In less than less five weeks, the broadcast industry has reduced by 19
percent the estimated number of TV sets in the United States that rely solely on
free, over-the-air broadcasting for video-programming services.
In an Aug. 3 federal filing released Tuesday, the National Association of
Broadcasters claimed that 81 million TV sets are not hooked up to pay TV
providers, such as cable or direct-broadcast satellite.
The NAB offered that statistic to the Federal Communications Commission to
emphasize that 'it would be inappropriate for the [agency] to discount the
important role' local TV stations play in delivering local content to millions
of Americans.
The trade group said 46.5 million sets are in broadcast-only homes and 34.5
million are in homes that subscribe to pay TV providers.
One month ago, Gary Chapman, president and CEO of LIN Television Corp., gave
a speech in Washington, D.C., during which he declared that 100 million sets
were off-air only, citing a study by Nielsen Media Research. The NAB's data were
derived from the 'Home Technology Report' prepared by Statistical Research
Inc.
In June, two broadcast-industry consultants -- Dr. Joseph S. Kraemer and
Richard O. Levin -- prepared a report for the NAB backing LIN's 100 million
figure.
