NBA Defends Broadcasters’ First Amendment Rights

National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt is warning that recent controversies involving Jimmy Kimmel Live! highlight an urgent moment for the media industry and the First Amendment.

In a blog post, LeGeyt emphasized that broadcasters must be able to make programming decisions free from government interference. “The First Amendment affords our stations — and all Americans — this fundamental right, and the mere perception that broadcasters acted because of undue pressure is a problem for our credibility and the trust we have built with our audiences,” he wrote.

LeGeyt noted that efforts to pressure or penalize media outlets have come from both political parties in recent years. He cited Obama-era investigations of reporters, Biden-era access restrictions, and current threats suggesting stations should face consequences for airing controversial content. “These attempts were wrong then, and they are wrong now,” he said.

He warned that political interference in the licensing process could further weaken investment in local broadcasting at a time when stations are already under pressure from Big Tech. “If the very act of owning or transferring a broadcast license carries the risk of political interference, it will drive investment further away from local stations at the very moment we need more resources to sustain local journalism,” LeGeyt said.

LeGeyt stressed that NAB is fighting in Washington to give broadcasters the resources to compete, but that such efforts are meaningless without the ability to report news without fear of retaliation. He tied his remarks to this week’s celebration of First Amendment Day, calling it a reminder of what is at stake. “NAB will continue to defend that freedom — publicly when necessary, and privately when most effective,” he concluded. Read the full blog post here.