WASHINGTON, DC – - Following a news conference today held by supporters of unlicensed personal-portable devices, NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton issued the following response reiterating NAB's strong opposition to the introduction of such interference-causing devices:
"It is unfortunate that Microsoft and Google continue to try to muscle their way through Washington in support of a technology that simply does not work. For decades, local and network television broadcasters have provided reliable and interference-free reception for entertainment, sports, breaking news, and life-saving weather warnings. By playing Russian Roulette with digital television, Microsoft and Google would completely undermine the historic public-private DTV partnership that broadcasters embraced to ensure America's ongoing leadership in innovation."
In July, a report by the FCC concluded that sample prototype "white space" devices did not accurately detect broadcast signals and caused interference to TV broadcasting and wireless microphones.
To date, 70 lawmakers have expressed concern over the use of unlicensed personal-portable devices in the broadcast spectrum, including:
Senator Mary
Landrieu (D-LA)
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Senator Pete
V. Domenici (R-NM)
Senator Charles
E. Grassley (R-IA)
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Senator Johnny
Isakson (R-GA)
Senator Saxby
Chambliss (R-GA)
Senator Olympia
Snowe (R-ME)
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
Rep. John Spratt (D-SC)
Rep. J.
Gresham Barrett (R-SC)
Rep. Henry
E. Brown (R-SC)
Rep. David
Davis (R-TN)
Rep. Ric
Keller (R-FL)
Rep. Bobby
L. Rush (D-IL)
Rep. Jim
Cooper (D-TN)
Rep. Vito
J. Fossella (R-NY)
Rep. Eliot
L. Engel (D-NY)
Rep. Carolyn
B. Maloney (D-NY)
Rep. Howard P. McKeon (R-CA)
Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA)
Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR)
Rep. Lincoln
Davis (D-TN)
Rep. David
Scott (D-GA)
Rep. John
Barrow (D-GA)
Rep. G.
K. Butterfield (D-NC)
Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC)
Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC)
Rep. Walter Jones, Jr. (R-NC)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC)
Rep. Melvin Watt (D-NC)
Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC)
Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC)
Rep. David Price (D-NC)
Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC)
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX)
Rep. Rep. Ralph Hall (D-TX)
Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX)
Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX)
Rep. Nick
Lampson (D-TX)
Rep. John
Carter (R-TX)
Rep. Al
Green (D-TX)
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH)
Rep. Dave Hobson (R-OH)
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)
Rep. Patrick
Tiberi (R-OH)
Rep. Steven
C. LaTourette (R-OH)
Rep. Tom
Price, M.D. (R-GA)
Rep. Lynn
Westmoreland (R-GA)
Rep. Jack
Kingston (R-GA)
Rep. David
Scott (D-GA)
Rep. John
Lewis (D-GA)
Rep. Phil
Gingrey, M.D. (R-GA)
Rep. Tom
Latham (R-IA)
Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL)
Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV)
Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO)
Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV)
Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT)
Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME)
Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME)
Rep.
Bart Gordon (D-TN)
Rep. Frank
Pallone Jr. (D-NJ)
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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