D
dbdigital
Guest
I don't know if any of you have read Chairman Martin's opening remarks at yesterday's localism hearing in Chicago, but I found these statements interesting:
"The Commission currently is considering adopting this
idea of allowing small and independently owned businesses and other qualified designated
entities to use some of broadcasters’ digital capacity.
In this same rulemaking, the Commission is also seeking comment on several other proposals to
allow “qualified designated entities” to more easily get into broadcasting such as by allowing
them to purchase expired construction permits and be allotted additional time to construct the
broadcast facilities."
So what does he mean by "qualified designated entities" and just where are these expired CP's located that minorities can buy..Open Range, Montana, broadcasting to the cows?
And, I'm sorry, but if the Commission didn't spell out a must-carry or some kind of policy regarding minority or small businesses when either DTV or HD Radio was initially ruled on, it ain't gonna happen. Broadcasters have invested too much in the transition to digital to allow low-rent (and possibly competing) media businesses to occupy its bandwidth. The NAB will fight that ruling with everything they have.
But Martin could have mentioned LPAM, a petition that has been on the FCC docket since 2003. That he failed to do so or mention anything about opening up more spectrum (like channel 6 or domestic SW) for either commercial or non-commercial broadcasting tells me that the agency is not really giving this serious thought.
But it sure sounded good in Chicago.
db
"The Commission currently is considering adopting this
idea of allowing small and independently owned businesses and other qualified designated
entities to use some of broadcasters’ digital capacity.
In this same rulemaking, the Commission is also seeking comment on several other proposals to
allow “qualified designated entities” to more easily get into broadcasting such as by allowing
them to purchase expired construction permits and be allotted additional time to construct the
broadcast facilities."
So what does he mean by "qualified designated entities" and just where are these expired CP's located that minorities can buy..Open Range, Montana, broadcasting to the cows?
And, I'm sorry, but if the Commission didn't spell out a must-carry or some kind of policy regarding minority or small businesses when either DTV or HD Radio was initially ruled on, it ain't gonna happen. Broadcasters have invested too much in the transition to digital to allow low-rent (and possibly competing) media businesses to occupy its bandwidth. The NAB will fight that ruling with everything they have.
But Martin could have mentioned LPAM, a petition that has been on the FCC docket since 2003. That he failed to do so or mention anything about opening up more spectrum (like channel 6 or domestic SW) for either commercial or non-commercial broadcasting tells me that the agency is not really giving this serious thought.
But it sure sounded good in Chicago.
db