FM modulators -- the ones people use to listen to their CD changer, iPod, or sattelite radio on their car stereo -- are a conspiracy to blot out NPR and Christian Radio signals that also occupy the 88-90Mhz band. Well, not really so much (unless you just want to blame Howard Stern for wanting to randomly appear on a more stiff-collared station once in a while), but studies by NPR Labs and the National Association of Brodcasters found that the transmitters, which are only supposed to be powerful enough to reach a couple feet to your car's radio antenna, are going to be found in around 1 out of every 100 cars you pass every day and the majority are powerful enough to blot out the radio listening in adjacent cars, against FCC regulations. The FCC is being petitioned to crack down on the overpowered FM transmitters (which amount to pirate radio broadcasting) and get manufacturers to recall the interfering modulators. (via Poynter)
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