The National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters has withdrawn its support for GeoBroadcast Solutions’ ZoneCasting proposal, becoming the latest trade group to oppose changing the FM booster rules to pave the way for the controversial technology. In a brief letter to the Federal Communications Commission on Monday, NABOB President and CEO Jim Winston says the group voted to “discontinue NABOB’s support” of the proposed rule amendment without explaining why.
While NABOB has pulled its support, the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council remains an advocate for the service. In an Oct. 31 letter to Chair Jessica Rosenworcel and the other three commissioners, MMTC President and CEO Richard Branson and President Emeritus David Honig decry the “over the top” personal attacks they claim have “polluted” the FCC record on the proceeding, presumably a reference to the NAB’s Sept. 22 ex parte filing which cited the “questionable business dealings” of GBS CEO Chris Devine and accused GBS of “engaging in frequent misrepresentations, misdirections, and false claims.” MMTC calls such attacks “irrelevant to the merits” of what it says should be “a routine notice-and-comment rulemaking.”
