Globe editorial calls FM radio "outdated technology"

[Dave Doherty]

> It is really , really nice to have one device that replaces many devices.

Agreed.

Most of the world-model cell phones and advanced devices, as pointed out 
elsewhere in this thread, include FM tuners that are disabled by the 
carriers in the US.  So it's not a big technical stretch to turn them on.

The wireless carriers have resisted carrying the radio stations in part, I 
think, because the stations don't pay performance royalties. The carriers 
feared - correctly - that the record companies would come after them.

The broadcasters are looking for a compromise here, I think. The stations 
will pay performance royalties in exchange for carriage on the portable 
devices. But before they agree to pay the performance royalties, they need 
to be assured that the portable devices will, in fact, carry them.

So this doesn't seem to me to be as heinous an injection of the government 
into the market as some others around here have portrayed it.

-d




--------------------------------------------------
From: "Mark Casey" <map@mapinternet.com>
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 7:05 PM
To: <boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org>; "Dave Doherty" 
<dave@skywaves.net>
Subject: Re: Globe editorial calls FM radio "outdated technology"

>
> It is really , really nice to have one device that replaces many devices. 
> A
> good example is that the camera & camcorder are close to being replaced by
> the cellphone. And the screens are almost large enough to see some of the
> internet. Phones won't ever replace a PC or laptop, but they'll make 
> inroads
> and I can imagine bye, bye standalone GPS in favor of a phone with a very
> good built-in GPS sometime in the very near future.
>
> If the cellphone has an FM radio already, that's fine, I'd use it. But to
> legislate it, is too much. If they want to require FM, why not add AM 
> also.
> (Maybe the AM chip is too $$?)
> And, could you slip in TV audio, Shortwave(don't forget upper & lower
> sideband for the utility stations), and a police scanner also--<grin> but
> they all could probably be added fairly easily.
>
> As far as FM radio outdated, that comment is out of touch with reality. FM
> stations might not be making as much money as in years past, and some may
> even go dark in years to come, and maybe digital service will grow, but
> analog FM will be here for many years.
>
> What are the royalties details and their costs?
>
> Mark Casey, K1MAP
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dave Doherty" <dave@skywaves.net>
>
> The primary problem would appear to be that the cell carriers don't want 
> to
> pay royalties, because they would have to pass that cost along to their
> customers.
>
> -d
>
>
>