Acceptance remarks of Alan Frank, president and CEO, Post-Newsweek Stations, upon accepting B&C’s Broadcaster of the Year Award.

Thanks Chuck and thanks Max for this great honor.

You know, after you called, I told my wife Ann that I was being named Broadcaster of the Year. She said, "That shows what kind of year THIS is going to be!"...

Here today are various folks from Post-Newsweek stations. I'm here only because of how good they are. And one last word: Working for Don Graham is the greatest. His values never vary; he's consistent as a rock and just as solid. I feel very, very lucky to be part of the Washington Post Company.

One of my favorite notes I got for this award came from my nephew, a bright young lawyer. He wrote, "Congratulations, Uncle Alan. But this is bittersweet for me I had $ 10,000 on Rather."

So it runs in the family. Among the other notes I appreciated was this: "Are you sure this award isn't for Troublemaker of the Year?" I have no idea why that would even be suggested... So let's talk about local TV for a few minutes...

Free, universal, LOCAL Over The Air TV stations are "cutting edge".

No, Wall Street, I haven't lost my mind. Stay with me here, and I'll prove my point.

First, most local TV stations have an INTERNET COMPONENT. I'd say that every big and mid-market, and most smaller-market stations, have a Web site. And those Web sites are often the most popular in their markets.

Second, almost all Local TV stations now broadcast in DIGITAL. We've spent BILLIONS, literally 5 BILLION dollars, investing in and converting to digital technology. Nearly 1,500 stations are now broadcasting digitally. And the programming is there more than 2,500 hours per year already are being fed in high-definition.

Third, stations are MULTICASTING. The most prominent example is Weather Plus, the unique service that NBC affiliates are beginning to provide with the NBC network. This 24-hour weather channel follows our broadcast model, but focuses on local to provide a true alternative for weather. In total, more than 300 stations are multicasting now, offering more choice, free, to their viewers.

Fourth, LOCAL OTA broadcasting is WIRELESS. This basic fact is somehow overlooked by some. It is PERVERSE to be defending FREE UNIVERSAL LOCAL OTA broadcasting at the same time our country is struggling to create wireless services for homeland security. We provide crucial emergency information 24 hours/day, 7 days/wk, Christmas, New Year's, holidays, every day! We accept that responsibility as broadcasters and are pledged to continue to do so.

You know, it seemed there was a movement under the previous FCC chairman to shift everyone from a wireless world to a wired one to a PAID world. Hopefully that idea has gone the way of the past chairman.

Now we have a new FCC chairman, Kevin Martin, and I know that all broadcasters are looking forward to working with his office, the Commission and our Congressmen to establish an orderly, intelligent transition to digital.

But we also know that 73 million sets are now analog only, in HH's across the country, with 20 million homes non-wired, analog only. And we know that 30 million analog sets are STILL being sold each year!

There needs to be a holistic approach to the digital transition, which includes getting cable to participate, instead of fighting both its benefits and the consumer.

We OTA local broadcasters are pledged to working through this transition. We just want to be sure the end result is positive for the American consumer.

And finally on my "cutting edge list," we are LOCAL. Free, Universal, LOCAL OTA TV is still the only effective local video medium. And this fits with the history of our country. America started as a concept. A few took the idea and made it real. Television started locally as well, born at one station and then, through grass-roots efforts, became the national/local mix it is now.

And the POWER of TV COMES from LOCALISM.

LOCAL TV NEWS is the DIRECT CONNECTION to our COMMUNITY. We provide those LOCAL CONNECTIONS for stories from around the world, reminding us that ALL NEWS IS LOCAL BY NATURE.

LOCAL TV is the CONNECTION to the political arena. We're the DIRECT interactive link between our markets and our politicians. This dialogue is fundamental to the democratic process.

ADVERTISING is moving LOCALLY. The only system that can stand up to real measurement locally is free, universal, LOCAL OTA TV stations. You can buy local cable. But you will not be able to POST local cable because the ratings are too low. That's a fact. But we broadcasters are committed to being there for the retailers and employers in our communities, and across the country, to help them grow and prosper. We get RESULTS!

The CORNERSTONE of local TV is COMMUNITY SERVICE. We're part of the fabric of our communities. After the tsunami, the Post-Newsweek station in Houston, KPRC, had a telethon that raised more than one million dollars in one day. And WDIV in Detroit, working with local retailers and the Salvation Army, raised 2-« million dollars for a town in Sri Lanka. Those stories are not unusual for stations all across the country.

What's clear is that the POWER of LOCAL television is everywhere. Universal, free, LOCAL OTA TV is the DIRECT CONNECTION within each community. That power is EXCLUSIVE. It's the reason why our system of LOCAL television is at the heart of what we have the most envied and effective communications system in the world.

Like many of you in this room, we at Post-Newsweek are proud to be local broadcasters. There's nothing better.

So thanks, Chuck and Max.

Thanks, Broadcast and Cable Magazine.

And thanks to everyone at Post-Newsweek for making my days interesting...

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