LPTV advocacy praises House spectrum bill

0

The NAB was happy with the end result produced by the House Communications Subcommittee regarding repurposing television spectrum for wireless broadband – thanks to elements offering protection to broadcast incumbents – and the NAB’s opinion has been seconded and then some by LPTV advocacy SpectrumEvolution.org.


SEO found much to like, and many committee members to applaud, starting with Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR).
SEO was happy that:

* LPTV stations remain vulnerable to displacement only by full power television stations, and will not be subject to expulsion from the dial by a wireless bidder.

* Language was included that opens the possibility of broadband and other services provided by broadcasters making flexible use of licensed spectrum.

* LPTV received a special mention from Mary Bono-Mack (R-CA) during the markup.

* The problem of squeezed broadcast spectrum availability along the borders with Canada and Mexico was specifically addressed by John Dingell (D-MI) and Brian Bilbray (R-CA).

* Ample funding was provided to pay expenses for stations uprooted by channel repacking.

RBR-TVBR observation: There were disagreements between the two parties that may gum up the works when there is an attempt to merge this bill with whatever comes out of the Democrat-controlled Senate. However, the good news is that the differences regarding broadcast safeguards were not prominent among them, which is cause for optimism that deleterious language will not find its way into a final bill as the legislative process moves forward.