[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 121 (Thursday, July 18, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S4943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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       70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARKANSAS BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate the 
Arkansas Broadcasters Association, ABA, on its 70th anniversary and 
celebrate the organization's decades of service to radio and television 
broadcasters in my State.
  Established in 1949, the Arkansas Broadcasters formed to help 
broadcast organizations by educating its members about opportunities 
available through free, over-the-air broadcast operations and provide 
technical support, regulatory expertise, and advocacy coordination. The 
trade association's support and the services associated with it have no 
doubt been a tremendous asset to broadcasters across the State. Today, 
the ABA highlights its mission to help members in ``Broadcasting 
Naturally,'' which aptly distills the organization's mantra in simple, 
clever terms.
  Arkansas' radio and television broadcast outlets provide vital 
information and quality programming to communities across our State. 
They educate, inform, entertain, and communicate with Arkansans in a 
variety of ways. When we turn on our televisions or radios and perhaps 
just as much these days by opening our smartphones and tablets or 
powering on our computers, we have come to expect the content we are 
looking for will be readily available and accessible.
  We are able to find what we are looking for on TV or radio or their 
technology-enabled apps and online platforms because of the hard work 
that broadcasters do to ensure their product is meeting the demands and 
desires of consumers. I believe these broadcasters will be the first 
people to tell you that the Arkansas Broadcasters Association has 
played an integral role in their ability to provide that service, adapt 
to changing technology, and better understand the market they operate 
in.
  It has been a pleasure to work alongside the ABA on legislative 
efforts that help the organization and its members continue to do the 
job they want to do as well as they can. I have been a supporter of 
legislation the broadcasters have advocated for, including the Local 
Radio Freedom Act, and I was especially honored when the group named me 
its Arkansan of the Year in 2017 for my work to support the association 
and its members.
  Congratulations to the Arkansas Broadcasters Association and all of 
its members on reaching the tremendous milestone of seven decades 
working on behalf of their industry. I applaud them and am confident 
the ABA will enjoy many more years of success on behalf of the Natural 
State's television and radio broadcasters.

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