The National Association of Broadcasters responded yet again to issues concerning local programming via satellite radio, asking the Federal Communications Commission to adopt conditions requiring satellite radio companies not to differentiate content available via satellite and programming delivered to terrestrial repeaters supporting their service.
The NAB letter sent to the FCC on the subject last week focused on an earlier coorespondence from XM concerning local content and terrestrial repeaters supporting satellite radio services. In its letter, XM said it has "no plans to use terrestrial repeaters to divide signals into locally-differentiated services."
NAB said the XM letter "appears to accept the condition on DARS (digital audio radio service) repeaters that NAB has sought, and to disavow any use of those repeaters to provide locally differentiated services to XM subscribers." The association added, "With this apparent agreement from XM, NAB urges the commission to bring this matter to a conclusion and to adopt final service rules incorporating NAB's suggested condition."
Terrestrial repeaters used by satellite radio companies are located in large cities, and fill gaps missed by satellite coverage.
There was no reply from XM on the NAB letter.
