Since 2002, when the FCC selected in-band, on-channel, or IBOC,
as the technology enabling AM and FM radio broadcast stations to go
digital, Digital Audio Broadcasting, or DAB, has grown in
popularity. Apart from transmitting near-CD quality audio signals,
IBOC provides data services like station, song and artist
identification, stock and news information.
IBOC also lets a radio station split its digital channel so that
it can broadcast multiple streams of digital audio programming and
allows broadcasters to use their current radio spectrum to transmit
AM and FM analog signals simultaneously with new digital
signals.
In April, recognising that the rules and requirements of the
system needed to be updated, the FCC launched a consultation on the
way forward for DAB. On Wednesday, it heard from the RIAA as well
as broadcasters and consumer groups.
The RIAA, the Recording Industry Association of America, warned
the FCC that unprotected digital radio would create free libraries
of thousands of CD-like quality songs; allow users to "cherry-pick"
the music wanted through an automated search function; and allow
them to redistribute songs over the internet.
"The potential upside of digital radio for fans, artist and
labels, broadcasters and others in the music chain is tantalising,"
said Mitch Bainwol, Chairman and CEO of the RIAA. "For the
potential to be fully reached, we need the help of the FCC to
approve some common-sense safeguards. Given the enormous damage
wrought by peer-to-peer piracy, a little advance prudence here
would go a long way."
The RIAA's brief argues that unprotected high-definition radio
could become a popular substitute for the unauthorised peer-to-peer
networks, as consumers could acquire all the music they want from
free over-the-air broadcasts without having to download any
software, expose their computers to viruses and spyware or
themselves to a copyright infringement lawsuit.
The solution, says the RIAA, is either to encrypt the
copyrighted music being broadcast or to use an audio protection
flag that, as with digital television broadcasts, tells the
recording device being used to encrypt the recording to prevent
further distribution of it.
But the RIAA stresses that there is no intent to prevent
consumers from enjoying DAB as they would traditional analogue
radio - by manually pressing a button to start and stop recording a
song. Instead, says the RIAA, it is merely trying to prohibit
"cherry-picking" and the unfettered redistribution of the
music.
For its part, consumer group the Consumer Electronics
Association warned the FCC that restraints on DAB could stifle
innovation, chill technological progress, and deny US consumers the
non-commercial recording rights upon which they have come to
rely.
"This [consultation] is the latest example of the content
community - in this case the Recording Industry Association of
America - seeking to limit consumers' recording rights and rollback
the landmark 'Betamax' decision, which maintains that manufacturers
have the right to sell a product if it is capable of any
commercially significant non-infringing uses," said CEA President
and CEO Gary Shapiro.
"Interfering with radio broadcasters' shift to digital
broadcasting would choke off advancement and modernisation. Not
only is that un-American, it's totally without merit," he
added.
A further set of comments is due to be submitted to the FCC by
16th July.
