Election Day 2024 is finally here. And National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt has written an op-ed praising local broadcasters for the coverage of this pivotal day.
Published on The Hill, LeGeyt shared that American citizens place a high value on local information from broadcast radio and television outlets, and are often the most trusted sources for verifiable information.
“As voters head to the polls today, local broadcasters will again be on the front lines as our democracy faces one of its most pivotal tests,” wrote LeGeyt. “Amid an unprecedented wave of misinformation and digital manipulation, local broadcast journalists will be equipped to deliver truth and transparency to the electorate — whatever the result — on and in the days following the election.
“Across the nation, local television and radio station newsrooms have been working day and night to inform, engage, and empower voters, building trust in the election process and ensuring communities have the facts they need as they cast their ballots.”
The NAB President and CEO continued by sharing that the goal and mission of local broadcasters remains the same that it always has, and won’t be deterred by whoever wins at the ballot box on Tuesday.
“As the last ballot is cast and the results come in over the coming days and weeks, local stations will be there, working alongside their communities to uphold trust in our democracy and reinforce confidence in the election process and its outcomes,” said LeGeyt. “In a world overflowing with competing narratives, broadcasters remain committed to delivering what voters need most today: truth and trust, free from interference.
“Yet, even as we serve our communities, broadcasters increasingly face threats to their ability to do their jobs — either physically through verbal intimidation and violence directed towards our journalists, or politically through threats of broadcast license or spectrum revocations and harassing lawsuits. … Be mindful that these pressures to limit or even revoke the rights of newsrooms to operate without interference pose a serious threat to our ability to fulfill this civic responsibility.”
