The NAB is darn tootin' mad about Sirius-XM's recent response about the group's request for the FCC to stop the clock. And they're laying down the tough choices for the satcasters.
First, here's what Sirius-XM had to say about the NAB's request to stop the clock:
“The NAB opposes the merger of XM and SIRIUS to protect AM/FM radio from competition, not to protect consumers. As more and more consumers voice their support for the merger, the more fearful of increased competition the NAB becomes and the more desperate their actions in response."The NAB's allegations are unfounded and their recent filing is just an attempt to stall the process. We look forward to continuing to work with the FCC and are confident they will weigh the transaction on its merits, recognize that it is in the public interest and approve the merger by the end of the year."
In response to the... err... response, NAB Executive VP Dennis Wharton issued the following statement:
"There is nothing 'unfounded' about NAB's so-called 'allegations.' XM and Sirius have disclosed in public documents that they knowingly and willfully violated interference and terrestrial repeater rules. The central question now is whether XM and Sirius are rewarded for this demonstrable lack of candor with tough penalties or a government-sanctioned monopoly."
Well, given the choice Dennis... I think I'd choose government-sanctioned monopoly, don't you think?
What a crock of Shit.
For anyone to even think that any company willfully violated the FM transmitter rules is insane.
As for repeaters, What was the limit? how was it tested. now that its established... they make them right. WTF NAB? hows them HD on am working? Its all shut off cause it bled over to adjacent channels Huh?
What about that other stuff...
Cough
cough
Payola
cough
cough
The NAB reminds me of my 5 year old.... "Daddy, he did" this and "he did" that... my response is always... "and what did you do dear?"
The NAB is so transparent that one has to wonder... why?
The enormity of resistance to the merger from the NAB suggests to me the the NAB is more optimistic about SiriusXM's growth post merger than Sirius and XM are. Government sanctioned monopoly -- how academic, this is the real world.
I would like to retract my earlier comment. I didn't really mean what I wrote up there. I'm really sorry.
Sorry about my potty mouth, too. I set a terrible example for my five year old, don't I? I behave just like a child myself. I guess I need help.
I have this grudge against some fellow who works at the NAB. He used to work as a polygrapher, and he prevented me from getting a clearance that was required for a job that I had so wanted.
In any case, I find IBOC to be a revolutionary form of radio transmission, and I'm going to go out and buy myself a nice, shiney HD radio this weekend.
I would like to retract my earlier comment. I didn't really mean what I wrote up there. I'm really sorry.
Sorry about my potty mouth, too. I set a terrible example for my five year old, don't I? I behave just like a child myself. I guess I need help.
I have this grudge against some fellow who works at the NAB. He used to work as a polygrapher, and he prevented me from getting a clearance that was required for a job that I had so wanted.
In any case, I find IBOC to be a revolutionary form of radio transmission, and I'm going to go out and buy myself a nice, shiney HD radio this weekend.
This is nothing--As it gets closer if the NAB feels they lost and more competition is coming to them--watch it get pathetically shrill and desperate
hoo hoo. I invented a demonstrable lack of candor.
signed, my false teeth
This is the level of schoolyard name calling th eNAB engages in. What the hell does the merger have to do with the repeaters? Did these idiots graduate from High School?
All a bunch of nothing. Lets have fines for the stations that use HD and wipe out the smaller ones.
The NAB should look at it's own members and have them stop the HD interference they are causing.
They are talking about little modulators and are ok with big transmitters wiping out millions of radios across the country.
I'd like to see these "rules" that XM and Sirius violated. Aren't all of the repeaters still being operated under a Special Temporary Authority (STA) because there are no rules set in stone yet? Or did something change there and I not know about it?
And as far as the FM transmitters go, there are STILL plenty of iPod FM transmitters that are well over the part 15 limits... yet the NAB keeps harping on satellite radio's PAST, rather than the continuing iPod problem of the PRESENT.
Cool, I have a clone LOL... means I am on to something there Huh?
"I find IBOC to be a revolutionary form of radio transmission that brings to me the same crap I can get on AM/FM now. Thats Why I subscribe to Satellite radio Mr. Rehr, So you can stop being my clone now.
HD radio is a revolutionary form of radio transmision, there is no doubt about that. But it will eventually be filled with the same amount of comercials as its FM counterpart. With ZERO income, how long does anyone think these media companies will go before needing the revenue stream?
One more thing to the Clone, I am dead set against the merger. It has nothing to do with anything the NAB has said.
This is from a radio engineer ant it looks like they all see it the same way.
I doubt that AM HD will last long because of what it is doing to the AM band.
I doubt those at the FCC that approved it could even pass the Ham Radio test is what another engineer said.
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I read with great interest all your many comments about the moderate to severe interference from the night ops of various IBOC digital AM stations, now approved, (with conditions), by the FCC.
For me it is a sad day, (and night), as I hear much of the same noises and severe "buzzsaws" here in South Florida that I see you are experiencing in the North and Midwest part of the country.
Day or night, I have been very disappointed with the iBiquity AM digital signals here locally as well. First and foremost, is of course, the severe adjacent and co-channel interference issue. However, in addition to that, the general audio quality of the two local Miami stations running the current popular system...well, just stinks!! To say this audio is "as good as FM", is wishful thinking at best. I maintain five FMs, (one IBOC), here in South Florida and critique my own, and several others here in the Miami area, and I can tell you our analog FM's sound far superior to the local digital AMs. I was even in Chicago recently and my old home favorite, WGN, sounded just as poor in digital as my local Miami stations.
Plus, when driving, even in the main coverage area through the Miami area, the signals fade out and in, often. When driving near, or under power lines and bridges, the digital AM signal fades back and forth between analog and digital so much, it seems pointless to promote that these systems will hold up under any kind of signal degradation from man-made terrain effects! The radios just switch back to analog, and you experience the same problems of man-made terrestrial interference as we always have with AM radio.
I have found a solution for AM radio, I wish more of us could get on the bandwagon. I have installed two, and assisted with the installation of a third, Kahn CAM-D digital AM system in the past year, and I must say, they work!! The CAM-D systems perform fantastic. First, the CAM-D provides a "REDUCTION" in the adjacent and co-channel interference over current transmission systems, and far below that of caused by the iBiquity system! In addition, the digital AM sound is superior to the popular system, the CAM-D actually sounds like "CD quality". The audio is clean, with no notable distortions and hash associated with the other brand of system. Also, the CAM-D system improves the overall signal coverage of the analog signal so much, (through a superior modulation concept), that it is an instant benefit to the station's operating with it "today", not five years from now when, "maybe", there will be enough digital radios on the road for stations to benefit from it financially. In addition, the CAM-D system does not have the fade problems in the moderate signal areas that I experience with the other IBOC system, (due, I believe, to the exceptionally good modulation scheme).
In short, the Kahn CAM-D digital AM transmission system is far superior to the what is being "pushed on us" by big money, and politics to boot!
If you get a chance to listen to a station broadcasting with the CAM-D system, give a serious critique, I believe you will agree, it is far better to what is currently being shoved into our ears! You can go to Kahn's website for the latest info: w3.wrathofkahn.org.
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Don't foget that the NAB is fighting a bigger fight in regards to royalties paid to musicians and XM & Sirius Both have to pay them. The NAB wants to see Satellite Radio dissapear because they hope the royalty battle will dissapear as well.
They are trying to cover the holes in their dam 1 finger at a time - this damn will break.
AM/FM is the only real Monopoly in Transmission.
The NAB is the true monopoly fighting to keep their cash cow alive.
Just like you and I can do - the NAB filed under the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and has the right to a reasonable amount of time to review the paperwork. The only reason they need time to review them, and yet filed the request so long ago, is that XM, Sirius, and the individual employees involved in the requested documents leveraged their rights and also filed to review the paperwork in question.
As far as iPod transmitters - is only partially relevant. Some of the Satellite repeaters that were built weren't approved, and were erected illegally. Much more serious than the fight regarding in car transmitters broadcasting on an existing signal in a city.
In regard to the Royalties, radio stations already pay BMI and ASCAP fees to play the music - most of us in the radio industry believe the musicians should be payed. I think the existing fees should be adjusted so that the performers (not just composers and record labels) are payed. If they need to be raised slightly - so be it.