# Comments Fly on Sat Radio Local Content



## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Round two of the debate surrounding satellite radio's delivery of local traffic and weather reports ended Monday, with the two sides of the issue submitting another set of comments on a petition requesting limits on the local content.

At issue is a petition from the National Association of Broadcasters asking the Federal Communications Commission to limit - and even prohibit - locally-oriented services from satellite radio companies.

In their joint filing, satellite radio companies XM and Sirius pointed out that more than 25,000 satellite radio listeners filed comments with the FCC opposing NAB's petition, including truckers, commuters, travelers, and public safety and health workers, among others. "They all opposed NAB's petition, noting the enormous benefits the traffic and weather service provides them, such as promoting safety by providing alerts to impending severe weather, preventing delays and saving fuel by reporting on traffic congestion," the companies said.

XM and Sirius also said their respective traffic and weather reports are a lawful ancillary use of satellite radio spectrum. They added that there is no evidence satellite radio is causing or will cause economic harm to local broadcasters, and that the locally-oriented services from satellite radio generate numerous public interest benefits "that would be eliminated if NAB's petition is granted," the filing said.

In addition, the companies said that even with the locally-oriented traffic and weather services, satellite radio is still a national service from both a content and technological perspective.

In its filing, NAB said satellite radio companies' foray into local content contradicts the regulatory framework upon which the FCC allocated spectrum for the service. Also, the broadcaster organization stuck to its assertion that if satellite radio is allowed to penetrate local markets, local broadcasting "and the voice of the community it provides, will suffer," NAB said.

In addition, NAB took issue with comments that suggested it was out to censor satellite radio, saying its petition does not ask for "unlawful censorship or raises the prospect of novel service restrictions. To the contrary, the petition requests that the commission require (satellite radio) licensees to adhere to the limitations they themselves proposed and upon which the commission relied in authorizing satellite radio service."

The NAB also asked the FCC to re-open its earlier satellite radio proceeding "to evaluate the economic impact of these new satellite services on local broadcasting, and the local communities they serve."

http://www.skyreport.com (Used with permission)


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