NAB Board Presses FCC To Save SSAs

National Association of Broadcasters board members made the lobbying rounds at the Federal Communications Commission to defend shared services (SSAs) and joint sales agreements (JSAs) that broadcasters routinely use to save money by combining key station operations, sources said.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who was among the top agency officials that the broadcasters visited, has signaled his intent to beef up agency scrutiny of the sharing agreements. Industry communications attorneys are concerned that Chairman Wheeler is planning to resurrect an agency proposal that would require broadcasters to unwind joint sales agreements within two years. Chairman Wheeler, according to the plan, also would seek public comment on what to do about shared services agreements that don’t include JSAs.