Boswell Media’s Johnny Boswell and Melissa Boswell-Townsend recently visited Washington DC, along with other Mississippi broadcasters, to speak with the state’s senators and representatives.
The purpose of the trip was for members of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors to speak with politicians on issues pertaining to the broadcast industry. The group also attended the NAB State Leadership Conference at Nationals Park while they were there.
While in Washington, the group met with Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde Smith and with Representatives Trent Kelly, Bennie Thompson, Michael Guest, and Mike Ezell.
The two main topics of conversation were the push to keep AM radio in vehicles for public safety reasons and to preserve local journalism in the age of big tech company gatekeepers.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act would require the Department of Transportation to issue a rule that requires all new motor vehicles to have devices that can access AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment.
The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act would set out a process through which certain broadcast or digital news providers may collectively negotiate with covered online platforms (e.g., social media companies) regarding use of the news providers’ content by the platforms.
Mississippi Broadcasters attending the event included:
Amanda Fontaine, Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters
Rick Williams, General Manager WLOX-TV
Ted Fortenberry, General Manager WLBT-TV
Peter Keith, General Manager WAPT-TV
Tim Walker, General Manager WDAM-TV
Larry Fuss, Owner Delta Radio Group
Dr. Elayne Anthony, President of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors
Derek Rogers, General Manager WCBI -TV
Melissa Boswell Townsend, Secretary Treasurer-Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors
Johnny Boswell, CEO Boswell Media
