FM in cells just the start.

Speculation Apple is poised to activate sleeping FM capabilities in iPhones and iPod Touch is welcome news for the radio industry, but it’s just the beginning.  Soon everything from laptops to portable video games may also have an FM component.   The cell phone market could give that effort momentum.

The NAB’s FastRoad Committee is leading the charge. “We’re working actively on getting FM radio and TV on laptops,” says committee member and WBEB, Philadelphia owner Jerry Lee.  That effort is focused on Dell, which has begun to merge computer and television technology.   Lee adds, “Eventually you’re going to have FM radios on everything.”

Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan says, “Right now our priority is cell phones, and we’re making progress, but our goal is to get FM tuners in every portable device.”  Unlike other tech companies, Apple has been less willing to sit down and discuss radio’s potential.  But last month’s release of the new FM-enabled iPod Nano shows industry requests aren’t falling on deaf ears.

Speculation other models already have built-in tuners that simply haven’t been activated isn’t surprising to Smulyan who’s spearheading industry’s efforts.  “A lot of chips have been sent into this country,” he explains. “Nokia has installed 750 million in phones around the world, but it’s not common here because carriers have blocked it.”

New National Association of Broadcasters chief Gordon Smith says getting radios on more devices is among his top priorities.  Federal law requires mobile carriers to begin distributing EAS alerts and broadcasters are hoping that will lead carriers to embrace radio.  NAB Radio Board chair Charles Warfield sees huge benefits, particularly since songs can be “tagged” for purchase using Radio Data System (RDS) technology.  “FM receivers could provide another revenue stream for mobile network providers as well as broadcasters,” he told last month’s NAB Radio Show.