XM, NAB Come to Terms on Repeaters

XM Satellite Radio and NAB have reached a compromise on the repeater issue. Both companies have agreed on suggested language for the FCC’s rules concerning the final rules governing terrestrial repeaters for XM. Of course, the question is, what will the commission do with the language and the staff can’t say because this is a pending proceeding.
The proposed phrase is: “Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service repeaters are restricted to the Simultaneous transmission of the complete programming, and only that programming, transmitted by the satellite directly to SDARS subscribers’ receivers, and may not be used to distribute any information not also transmitted to all subscribers’ receivers.”
The two companies said in a letter to the FCC that the language ‘assures that the repeaters transmit the same content to all receivers.”
The two companies also said in the letter that “transmitted to all subscribers’ receivers” does not mean “received by all subscribers’ receivers” to allow for premium content or content that is otherwise filtered.
NAB has always wanted the FCC to make it clear in the repeater rules that both Sirius and XM may not use their repeaters transmit locally inserted content. XM has patented a technology to do this, but has said it intends to use its repeaters only to transmit its satellite-delivered national programming.