For more information on the study and subsequent FCC filings, visit http:\\www.ce.org.
CEA Expresses Concern With FCC Low Power Rule
The following statement was issued today by Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) President and CEO Gary Shapiro in response to last week's ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop a new low power FM (LPFM) radio service. The Commission announced that it will create two new classes of broadcast stations with power of up to 10 and 100 watts, respectively, and will remove the third adjacent channel interference protection currently enjoyed by FM broadcasters. ""We share the FCC's worthy commitment to promoting greater access to the airwaves. Unfortunately, we have found that the method chosen by the Commission - specifically, the removal of third adjacent channel protection - may result in interference to existing FM radio service and would adversely effect consumers' investment in the 710 million FM receivers currently in use in the United States. In addition, these new FM stations will cause interference that may hinder the introduction of terrestrial digital audio broadcasting (DAB). ""CEA conducted extensive FM receiver tests with the support of National Public Radio and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. These tests, which were submitted to the FCC, demonstrated that third adjacent channel interference protection should be retained to prevent new interference to existing FM reception. ""We look forward to working with the Commission on additional ways to promote diversity in radio voices. But this laudable goal must not come at the expense of impairing the quality of FM radio service that the American public receives today.""