Broadcasters told to stand firm against Internet competition

National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon Smith, in his state of the industry address Monday, attempted to rally his troops against their common enemy -- technology companies that stream broadcast content online.

Without citing specific examples, he told the crowd that television and radio can remain "indispensable media."

Smith referenced the ongoing battle over copyright enforcement on the Internet and the Stop Online Piracy Act legislation pending in Congress, telling the audience of about 300 that Internet companies have successfully shifted the argument from prevention of theft of content to a campaign to prevent Web censorship.

"They changed the game," Smith said, counseling the broadcasting professionals to be "realistically engaged in the issues confronting us.

"The other side says that the market is broken," Smith said. "We say, 'If the market isn't broken, don't fix it.'"

He pledged that the NAB will continue to advocate for the industry against competitors -- Internet companies -- that are "ruthless and very well-financed."

Smith urged the audience to remember , "We have what everyone else wants" in the form of content for broadcast or transmission over the Internet.

Until Wednesday evening, almost 100,000 broadcast industry professionals will fill the Las Vegas Convention Center as they learn about the latest trends and view the newest technology available.

NAB has held its annual convention in Las Vegas since the early 1980s because it's one of the few cities that can accommodate the size of the convention, said spokesman Dennis Wharton. The 2012 show encompasses 755,000 square-feet of exhibit space, 50,000 more square-feet than in 2011. Also, organizers expect attendance to be up from 2011's conference, which attracted 92,000.

" It wouldn't surprise me if we continued to come to Las Vegas for a long time," Wharton said.

As of press time, Wharton didn't have the exact length of time for which NAB is currently contracted to return to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

NAB brought 1,600 exhibitors with it this year to the trade show floor; about 400 of those are international. About a third of all attendees are international, including those from Latvia, Nepal, Pakistan and Chad.

Wharton said the show's numbers are up because "our business tends to be on the front edge of a recovery and at the front edge of a decline."

About $30 billion in sales are generated at the show each year, according to association research.

A "startup loft," where new companies are showcased, and a cloud computing pavilion are new to the convention this year.

Wharton said the current trend in the industry is moving toward delivering content on as many platforms as possible as more people adopt new, portable devices.

" We want to catch people in a mobile world," Wharton said. "This is not your father's TV or radio business. ... We have to evolve and adapt to new competitors and new technology at an ever-expanding pace."

Also at the 2012 NAB show, actress Betty White, Major League Baseball announcer Bob Uecker and writer, producer, director Gary Marshall will be inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The Second City is set to receive the Spirit of Broadcasting Award, and the E.W. Scripps Co. will pick up a Distinguished Service Award.

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at 380-4588 or lcarroll@reviewjournal.com.