RADIO LEADERS: CONSUMERS
DESERVE RADIO-CAPABLE CELL PHONES

WASHINGTON — Representatives from the National Association of Broadcasters wrote House and Senate leaders for both the Judiciary and the Commerce committees today to correct and clarify the record regarding “the important consumer benefit” that could be derived from “unlocking the mobile phone market and granting consumer access to radio’s free and unique offerings.” The letters were signed by NAB Joint Board Chair Steve Newberry, president and CEO of Kentucky-based Commonwealth Broadcasting; and NAB Radio Board Chair Caroline Beasley, executive vice president and CFO of Florida-based Beasley Broadcast Group.

Newberry and Beasley noted the strong weekly listenership — 239 million Americans age 12 and older — for free and local radio and highlighted the “crucial lifeline” provided by local radio stations during times of emergency and crises.

“Americans ought not be denied access to such a pivotal lifeline service,” they wrote.

The letter referenced a recent poll conducted by Harris Interactive, which showed that a sizable majority of American cell phone users would like the ability to listen to their favorite local radio stations through a built-in radio receiver on their mobile phone. Newberry and Beasley also noted the global demand for radio-capable cell phones, pointing out that a recent study predicted market penetration for radio-capable devices will reach 45 percent within the next year.

“Despite such global demand, much of the U.S. cell phone market remains founded upon exclusive contracts between consumer electronics manufacturers and mobile phone carriers, and consumers are being denied access to radio’s free services on many mobile phone devices for competitive reasons,” today’s letter explained. “Cell phone providers apparently would rather reap the revenue of data-intensive, fee-based streaming apps than offer consumers a free and local alternative.”

“In the end, this is an issue of consumer access,” wrote Newberry and Beasley. “Americans deserve better choices than what is being offered by gatekeeper mobile service providers. The demonstrated demand for radio-capable cell phones, coupled with local radio’s role as a lifeline service during times of crisis, are considerations we hope you will take into account as this debate continues.”

Today’s letters are available online in PDF format. (Judiciary Committees | Commerce Committees)

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.

NAB HAILS NATIONWIDE POLL SHOWING
CONSUMER DEMAND FOR RADIO-CAPABLE CELL PHONES

Click the image to view a larger graph. Click the image to view a larger graph. Click the image to view a larger graph.

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Broadcasters today issued a statement applauding the results of a new nationwide poll conducted by Harris Interactive, which show that a sizeable majority of American cell phone users would like the ability to listen to their favorite local radio stations through a built-in radio receiver on their mobile phone. The survey, conducted as part of an online nationwide omnibus survey of 2,587 adults representing the U.S. general adult population, was conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by NAB.

“Today’s survey results demonstrate convincingly that there is significant demand for radio-capable cell phones in the United States,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton. “Unfortunately, most U.S. mobile phone users have been denied over-the-air access to their favorite free and local stations. With much of the U.S. cell phone market built upon exclusive contracts between carriers and manufacturers, most consumers are left paying for fee-based data-intensive streaming apps with no free, broadcast alternative.”

Today’s poll findings showed:

• Three-quarters (76 percent) of cell phone owners would consider paying a one-time fee of 30 cents to access local radio stations through a built-in radio chip.

• Local weather and music are the top reasons they would listen to their local stations on their cell phones.

• Seventy-three percent of cell phone owners indicated that having a radio built into their cell phone capable of providing local weather and emergency alerts in real-time would be “very” or “somewhat” important.

• While two thirds (66 percent) of adults would use a built-in radio, young adults are even more likely to use such a feature. Seventy-one percent of 18-44 year olds as well as 73 percent of single and never married adults indicated they would use a built-in radio to listen to local stations if their phone was equipped to receive local radio stations without using mobile apps or their cell phone provider’s data plan.

Today’s poll results, as released by Harris Interactive, are available online, and follow other recent studies evaluating the global demand for radio-enabled cell phones. A 2008 study from global market research firm TNS found that 45 percent of mobile users in Latin America and Asia cite AM/FM radio as one of their top three reasons for purchasing a mobile phone — making the feature more popular than Internet access, texting and a camera function. Another 2008 study, commissioned by NAB’s technology advocacy program, NAB FASTROAD, concluded that the growth of FM-capable mobile handsets is “very robust” from a global perspective, and expected to reach 45 percent, or 700 million handsets, by 2011.

Opining in a recent blog, NAB’s Wharton suggested what might be motivating U.S. wireless carriers and device manufacturers to prevent consumer access to FM-enabled cell phones: “It could be a simple case of anti-competitive behavior,” he wrote. “Every minute a cell phone user listens to free, local radio is one less minute spent using the wireless industry’s fee-based applications. Moreover, since listening to local radio would require no network bandwidth, cell phone subscribers wouldn’t be forced to pay the escalating rates associated with streaming data-rich, fee-based applications.”

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.

NAB MARCONI RADIO AWARD NOMINATIONS BEGIN MAY 1
 
WASHINGTON — The 2010 NAB Marconi Radio Awards nomination process will open May 1, NAB announced today. The award recognizes overall excellence in radio broadcasting. To be considered for a 2010 NAB Marconi Radio Award, general managers may nominate their station in the “Station of the Year by Market Size” and/or “Station of the Year by Format” categories, as well as one of their outstanding air personalities in the “Personality of the Year by Market Size” category. They may also submit nominations for “Legendary Station” and “Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year.”

Stations must submit their nominations online at www.nab.org/marconis. All nominations must be received by May 31. Finalists will be announced in July.

On September 30, the winners will be announced during the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show at the Radio Show in Washington, DC (September 29-October 1).

Winners are chosen by the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Selection Academy. The Academy is made up of general managers, program directors, regional radio executives, owners, programming consultants and former radio executives. Applications for membership into the Academy can be received by contacting Susan Platt at splatt@nab.org.

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.