Most U.S. adults would listen to radio on their cellphones...

sponsored by the NAB. Its members are considering a possible deal on performance royalties with music labels that would ask Congress to require all cellphones to have such chips, an idea which has opposition from the consumer electronics and wireless industries (CD Aug 16 p5). Among 2,587 surveyed online Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 76 percent said they'd consider paying the 30 cents, and 66 percent said they'd use a radio built into a cellphone. “Young people seem especially enthusiastic about this additional function that they would always have in their pocket,” said Harris Vice President Aaron Heffron. NAB believes the survey shows “convincingly that there is significant demand for radio-capable cellphones,” a spokesman said. But a chip requirement is wrong, said CTIA Vice President Jot Carpenter. “FM capability is available today for consumers who want to access over-the-air radio on their mobile devices,” he said. “Contrary to NAB’s self-interested assertions, a majority of consumers do not want that capability, and the notion that they want to pay more for a functionality they do not want is ridiculous.” The CEA does “agree with the NAB that some consumers may want phones with FM receivers -- and they can have them, since numerous models of radio-equipped phones are already on the market,” CEA President Gary Shapiro said. “But NAB forgot to ask they key question: Do consumers really want the government to design their phones and require features?"