Pai Says FCC Is "Deeply Divided"

Ajit Pai

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai urged colleagues to push for AM reforms Thursday and said he’s not in favor of an FM chip mandate, according to RadioWorld.

Pai keynoted the “Future of Radio & Audio” symposium in Toronto that was organized by the North American Broadcasters Association.

Noting that the agency “has been deeply divided on many key issues” lately, according to prepared remarks, the commissioner observed that “AM revitalization is one area where we could come together to advance the common good. And now is the time to take concrete action because time isn’t on the side of this grand old band.”

When RW last checked, the Media Bureau was still working on the AM revitalization item; sources tell Radio World the issue has been slowed, because, in part, of the agency’s focus on broadband.

Noting radio’s plethora of competition in the auto dash, Pai said broadcasters can no longer “just sit back passively” and expect listeners to flock to them. “Rather, to meet consumer demand, they need to be more aggressive, to package their content in different ways and deliver it through a variety of means.”

He called Internet streaming and podcasting “good examples” of radio reaching out to meet listeners where they are.

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