Would launch the process of broadcaster relocation and spectrum auctioning
By John Eggerton — Broadcasting & Cable, 12/9/2011 1:36:37 PM
As expected, providing the FCC with authority to compensate broadcasters for moving off spectrum was included in the Republican’s end-of-year legislative package, which was released Friday.
The package, which includes Democrat must-pass legislation like the payroll tax holiday extension and unemployment benefits, generally incorporates the Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum (JOBS) Act, a House Communications Subcommittee version of spectrum incentive auction authority that passed out of that committee last week.
The bill gives the FCC the authority to pay broadcasters for reclaiming some of their spectrum — it already has the authority to reclaim it, just not to pay for the privilege — and sets up a mechanism to auction it for wireless broadband, though technically anyone could bid on it. It uses some of the proceeds from that auction to compensate broadcasters — it does not say how much — and to build a broadband emergency communications network, with the rest, an estimated $15 billion going to deficit reduction. (read more)
Please keep me informed. I want to see not less local stations but more stations. Using the digital technology
there is no excuse for not having at least 5 or 10 local bradcast stations that serve a local market place with
local advertising and local news.
The FCC has in the past made many very stupid decisions not based on facts. It as if they try to ignore the laws of nature. Onw of the best example is the fact that channel one for analog TV NTSC was assigned after the FCC assigned the space to amateur radio. Another mistake is even considering Broadband over power line which would have made valuable lower frequencies useless – this include some fire and emergency channels due to
the extreme noise which would be emitted from the BPL power lines.
One of the largest source of tax revenues in history is the sale of cellular frequencies. We are still paying for using cellular frequencies and some additional fees so that some consumers can get access? What a crock..
I will contact Senator Isackson and Representative Price about this matter. I consider this issue a matter
of free speech in that the three dominant networks have controlled informatio for many years.
In addition, the taxpayer is subsidizing NPR which has become a very one sided political tool.
This is not new. The next thing that the government will want is to remove AM from the airwaves.
I was honestly hoping that with the more effecient use of sprectrum for digital TV – many new
local stations could exist.
The other fact that no one is talking about is that color TV when it first came out was a boost to the
economy of the 60′s. We could use a boost in the economy of many local stations.
The American Economy runs on optimism. When color TV came along and color TV set became less
expensive, americans becan watching, and in watching saw many marvelous things. The power
of TV was used to enlighten and strenthen our optimism.
Local digital TV coupled with the internet has many other low cost ways to educate the public – chilidren
and adults.
Ed Bleichner