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FCC Approves Digital Radio, Kills Satellite Merger

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the new-media-stream dept.

n8willis writes "...Just saw this AP article on Excite news: the FCC has just approved the first upgrade in broadcast radio technology in decades. It allows "CD quality" digital signals to be simulcast by stations along with their traditional analog feed. The tech comes from some company called iBiquity, and unlike Sirius or XM satellite radio, there will be no charge for listening. Some radio buff want to tell us what they know about this concept?" And wiredog writes "The Federal Communications Commission has voted 4-0 to reject a $26 billion merger between satellite TV providers Echostar Communications and Hughes Electronics.

17 of 362 comments (clear)

  1. CD Quality? by jazman_777 · · Score: 4, Funny

    RIAA,baby.

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  2. 4 voting members? by theRhinoceros · · Score: 5, Funny

    voted 4-0

    Excuse me if this may seem like an extradinarily ignorant question, but wouldn't an agency that has as much power as the FCC be better served with a voting panel with an odd number off members?

    1. Re:4 voting members? by 403Forbidden · · Score: 1, Funny

      Then maybe we should have 101 senators... it'll be like 101 Dalmations and evil Kurella DeVille (Hillary Clinton) will try to capture them all.

    2. Re:4 voting members? by seanw · · Score: 5, Funny

      god, what a moron! rocks, paper, scissors, of course--best out of three

    3. Re:4 voting members? by carlos_benj · · Score: 5, Funny

      I guess the Senate must be debating the fifth?

      How refreshing! Usually they're pleading the fifth....

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      --

      As a matter of fact, I am a lawyer. But I play an actor on TV.

    4. Re:4 voting members? by BurntHombre · · Score: 3, Funny
      How refreshing! Usually they're pleading the fifth....

      And, in some cases, drinking a fifth!

  3. Same Top 40 Pap... by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 0, Funny

    Only now with CD quality sound? What's the next headline going to be...man tries to polish a turd?

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    Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
  4. Re:Sure, it may be free... by SomeoneGotMyNick · · Score: 5, Funny
    you'll be paying with your ears - by listening to commercials.


    Yes, but with the clarity of digital radio, maybe I can finally hear and understand the fast talking 'legalese' at the end of some of the promotional ads.... :)

  5. Oh great, that's all I need... by CSG_SurferDude · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh great, that's all I need...

    Digial quality Britney, Christina, and a bunch of Boy Bands.

    Excuse, me, I think I'll Pass.

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    LongTail SSH Brute Force analysis tool is here!

    1. Re:Oh great, that's all I need... by ocie · · Score: 3, Funny

      They should make the radio cache the songs. This way, they could just transmit a command like "play boyband X song Y" Since there is a limited playlist, this could really free up some bandwidth.

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      JET Program: see Japan, meet intere
  6. wonderful by Raiford · · Score: 4, Funny
    Now I can get CD quality lousy programming. At least with satellite I am not stranded in the programming desert that I find in broadcast radio here in Sacramento

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    "player 4 hit player 1 with 0 stroms"
  7. Same old... by tigertigr · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is all well and good, but the DJ is still gonna talk over the start and ends of the song, thereby fucking up your nice digital recording.

  8. Proper protocol? by Thud457 · · Score: 1, Funny

    This being the FCC, shouldn't their Roshambo protocol be "Rock,Paper,Scissors,Lizard,Spock"?

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    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  9. Re:I Still like SCA by Shamanin · · Score: 2, Funny

    Since when does SCA mean anything but the Society for Creative Anacronisms... man, is any acronym sacred?

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    come on fhqwhgads
  10. Right about now... by Zen+Mastuh · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...Echostar's Board of Directors is wondering who the hell forgot to give the check to the GOP last week.

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    "What is the sound of one belly slapping?"
  11. RIAA Sues Radio Stations for Giving Away FreeMusic by cpeterso · · Score: 4, Funny

    RIAA Sues Radio Stations for Giving Away Free Music

    LOS ANGELES--The Recording Industry Association of America filed a $7.1 billion lawsuit against the nation's radio stations Monday, accusing them of freely distributing copyrighted music.

    "It's criminal," RIAA president Hilary Rosen said. "Anyone at any time can simply turn on a radio and hear a copyrighted song. Making matters worse, these radio stations often play the best, catchiest song off the album over and over until people get sick of it. Where is the incentive for people to go out and buy the album?"

    According to Rosen, the radio stations acquire copies of RIAA artists' CDs and then broadcast them using a special transmitter, making it possible for anyone with a compatible radio-wave receiver to listen to the songs. ...

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    cpeterso
  12. It needed to be said: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Digital kills the satellite star!