Large Radio Groups Want More Testing of Zoned Broadcast Coverage
The FCC should develop a record of feasibility of zoned broadcast coverage (see 2005040044) before approving it, said a joint filing from large radio groups Beasley, Cumulus, Entercom and iHeart. “The Commission must be fully confident, based on extensive real-world…
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testing, that the benefits outweigh potential harms,” said the filing in RM-11854: “Automatically authorizing such an unproven technology, as would be the case under the Petitioner’s rulemaking proposal, is particularly premature.” NAB said it supports the use of zoned broadcast coverage, with reservations. The technology works only with analog radio, and so “could undermine the continued expansion of digital audio broadcasting,” the group said. It “remains concerned about potential interference that, although apparently limited geographically and confined to within a station’s booster cluster, could spur listeners to change channels, or worse, audio sources,” NAB said. “On balance, however, NAB submits that granting” GeoBroadcast Solutions’ petition “is justified.”