NAB takes on Microsoft, Google with anti-white space internet ads

It's not often Microsoft and Google are on the same seemingly-losing side of a debate, but things just aren't looking good for the White Space Coalition, the open-airwaves internet access project backed by the two giants, as well as Dell, HP, Intel, and Philips. The once-promising tech was to transmit broadband-speed data in the "white space" between existing television signals, but pretty much failed its initial FCC testing by causing static on nearby channels and hasn't really been heard from since. Well, that's not enough for the feisty suits at the National Association of Broadcasters, which is taking out a series of ads in a campaign against the system, saying that "while our friends at Intel, Google and Microsoft may find system errors, computer glitches and dropped calls tolerable, broadcasters do not." This fight may or may not have legs depending on how the upcoming 700MHz auction goes, but one thing is clear -- the offices of the NAB are clearly not served by Comcast.

[Thanks, Mike]

[s3.14dr @ Sep 11th 2007 7:32AM]

There is so much broadcast television that is just wasted airwaves. Of course if I was making six figures or better off advertisers, I wouldn't be willing to give that up without a fight either. People don't really want broadcast television, they put up with it. Of course most shows that are worth watching come out on DVD eventually, and without commercial. Broadcast television needs to make some serious changes, but that's just my opinion.

[nikster @ Sep 11th 2007 7:55AM]

I wonder - if all those airwaves were used for big fat internet transmissions - maybe then we could all have our internet TV on demand. Joost and co. pretty much work even with the current infrastructure, adding those airwaves can only help.

[nikster @ Sep 11th 2007 7:53AM]

"while our friends at Intel, Google and Microsoft may find system errors, computer glitches and dropped calls tolerable, broadcasters do not" LOL - that hit where it hurts, esp. Microsoft.

Let's just hope no one points out that the NAB uses most of these valuable airwaves for unproductive crapola like selling exercise machines that don't work to bored housewives. In other words they are putting this resource to a complete waste. Is that in the public interest?

Glass houses and stone throwing come to mind.

[Totalfixation @ Sep 11th 2007 8:00AM]

At first I was glad NAB was doing something to combat bad signal quality in tv broadcasting. But it seems MS, Google and the rest seem to be more in the best interest of the people. I suppose the airwaves should be better suited for Internet so we can use IPTV.

[Eric @ Sep 11th 2007 8:41AM]

This is saber rattling, pure and simple. If you're online, you're not watching TV. Besides, they've had it pretty sweet for years now, and any threat will be met with a lot of complaining. The real issue is that they will complain to the congress, who will complain to the FCC (or worse, pass some crazy protectionist law), and we'll loose another step to the more progressive countries.

[uberfu @ Sep 11th 2007 9:30AM]

This is no different than how the internet is affecting the Movie Industry - which in-itself isn't a far cry from the TV Industry - and also the Music Industry and the Oil Industry for that matter_

The latter 3 are already throwing temper-tantrums over how things used to be and how much they don't want change_ With high-speed internet audio [songs] and now movies are down relatively quick_ And the bullshit in the Middle East and South America over petroleum - with folks really starting to take a look at alternative fuel resources - these longtime 100+ year stangind industries are worried 'cause their precious moeny is on the fringe of drying up_

Unless they adapt_ The NAB is no different_ They are merely the latest group to have the band-wagon slap them across the face and say "pay attention or you're gonna lose out"_ And like the rest - they don't like change - they built something over years and years and don't want to let go_

[JP @ Sep 11th 2007 9:42AM]

What's the significance of the dashed lines under some of the company names?

[jason @ Sep 11th 2007 12:50PM]

people use them instead of "." at the end of their sentences.

[Randomness @ Sep 11th 2007 9:54AM]

"the offices of the NAB are clearly not served by Comcast." Sooooo true.

Anyway, it wasn't approved yet, and isn't going to be approved if it causes interference, so this campaign is pretty pointless. They are just stirring the pot getting people rattled over nothing. If they can get it to work, everyone better shut up and let progress move forward. I'm sick of the entrenched companies and conglomerates that own everything including Congress, holding back innovation (and being successful at holding it back) just to stay in power and $$$.

[Dauthia @ Sep 11th 2007 10:35AM]

An ad campaign against the idea will only serve to draw more attention to the issue, and the majority will probably be against them. This product is something lots of people would be interested in, I'm sure, and giving up the crappy broadcast tv won't bother most people if a better alternative is available.

[mike @ Sep 11th 2007 11:41AM]

I honestly can't remember the last time I tried watching broadcast tv... I'd be much happier with fast, ubiquitous internet over fuzzy ABC & NBC any day of the week.

[fhyageu @ Sep 11th 2007 1:40PM]

Shouldn't the move from analog to digital tv broadcasts in a couple years cut the bandwidth that they require?

[Josh @ Sep 11th 2007 6:10PM]

unbending morons in our government. Reminds me of my last visit to the DOT *shutters*

[erichd @ Sep 11th 2007 7:10PM]

Just as a point of order, there's no reliable testing that shows Static ebing caused by the use of whitespace.

Bill Moyer's covered it on his Program -- and how the NAB and its members profit by killing progress.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08172007/profile.html

The program's more alook at how one small radio station satyed up during and after Katrina, but has received virtually no assistance fromt he NAB or other agencies of th eUS Government. Also, how that station serve dthe need sof the community even after commerical stations came back up (those stations played Top 40 rather than broadcast emergency information)