On Wednesday the NAB (which opposes Zonecasting technology) circulated a letter from House Reps Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Darren Soto (D-FL) that was sent to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel questioning the technology GeoBroadcasting Solutions has been trying to get through at the Commission.
The letter states that the GeoBroadcasting “solution is cleverly marketed as a tool to serve Black and Brown communities, when in fact it can be used for just the opposite – to avoid serving those communities. Any potential benefit must be weighed against this significant risk for harm. As members of the Committee of jurisdiction in this matter, we also are concerned about any technology that could degrade free, over-the-air radio service by introducing harmful interference.”
The letter the NAB circulated does make you wonder if elected officials are really paying attention to the issues they are asked to support…or oppose. Here’s what Clarke said about the issue back in December 2020. “I am proud of the FCC’s consideration of modifying FM booster rules that could potentially help minority-owned stations better serve their communities. I applaud Commissioner Starks’ leadership on this issue. As we battle the COVID- 19 pandemic, it is important for hyper-localized content, like news and emergency alerts to be delivered to the communities that need this tailored content the most. We must ensure that innovative technologies, like geo-targeting, are used in ways to uplift marginalized communities and spur small business growth.”
GeoBroadcast is seeking to change an FCC rule that would allow stations to broadcast geo-targeted content including news, traffic and advertising, for five minutes or less per hour.
