CEA’s survey finding that the percentage in the...

which bills itself as the leader in antenna technology reinvented for the digital era. CEA President Gary Shapiro had said the findings are evidence that “we are at a pivotal point in consumer behavior, as fewer and fewer American homes are now using only antennas to watch their favorite television programs, and more and more households turn to the Internet as a source of TV content.” But Antennas Direct President Richard Schneider said Shapiro is wrongheaded because “with the popularity of digital television, antenna sales are on fire with unit volume doubling in the first quarter,” in an email. “The billions of dollars invested by broadcasters and antenna companies have brought joy to millions of Americans’ viewing experience. Customers are embracing this new digital over-the-air technology at a pace that is shocking for even the jaded consumer electronics industry.” Shapiro typifies those “who oppose innovation” and can’t “let go of the status quo,” Schneider said. “Consumers despise the relationship they have with pay television and want to be liberated from it.” Millions of American TV viewers “have already cut the cord,” he said. “Over-the-air television is exploding thanks to digital multicasting, cord-cutting and a better picture quality. You can’t stop that. They want the dozens of uncompressed high-definition channels over the air for free.” Shapiro in an email Friday defended the survey as “real unbiased objective research.” It shows that fewer and fewer people are relying on free over-the-air broadcast TV, Shapiro told us. “It also shows that there is real cord cutting going on. These are facts and we are just reporting them. The trend to other forms of media is real. Personally attacking me for the data is like attacking the weatherman because you don’t like the weather.” CEA is “on record” with the view that broadcast spectrum “is underused by the American public and we have supported the incentive auctions and were instrumental in getting that legislation to become a law,” Shapiro said. “We want to see the auction succeed.” Antennas Direct spokesman Scott Kolbe confirmed by email that the NAB supplied his company with journalists’ contact information so it could refute the CEA survey findings. NAB itself had declined comment on the CEA survey. “I think the reality is we are frustrated” because no antenna company can compete with CEA on lobbying resources, Kolbe told us. “It is a $50 sale and you are done.” Kolbe urged us to “look at the sales growth of Antennas Direct” and its competitors. “Everyone is growing,” he said. NAB representatives didn’t immediately comment.