Broadcasters Cheer Pirate Radio Bill

[TheRelayStation]

This bill mandates the FCC to increase enforcement, but provides them with no additional funds to pay for it....

LOL
[/quote
i am quite sure the conglomerate media companies support the FCC financially when the need arises.

[TheRelayStation]

which is precisely what is happening.
the conglomerate media companies who own several FM/AM stations in captive market areas are trying to recoup their losses by offering and venturing to several other media platforms to keep the investors and lending firms happy in addition to acquiring competitive radio stations to eliminate competition and stomping out the "gnats" of low power pirates in order to keep captivity on that specific market and keep revenue loss from advertising on the decline.
now imagine if one media company owned all the FM radio stations in the NYC market.

I hate to sound cynical, but if only one radio company owned all the FM stations in the NYC market, would any of the listeners really notice?

I think the only people who would notice would be industry types, radio enthusiasts (like us here at HFU), and policy wonks.

The average listener? I'm not sure they would either notice or care. They just want to hear their favorite music. Not saying that's awesome, but just sayin'.

the casual listener wouldnt notice or even care but the companies who want to advertise would have no competition for better advertisement rates.
the anti-competitive law for FM radio stations is weak at best because the only true oversight is the FCC while the DOJ takes a back seat to matters they consider trivial.
see example attachment:
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-96-380A1.pdf

[ChrisSmolinski]

I don't know why people watch TV anyway.  There is very little out there I actually want to watch, and almost none of it prime time.

+-RH

I'd remove the word "almost" 

We watch a mix of mostly Netflix, Acorn, Great Courses, and selected programs from the DVR, I don't think any of them from the major networks. A little from Amazon, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" for example.

[Skipmuck]

I gave up watching TV during the 2017 4th of July weekend. There was very little of interest to keep my attention, and way too much politicizing from both sides of the fence. I did watch 12 minutes of the Election Night returns in November.....the TV has remained unplugged since then.

[Josh]

Haven't had a tv for tv watching since the 80s. I do, however, watch vids such as youtube online and movies too, just not any tv programming. They don't call it programming without reason. When you watch it, you're being programmed. In an alpha state.

[Matt_B]

Here's an e-mail I just wrote to my Congressman (Jim Himes, D-CT) on the matter. 

Congressman Himes,

I am writing to express my concerns regarding HR 5709, which is known as the "Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act". This bill, which is currently being discussed in the House, deals with the unlicensed operation of radio stations. 

First off, I concede that there are some radio operators who intentionally interfere with licensed radio frequencies.  However, the majority of stations that I have heard don't attempt to do this.  Rather, they are small, community-based operations that transmit on otherwise vacant frequencies, with average power outputs of around ten watts (compare that to the one hundred thousand watt maximum power output of an FM station).  As they do not interfere with other stations, their transmissions serve the public, and harm nobody. 

The radio broadcasting industry would have you believe that unlicensed broadcasters often interfere with frequencies intended for emergency broadcasts, as well as the public health.  The major broadcasting firms say that they are afraid of "pirates" taking over their frequencies.  However, and having first-hand knowledge of the radio industry, I can tell you that this is a "red herring".  What the major companies are really afraid of is competition in the radio industry.  Many broadcasting firms have virtual monopolies in several markets, as they control the vast majority of stations in those areas.  The unfortunate reality of the radio industry is that "if you want to play, you have to pay", and pay big bucks at that.  Unless you know someone in the radio world, it isn't possible for average citizens to own radio outlets, as one station will typically cost millions of dollars.  This has the effect of limiting the diversity of voices that can be heard, and degrading free speech. 

Congressman, I understand the arguments of the major broadcasting firms.  It wouldn't be false to say that unlicensed broadcasting is a problem, and should be addressed as such.  However, I believe that the proposed legislation is a threat to the free speech rights of all radio broadcasters, licensed or no.  For this and other reasons, I urge you to oppose the submitted bill, and vote no on passage.  Thank you for your time. 

Sincerely,

(Real Name was put here)

[TheRelayStation]

Haven't had a tv for tv watching since the 80s. I do, however, watch vids such as youtube online and movies too, just not any tv programming. They don't call it programming without reason. When you watch it, you're being programmed. In an alpha state.

"Television, the drug of the nation..."

[Josh]

Haven't had a tv for tv watching since the 80s. I do, however, watch vids such as youtube online and movies too, just not any tv programming. They don't call it programming without reason. When you watch it, you're being programmed. In an alpha state.

"Television, the drug of the nation..."

While a fruitloop celebrity, I think it was an accurate description when Johnny Depp said watching tv was nursing at the glass breast.

[TheRelayStation]

Haven't had a tv for tv watching since the 80s. I do, however, watch vids such as youtube online and movies too, just not any tv programming. They don't call it programming without reason. When you watch it, you're being programmed. In an alpha state.

"Television, the drug of the nation..."

While a fruitloop celebrity, I think it was an accurate description when Johnny Depp said watching tv was nursing at the glass breast.

on a different note, the "MMA" bill, i believe is going to have a big impact on online music streaming.
http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/senate-introduces-music-modernization-act-1202806411/

[Josh]

Yep, spotify is toast. Also, ffs Grassley has been in congress doing nothing yet getting paid for it since I was a kid in Des Moines 40 years ago.