CEA Opposes NAB’s SDARS Petition

The Consumer Electronics Association called on the FCC to support innovative new services being offered by digital satellite radio providers and reject a request from the NAB to ban satellite radio providers from offering localized weather and traffic information. CEA urged the commission to dismiss NAB’s petition for a ruling. The broadcasters want the FCC to ban local traffic and weather offerings by XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio.
“Technological innovation fuels the engine of the American economy and it is the lifeblood of the consumer electronics industry. The traffic and weather service offered by XM and Sirius is a prime example of this innovation,” wrote CEA Vice President Technology Policy Michael Petricone. “NAB, through its spurious petition, is asking the commission to stifle innovation by restricting the types of services that satellite radio providers can offer.
CEA states that NAB’s arguments “serve the economic interests of some terrestrial broadcasters, to the detriment of satellite radio listeners nationwide.”