The broadcast industry is looking to help protect small businesses.
Seehafer Broadcasting Vice-President Terry Stevenson was among a contingency with the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association who joined the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington D.C. last week.
There, they spoke with legislators regarding the taxation of advertising.
“There are some conversations being had that we should be taxing small businesses essentially when they purchase advertising,” he revealed. “That would be a terrible thing.”
Stevenson explained that local radio stations’ income is directly linked to the sale of advertising to local businesses.
“If you now have to tax them on top of their advertising purchases, it would be absolutely devastating to their business, their bottom dollar, and also to the local economy,” Stevenson explained.
Small businesses already have a major challenge in how they let the public know about their product or service, and adding an additional tax on their marketing could cause the staples of local communities to shutter their doors.
The NAB also spoke with legislators on keeping AM radio in vehicles, and a proposed performance fee to music played on the radio among other topics.
