NAB’s First Amendment Defense a Farce
By Pete Schartel
KCXL-AM
Owner
LIBERTY, Kan. — It is my patriotic duty alert fellow broadcasters that last week the new driver of the National Association of Broadcasters threw both our cherished First Amendment right of free speech and the preservation of independent broadcast voices under the bus by calling for the silencing of broadcasters that carry Russian-sponsored programming.
New NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt states that “the NAB is a fierce defender of the First Amendment.” Perhaps he should have used the word “farce” instead. Advocating to shut down independent radio stations, such as my own which has zealously practiced the American ideal of creating a fully informed electorate, doesn’t strike me as being a “fierce defender.” Since his statement came out during meetings with 300 lawmakers it seems more plausible that this was a knee-jerk attempt to make them like him by playing on public sympathy and emotion.