Mr. Smith Goes To Philadelphia

Gordon Smith, the incoming president of the NAB, introduced himself to a few hundred radio broadcasters at the opening session of the NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia Wednesday, promising to be a strong advocate for the industry and praising broadcasters as the original public service and social networking medium.

"I plan on hitting the ground running ... to insure your voices continue to be heard back in Washington," he said during a 10-minute speech. "Too often in Washington, we're defined by labels. The label I want to be defined by now is chief advocate for America's broadcasters."

NAB announced last Friday morning that the board had selected Smith to lead the trade group after a four-month search that began last April with the ouster of David Rehr. A two-term Republican senator from Oregon, Smith was looking for job after he lost his bid for re-election last fall.

Smith doesn't officially take charge until Nov. 1.

Smith called the NAB staff, with whom he met yesterday in Washington, "a dedicated team of professionals" and said he looked forward to working with them. "They are remarkable."

Smith also said that much of NAB's muscle in Washington comes from the grassroots efforts of broadcasters. "That makes an incredible difference," he said. "You must come together to fight for the future of broadcasting."

As a senator, Smith said he was aware of and "amazed" by the public service broadcasters provide and by the way their efforts can bring communities together. "In towns big and small, broadcasters provide ... national and local news, deliver informational programming, report vital emergency information and offer unparalleled entertainment choices.

"You are the glue that connects friends, family and neighbor to each other."

Despite the radio forum, Smith talked briefly about the opportunities that TV broadcasters have now that they have made the switch to digital. "There are many doors opening ... with the acceleration and development of mobile digital television products and services," he said. "It's amazing to think we will be able to watch live TV anywhere we are. Mobile television will transform the way we watch television."

Meeting later with reporters, Smith acknowledged that he voted for the 10-fold increase in broadcast indecency fines. He made no apology for it, but provided an explanation. "I was joined by 99 other senators. When you wear the hat of an elected representative, you have a responsibility to reflect those local community standards."

"My job now is to help broadcasters who do not favor indecency, who do not promote indecency, to deal with the legal ramification of local community standards," he added.

Making a fleeting reference to the fleeting expletive issue, Smith said that in the course of broadcasting "crazy things will happen out there."

"I will help [broadcasters] with that issue because they don't want to be tagged with promoting indecency. That's not want they are in business for. I will help them to get a message out that they respect those standards too."

Smith -- or Gordie, as he asked to be called -- also fleshed out his bio a bit. He said he grew up in Washington. The eighth of 10 children, he first went to Washington at the age of 2 when his father, Milan, joined the Eisenhower administration, first at the agriculture department and later in the White House.

After Eisenhower left office, his father ran the National Canners Association, a trade group that has since splintered into four others. "I grew up in a trade association family."

Smith said that he was recruited for the job by the headhunter hired by the NAB search committee. He said that he had always regarded the NAB as one of the top 10 trade association in Washington. "I know [former NAB President] Eddie Fritts well and thought highly of him," he said. "I always respected the organization he represented."

But Smith also acknowledged that while contemplating taking the job he heard that the NAB was "in retreat and down on their heels." He didn't mention David Rehr, who succeeded Fritts in 2005.

Although he practiced law, Smith also made the point that he was a businessman who knows how to read a balance sheet. He is part owner and one-time manager of Smith Frozen Foods, a private-label firm that accounts for 10-15 percent of the frozen peas and corn sold in the nation.

He downplayed concerns about the ban against ex-members of Congress lobbying their former colleagues for two years. He said that he would "follow the letter of the law," but the law allows former members some latitude. They may testify before Congress and they may even meet privately with members if they are invited by the members to do so. "I cannot initiate [a meeting] and I won't," he said.

He also pointed out that the lobbying ban does not apply to the FCC. He will be free to meet with the commissioners on any terms. Of the commissioners, he said he knows only Democrat Michael Copps. He said he has been "playing phone tag" in hopes of getting a meeting with the newly installed FCC chairman, Julius Genachowski.