WASHINGTON, DC -- NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr today sent FCC Chairman Kevin Martin a letter citing a recent report from The New York Times on satellite radio interference with local radio signals and called on the Commission to recall all satellite radio devices that unlawfully interfere with free over-the-air radio frequencies.
Rehr noted that over-the-air radio listeners are routinely subjected to explicit and undesired programming from satellite radio companies, notably The Howard Stern Show. Of particular concern are "FM listeners in their cars and listeners of public and religious programming on noncommercial stations typically located at the lower end of the FM band," the letter said.
Last year, Rehr sent a letter to the heads of XM and Sirius Satellite Radio urging each company to "voluntarily withdraw and replace all noncompliant satellite radio devices in circulation."
A 2006 study of 17 wireless devices commonly used to transmit audio signals from satellite radio devices and MP3 players to in-dash car showed that 13 of the 17 devices exceeded interference limits set by the FCC. Furthermore, six of the noncompliant devices exceeded strength limits by 2,000% and one surpassed strength limits by 20,000%.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates
on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations
and also broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications
Commission and the Courts. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.
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