NAB: FCC Commissioners Pai, Clyburn Meet With Fox Affiliates Board

Federal Communications Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Ajit Pai dropped in on the Fox affiliates board meeting April 7, educating the broadcast group leaders on how to better communicate their vitality to Washington.

Each had the floor for at least half an hour, said Jeff Rosser, board chairman. “We asked both, what is it broadcasters need to do to demonstrate the great value that free, over-the-air broadcasting brings to communities they serve,” said Rosser. “They said we need to come in -- that their doors are open and they’d like to spend more time with us.”

Rosser, group VP at Raycom, called Commissioner Pai “a friend to broadcast,” while the relationship with Commissioner Clyburn is more a work in progress. The pair had been invited to the Vegas meeting by the Fox affiliates board, which felt that all of those with joint sales arrangements were being penalized for those which skirted closer to running afoul of the rules.