NAB, Broadcasters Lobbied Pai, Carr and Starks During the Association's Show

The lobbying meetings occurred at the event in Las Vegas, a spokesperson confirmed. Easing radio ownership rules as NAB has proposed were discussed in most conversations. "Radio stations, especially those in small and medium markets and AM stations in markets of all sizes, need relief from the Commission’s outdated ownership rules," NAB General Counsel Rick Kaplan reported telling Pai. "It is imperative that the Commission modernize the radio and television ownership rules." The association sought action "soon to modernize" kidvid rules. Later at the show, Pai said that will happen. The group also lobbied on the C band, just as a satellite executive did while she was on the plane to the event with Commissioner Brendan Carr (see 1904110034). Separately, Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley told Carr of her backing NAB's radio ownership plan: "Radio broadcasters are competing against dozens of digital giants, including YouTube, Spotify and Pandora." Beasley said radio station owners need "greater economies of scale," in the meeting that Kaplan also attended. The association's TV ownership cap proposal and kidvid deregulation were talked up by Tegna in its meetings with Pai and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks that included CEO Dave Lougee and an NAB representative. Lougee sought OK of Tegna's getting divested stations in Nexstar's buy of Tribune Media (see 1903200058), he told Pai, recounted Tegna General Counsel Akin Harrison. Zimmer Radio President John Zimmer wrote that he told Carr "all radio broadcasters, and especially those in smaller markets, must be allowed to achieve greater economies of scale in order to compete against the growing number of digital competitors."