[BC] Public File proceeding

[Harold Hallikainen]

This also calls into question the whole concept of "public interest." As I
recall, the Commission grants ALL radio licenses subject to the "public
interest and necessity." This includes cellphone licensees and all other
licensed users of the electromagnetic spectrum. Only broadcasters have a
"public interest obligation" that extends beyond what the market demands
(such as the PIF, children's television limits, lowest unit rates, etc.).
The justification for the public interest obligation on broadcasters has
been justified by saying that the public needs to be compensated for the
use of the public resource (the electromagnetic spectrum). This is a
barter transaction where each side thinks they're overpaying. NAB recently
released data on how many billions of dollars of public service time and
effort broadcasters are expending (to "pay" for use of the spectrum). I
notice that newspapers run community announcements even though they are
not obligated to do so. They do it because it gets them readers. So, does
the same action by broadcasters really compensate the public for use of
the spectrum?

I think we should get rid of this barter system and should just auction
fixed term leases for the exclusive use of chunks of spectrum. Users of
the spectrum would serve the public because the public pays them (often
through listening to advertising). Those that do not serve the public
would go out of business. The government could use lease auction proceeds
to directly benefit the public in any way, including, perhaps, purchase of
time for public affairs programming, or whatever.

More thoughts on this at http://sujan.hallikainen.org/ijclp/ .

Harold

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