NAB Radio Board of Directors Meet for Winter Meeting

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, January 31, 2012 | 2:10pm CT

The NAB's radio board of directors met this week for its regularly scheduled winter board meeting. NAB Radio Board Chair Caroline Beasley, Executive VP/CFO of Beasley Broadcast Group, called the meeting to order.

Kelly Cole provided an update regarding efforts to educate lawmakers on the benefits of radio chips in cell phones. Cole also briefed the radio board on NAB's concerns related to felony streaming language in copyright legislation SOPA and "PROTECT IP" Act, now stalled indefinitely.

Cole also provided updates on the status of issues related to performance tax and spectrum fees. Jane Mago led a discussion and gathered input from the radio board on the issue of an upcoming review of media ownership rules. Mago also provided a status update on activities related to Low Power FM and FM translators.

Bart Stringham, Senior VP/Corporate Counsel of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, briefed the radio board the status of the Mission Abstract Data patent infringement lawsuit/case and urged the board to feel free to contact him if they receive a letter seeking licensing fees.

Kevin Gage briefed the radio board on FASTROAD initiatives related to the development of HD Radio technology. Gage also presented a summary of the AM Engineering Study, conducted in collaboration by NAB and consulting firm Hammett & Edison, to cover the full gamut of future technical options for AM broadcasters.

NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David provided an update to the radio board on membership initiatives and upcoming events. David updated the board on the 2012 Radio Show, sponsored by NAB and the Radio Advertising Bureau. The event will take place September 19-21 in Dallas.

Prior to the meeting NAB Joint Board Chairman Paul Karpowicz announced that Radio Board members Joel Oxley, Rick Cummings, Ronald Davis and Eric Brown are rotating off the NAB Board.