Rehr: NAB On Offense, Demanding Satellite Receivers Be Recalled

Rehr Roars Back

NAB Pres./CEO DAVID K. REHR told the keynote audience at the NAB RADIO SHOW THURSDAY morning that the organization has sent letters to XM SATELLITE RADIO CEO HUGH PANERO and SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO CEO MEL KARMAZIN insisting that the satellite companies recall all non-compliant receivers with FM emissions that exceed FCC Part 15 standards.

"It's the minimum they should do," REHR said, noting that KARMAZIN, as a former broadcaster, is aware of the problem of interference and would insist that something "be done yesterday" about interference to his signals.  REHR also ripped XM for its subscriber estimates and SEC probes and stressed that the satellite companies be held accountable, saying that they "can't be both subscription-based and free at the same time" for purposes of indecency regulation.

We will beat you...

Sounding an aggressive note and urging that his organization be described not as "lobbyists" but as "advocates,"  REHR also said that the NAB would be stressing localism, reaching new devices, pushing for HD Radio's adoption, urging the FCC to adopt final HD Radio standards, advocating the grant of FM translators for AM stations, battling the RIAA's push for a "performance tax" on radio, and transforming the NAB into an "aggressive advocacy organization."

Likening them to TV, LPs, 8-track tapes, cassettes, and CDs in the past, "we will beat you," REHR warned competing new media technologies, "as we have beaten those change agents in the past."

« see more Net News