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Broadcasters Alarmed About FCC’s National Broadband Plan

Mar 16, 2010  •  Post A Comment

There’s nothing more American than a good ol’ fight in Washington over policy changes.

In this case it’s the Federal Communications Commission’s new National Broadband Plan, which hasn’t even cooled after being pulled from the oven.

Says an article is Bloomberg’s Business Week, "The U.S. plan to expand high-speed Internet service might come at a cost to broadcasters and that may signal a fight when lawmakers are asked to help turn television airwaves over to wireless competitors."

And Politico’s "Broadband Plan Alarms Broadcasters" article quotes Dennis Wharton, an Executive Vice President of the National Association of Broadcasters and the NAB’s primary spokesperson as saying, in a statement:

“We were pleased by initial indications from FCC members that any spectrum reallocation would be voluntary, and were therefore prepared to move forward in a constructive fashion on that basis…However, we are concerned by reports today that suggest many aspects of the plan may in fact not be as voluntary as originally promised.” 

7 Comments

  1. The FCC has been on a roll for some years starting with Commissioner Reed Hundt, to wipe out broadcasting and make us totally reliant on the internet for mass communication.
    The implications go to potential economic monopolies, and worse, control of all content, with the ability to stifle views contrary to those in power at any given time.
    We must preserve our public airwaves and the broadcast medium in general. It is at the very fibre of our Republic.

  2. I concur, and for what it’s worth, I think Mr. Wharton’s response is little on the tepid side.
    If I were in his shoes, I would be positively livid with outrage over representatives of the federal agency meant to oversee your industry being involved in a covert plan with at least one ultimate goal of nothing less than the elimination of your industry.
    Imagine the auto industry (and anyone involved with to any degree) finding out that their industries’ declines were the result of a government conspiracy with a major goal of replacing privately owned cars with single. national public transit industry. Overseen by the feds, of course
    Some would applaud such an idea, no doubt, just as there are those who will applaud this FCC plan. Probably the same groups of people. Possessed of a singular lack of vision. In their eyes, the government can do no wrong.

  3. “the very fibre of our Republic” is over-the-air broadcasting? Really?
    According to the Television Bureau of Advertising, analysis of Nielsen data indicates that nearly 90 % of TV households have either cable or satellite. You are suggesting we might have anarchy without “free” airings of American Idol? I don’t get it…

  4. Most broadcasters haven’t even been a chance to fully to utilize the spectrum, and now the government is forcing them to give it back? http://bit.ly/bGBXzN The real issue is that this plan both unneeded and unwanted. Only 5% of people live in an area where they don’t get connections, but the majority of people without high speed internet think the internet is a waste of time. But we’re going to force it upon them?

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