Separately, NAB President/CEO David Rehr sent a letter to Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.
He expressed concerns regarding legislation which the committee plans to review that would exempt LPFMs from third-adjacent-channel protection requirements.
Specifically referring to S-1675, legislation to drop that protection for full-power FMs, Rehr wrote that the bill would allow the FCC to license “thousands” of low-power stations that would interfere with full-power FMs.
“These bills,” said Rehr, referring to this and similar bills that have been introduced, “are based upon the results of a flawed study to determine the amount of interference these new micro-radio stations would cause. That study, however, was deficient in its methodology, implementation and analysis of results in assessing the need for third-adjacent-channel interference protection.”
Rehr reiterated that NAB does not oppose licensing of LPFMs themselves but rather interference.
“Third-adjacent protection exists for a reason — to guard against interference and to protect our lifeline service to communities. A broad, blanket policy change is harmful and unnecessary.”
