This is my Question -
Will Sirius/XM ever be allowed to use their network of local terrestrial repeaters to broadcast local content?
As I understand the current FCC mandates to be, Sirius/XM is not allowed to broadcast any local programming at all over their satellites or local terrestrial repeaters. It seems that they are allowed to have several local weather and traffic channels though. Why is that then? Why can't they offer any other local content? Here are a couple of articles that talk about this....
http://www.gearlog.com/2008/03/clear...es_fcc_for.php
http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntr...&pt=todaysnews
This seems very anticompetitive and not in the local communities best interest at all. I wonder if this would hold up in court? Wasn't NAB's whole argument to promote competition and choice in local markets? Clear Channel offers local and national programming through it's network of terrestrial repeaters, HD radio bandwidth, and they even have commercial channels on XM for gosh sake! Clear Channel has been destroying local radio content for years with it's cookie cutter, robot run, programming. Direct TV, Dish Network, and Comcast all provide local content. It seems to me that this would not hold up in court and is not in the local communities best interest to have less choice.....
If Sirius/XM could use their local terrestrial repeater networks to broadcast local content - it would be huge! They could offer local content for free with commercials and even throw in some commercial free community interest programming like college radio etc.. This would drive radio sales and be an incentive for people to upgrade to the national content packages once they already had the radio. Ad revenue would explode!
Why can't Sirius/XM do this? Am I missing something?