[BC] Spectrum "looting in progress" update

[Bill Sepmeier]

Harold, you've been talking spectrum lease vs. sell since the 80's ... 
here's a slightly different viewpoint in today's Rocky Mountain News....

Speakout: Let analog sell-off benefit public

By Willard D. "Wick" Rowland Jr.
January 1, 2006

The Rocky Mountain News editorial of Dec. 26, "Unnecessary gift to free TV 
watchers," correctly critiques the recent federal budget provision of a $1.5 
billion set-top converter-box subsidy for analog TV set owners at the time 
of the final conversion to digital broadcasting in 2009. And the News ends 
with an important observation, "Surely Congress could have found a better 
use for the money." It certainly could have - Congress should place the 
funds in a public media trust fund.

The current plans for auctioning off the analog spectrum provide for no 
lasting public service legacy.

The airwaves are public property, yet they are being increasingly privatized 
and, in the process, the proceeds are being largely wasted.

Since the beginning of broadcasting 80 years ago Congress has permitted 
private, commercial interests to exploit the spectrum for extraordinary 
profit and little public return. The convertor box vouchers would continue 
that pattern by providing a subsidy for the consumer electronics industry, 
commercial broadcasting and cable television.

The rest of the proceeds will disappear into the great maw of the federal 
deficit.

How much better if they were set aside as an investment in trust for public 
service.

Most of the media and telecommunications interests have been contemplating 
only how to profit from the high-definition, "pretty pictures" aspects of 
digital telecasting.

Little commercial media and manufacturing industry thought has gone into the 
question of improved, socially useful content.

Only public broadcasting has been planning for the extensive noncommercial, 
educational and public service development of digital telecasting. Yet it 
remains seriously underfunded for that challenge.

It's long since time to substantially increase the federal contribution to 
public radio and television, more along the lines of the commitments in all 
other advanced democracies; and also through a means that is separate from 
the politically vulnerable annual appropriations process.

The auction of this public spectrum resource provides a once-in-a-century 
opportunity for establishing a significant and enduring public dividend. 
Let's not squander it.

Willard D. "Wick" Rowland Jr. is the president and CEO of Colorado Public 
Television, KBDI-Channel 12, and is the dean and professor emeritus at the 
University of Colorado's School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

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