutory framework for United States communications regulation after the commercial-versus-noncommercial radio debate.

• 1928

  General Order 40 reshapes radio allocation

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  The Federal Radio Commission's frequency reallocation strengthened the commercial radio structure advocated by NAB.

• 1923

  Association founded as NARB

  [1]National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org

  The National Association of Radio Broadcasters was established in April at Chicago's Drake Hotel, with Eugene F. McDonald Jr. as founder and first president.

The principal national trade association and policy advocate for United States radio and television broadcasters, combining lobbying, regulatory representation, industry convening, professional recognition, and technical initiatives.

• Industry convention

  NAB Show

  NAB's principal annual convention in Las Vegas brings together broadcasters, media companies, production specialists, technology suppliers, and post-production professionals. The event showcases cameras, editing systems, audio, transmission, streaming, studio equipment, and other media technologies. It functions both as a trade exhibition and as a forum for policy, business, and technical discussion.

• Industry convention

  NAB Radio Show

  The NAB Radio Show is an annual gathering focused on radio broadcasting. It provides programming, business, technology, and management sessions for radio professionals and offers a venue for discussion of changes affecting terrestrial and digital audio.

• Industry awards

  NAB Marconi Radio Awards

  These awards recognize leading radio stations and radio personalities in the United States. They are among NAB's principal programs for public recognition of achievement in radio broadcasting.

• Industry awards

  NAB Crystal Radio Awards

  The Crystal Radio Awards honor radio stations for excellence in community service, emphasizing broadcasters' local civic and public-interest contributions.

• Industry awards

  NAB Engineering Achievement Awards

  These awards recognize individuals whose technical accomplishments have made an outstanding contribution to broadcasting engineering and technology.

• Industry awards

  NAB Distinguished Service Award

  The Distinguished Service Award recognizes broadcasters whose work has made a significant and lasting contribution to American broadcasting.

• Technical initiative · 2005

  Digital-to-analog converter-box specification

  NAB and the Association for Maximum Service Television developed a prototype specification for an affordable converter box to help terrestrial television viewers receive digital broadcasts during the analog-to-digital transition. The specification was adopted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for devices eligible under its coupon program.

• 2014Free TV campaign

  United States

  NAB ran advertising urging viewers to oppose what it presented as a congressional threat connected to the cable television lobby.

  Source
• 2011The Future of TV

  United States

  NAB funded an advertising campaign opposing proposals to use television white spaces for wireless broadband and other digital services. The campaign framed changes in spectrum ownership and allocation as a threat to free over-the-air television.

  Outcome. The campaign became part of NAB's broader lobbying effort against white-space deployment, although federal regulators ultimately supported use of the spectrum for additional digital services.

  Source

• 2024

  Rescind planned leadership award for Robert De NiroOther

  Background

  Robert De Niro was scheduled to receive a leadership award, but he made public comments about Donald Trump outside Trump's New York criminal trial.

  Action taken

  NAB withdrew the planned award.

  Source

• 2022

  Call for removal of Russian state-linked programmingStrategy

  Background

  The call followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and concerns about the distribution of state-sponsored Russian programming.

  Action taken

  NAB urged broadcasters to stop carrying programming with ties to the Russian government.

  Source

• 2011

  Oppose expanded use of television white spacesStrategy

  Background

  Policymakers considered opening unused spectrum between television channels to wireless broadband and other unlicensed digital applications.

  Action taken

  NAB lobbied against the proposals and argued that additional users could interfere with existing broadcast operations.

  Aftermath

  The FCC supported white-space use despite NAB's objections, making the issue a notable conflict between incumbent broadcasters and wireless technology advocates.

  • Federal Communications Commission — The FCC recommended use of television white spaces for broadband and other digital services.

  Source

• 2008

  Oppose the XM-Sirius mergerM&A

  Background

  Satellite radio services XM and Sirius sought to combine in a market that NAB viewed as a competitive challenge to terrestrial radio.

  Action taken

  NAB criticized approval of the merger and warned that the combined company could become a potential monopoly.

  Aftermath

  The merger proceeded, while NAB's opposition formed part of the regulatory debate over concentration in satellite radio.

  Source

• 2005

  Develop a low-cost digital television converter specificationProduct launch

  Background

  The United States was transitioning terrestrial television from analog transmission to digital broadcasting, creating a need for affordable consumer conversion equipment.

  Action taken

  NAB and MSTV developed a prototype converter-box specification that could be used for eligible devices in the federal coupon program.

  Aftermath

  The specification was adopted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as a technical requirement for qualifying converter boxes.

  Source

• 1952

  Adopt the Code of Practices for Television BroadcastersStrategy

  Background

  Television broadcasters faced growing public and political concern about programming content and industry responsibility.

  Action taken

  NAB introduced a detailed code addressing profanity, sex, violence, crime, substance use, religion, family life, and other programming subjects.

  Aftermath

  The code remained an important self-regulatory instrument until courts struck it down as unconstitutional in 1983. NAB then replaced it with broader principles encouraging editorial responsibility.

  Source

• 1928

  Support the commercial radio allocation frameworkStrategy

  Background

  The United States was deciding how to allocate scarce radio frequencies and whether broadcasting should be primarily commercial or nonprofit.

  Action taken

  NAB supported the system associated with General Order 40, which assigned preferred frequencies and broadcast times to the emerging commercial radio sector.

  Aftermath

  The commercial, advertiser-supported model became dominant, while nonprofit and public-interest groups lost their broader challenge to that direction.

  Source

• 2020-08-22

  New Jersey 101.5 receives NAB Service to Community Award[3]New Jersey 101.5获NAB社区服务奖nj1015.com

  Reported: 2020-08-23

  New Jersey 101.5 received the National Association of Broadcasters' 2020 Service to Community Award for reporting on New Jersey Family Court cases and judges' handling of sexual assault cases.

1. 1National Association of Broadcastersen.wikipedia.org
2. 2National Association of Broadcasters official websitenab.org
3. 3New Jersey 101.5获NAB社区服务奖nj1015.com