Congress to shut down satellite radio traffic?

[LordJezo]

<p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070215-8856.html">Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act of 2007</a></p><p>The Free FM forces are using congress to fight the competition:</p><p><em>The foes of satellite radio are marshaling their forces again, as a bill introduced to Congress this week would bar XM Radio and Sirius from broadcasting &quot;locally differentiated services&quot; such as traffic, weather, and emergency information. Titled the &quot;Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act of 2007,&quot; H.R. 983 is cosponsored by Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) and Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS). Not surprisingly, it has the backing of the National Association of Broadcasters (which has contributed heavily to Pickering's campaign war chest).</em></p> <p><em>The justification for the bill is clumsy, saying that the Federal Communications Commission only intended the satellite radio services to provide national programming. That purported restriction would enable the FCC to continue supporting &quot;a vibrant and vital terrestrial radio service for the public.&quot; </em></p><p><em>&nbsp;</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[foodcourtdruide]

<strong>LordJezo</strong> wrote:<br /><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070215-8856.html">Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act of 2007</a></p><p>The Free FM forces are using congress to fight the competition:</p><p><em>The foes of satellite radio are marshaling their forces again, as a bill introduced to Congress this week would bar XM Radio and Sirius from broadcasting &quot;locally differentiated services&quot; such as traffic, weather, and emergency information. Titled the &quot;Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act of 2007,&quot; H.R. 983 is cosponsored by Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) and Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS). Not surprisingly, it has the backing of the National Association of Broadcasters (which has contributed heavily to Pickering's campaign war chest).</em></p><p><em>The justification for the bill is clumsy, saying that the Federal Communications Commission only intended the satellite radio services to provide national programming. That purported restriction would enable the FCC to continue supporting &quot;a vibrant and vital terrestrial radio service for the public.&quot; </em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hi LordJezo,</p><p>I enjoy your posts and your comments, but why do you always have exaggerated topic headers?</p>

[johnniewalker]

<p>It's an attention gettahhhh! </p>

[cupcakelove]

Its amazing how bills to stifle competion and help big business always get bipartisan support.

[Judge Smails]

What a great idea!&nbsp; Because in the event of an emergency you'd definitely want to limit and restrict the free flow of information.&nbsp;

[Crippler]

<strong>Judge Smails</strong> wrote:<br />What a great idea!&nbsp; Because in the event of an emergency you'd definitely want to limit and restrict the free flow of information.&nbsp; <p>Exactly!&nbsp; What is the positive outcome of making information harder to get?&nbsp; And what is the negative about satellite giving out this information?</p>

[FezsAssistant]

Who is using their XM for that anyway?&nbsp; The emergency thing could be a problem, but weather and traffic?&nbsp; Who cares?&nbsp; Check 1010WINS for 3 minutes, then go back to 202.&nbsp;

[cupcakelove]

<strong>Crippler</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>Judge Smails</strong> wrote:<br />What a great idea! Because in the event of an emergency you'd definitely want to limit and restrict the free flow of information. <p>Exactly! What is the positive outcome of making information harder to get? And what is the negative about satellite giving out this information?</p><p>Its positive if you own a bunch of FM radio stations.&nbsp; People are now forced to tune in to hear local weather/traffic.&nbsp; I bet the the argument they're trying to use is that it helps local radios stations, when in reality, most local stations are owned by one of the giant media companies, so it will only help them. </p>

[Fezticle98]

Does this mean I will see E-Lo lobbying against it on the hill? I'd be sure to track him down to insult his shirt and hair.

[LordJezo]

<strong>foodcourtdruide</strong> wrote:<p>Hi LordJezo,</p><p>I enjoy your posts and your comments, but why do you always have exaggerated topic headers?</p><p>Actually, this time I thought I was right on the money.&nbsp; Congress really is trying to shut down the traffic and news on XM and Sirius.</p>

[shittyhambrgers]

<strong>Judge Smails</strong> wrote:<br />What a great idea! Because in the event of an emergency you'd definitely want to limit and restrict the free flow of information. <p>haha exactly.&nbsp; ps-- your avatar makes me lauff. </p>

[led37zep]

<p>This really is a stupid bill.&nbsp; It does nothing to help the public but rather assist a specific industry.&nbsp; If you carry this out then you'd have to get rid of FOX NEWS, CNN, and MSNBC feeds on XM because they often talk about weather, traffic. &nbsp;</p><p>If you take it even further then jocks wouldn't be able to comment on the weather or traffic for fear or violating the law.</p><p>Then if you go one more step Dave wouldn't be able to stick bagels up his ass...you see whats at stake here folks? </p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[Zorro]

<strong>Fez'sAssistant</strong> wrote:<br />Who is using their XM for that anyway?&nbsp; The emergency thing could be a problem, but weather and traffic?&nbsp; Who cares?&nbsp; Check 1010WINS for 3 minutes, then go back to 202.&nbsp; <p><font size="3">XM traffic beats 1010 and 880 by leaps and bounds</font></p>

[Tenbatsuzen]

<p>Here's where the NAB is screwed.&nbsp; During Katrina, a lot of local stations went dark.&nbsp; But XM 247 was still on and giving information.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The NAB is really against satellite.&nbsp; They are a lot of hot air.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[sailor]

<strong>cupcakelove</strong> wrote:<br />Its amazing how bills to stifle competion and help big business always get bipartisan support.<p>&nbsp;<font size="2">xm and sirius aren't exactly mom-and-pops<br /></font></p>

[sailor]

<strong>Zorro</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>Fez'sAssistant</strong> wrote:<br />Who is using their XM for that anyway? The emergency thing could be a problem, but weather and traffic? Who cares? Check 1010WINS for 3 minutes, then go back to 202. <p><font size="3">XM traffic beats 1010 and 880 by leaps and bounds</font></p><p>&nbsp;<font size="2">definitely.&nbsp; they're not worried about news, with traffic and weather delegated to 2 minutes a cycle.<br /></font></p>

[Death Metal Moe]

<strong>foodcourtdruide</strong> wrote:<br /><p>Hi LordJezo,</p><p>I enjoy your posts and your comments, but why do you always have exaggerated topic headers?</p><p>I think I heard O&amp;A reading &quot;LordJezo Headlines&quot; the other day.&nbsp; This thread should make the hall of fame.</p>

[SatCam]

<strong>sailor</strong> wrote:<br><strong>cupcakelove</strong> wrote:<br />Its amazing how bills to stifle competion and help big business always get bipartisan support.<p> <font size="2">xm and sirius aren't exactly mom-and-pops<br /></font></p><p></p>

beat me to it.....

[LordJezo]

<strong>Death Metal Moe</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>foodcourtdruide</strong> wrote:<br /><p>Hi LordJezo,</p><p>I enjoy your posts and your comments, but why do you always have exaggerated topic headers?</p><p>I think I heard O&amp;A reading &quot;LordJezo Headlines&quot; the other day. This thread should make the hall of fame.</p><p>&nbsp;Huh?</p>