The National Association of Broadcasters is calling on the Federal Communications Commission to address long-standing issues with its outdated and unreliable digital infrastructure, which broadcasters say undermines transparency and functionality for the industry and the public alike.
In comments filed in response to the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to modernize pre-digital era broadcast rules, the NAB expressed support for much of the initiative but emphasized that rule changes alone are insufficient without a corresponding overhaul of the Commission’s online systems. The association described the FCC’s website as “replete with obsolete material, broken links, and … difficult to navigate or search,” highlighting the persistent confusion and inefficiencies created by outdated web content.
One major issue cited is the continued reference to the Consolidated Database System (CDBS), which has long since been replaced by the Licensing Management System (LMS). NAB pointed out that many pages provide conflicting information about which platform to use, while others return error messages or link to defunct resources. This inconsistency, they argued, actively hampers the day-to-day work of broadcasters trying to comply with FCC requirements.
Beyond outdated links, NAB criticized the performance and reliability of the Commission’s computer systems. The LMS platform is often slow, intermittently unavailable, or subject to unannounced changes that disrupt user activity. NAB attributed part of the problem to a lack of staff accountability, noting that many database-related tasks are outsourced to contractors who are not sufficiently familiar with broadcaster needs and are more focused on securing paid modifications.
To improve responsiveness, NAB urged the FCC to assign a specific bureau- or office-level staff contact for each database and web page, ensuring that users have a direct line of communication to report and resolve issues. The association noted that in the absence of reliable support, the broadcast community has had to create its own email networks to track outages, workarounds, and unresolved problems.
While the NAB expressed appreciation for the FCC’s effort to modernize broadcast rules, it warned that no regulatory reform will be effective if the supporting infrastructure remains broken. A full digital cleanup, they said, is essential to restoring usability and trust. “The Commission’s mammoth website is ripe for thorough review and clean-up,” NAB concluded, urging prompt action to modernize not just the rules, but the tools used to follow them.