Spectrum auctions are fine, say the chairs of three congressional caucuses representing minority interests, but the FCC needs to make sure those minority communities don't lose TV service. And they note that low-power stations are particularly important.
Low-Power TV Defended In High Places
Lawmakers who chair three congressional caucuses focused on American minority groups are concerned about how the FCC’s spectrum auctions may impact Class A and low-power stations serving minority audiences. They’ve cautioned FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski not to degrade service in repacking spectrum.
“As you know, our constituents are more dependent on broadcast television than the general population, including relying heavily on Class A and low power television (LPTV) broadcasters,” wrote the trio – Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Tex.), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
“Further, it is critical that these auctions not stunt the growth of multicast programming, which has proven to be an effective platform for niche minority programming,” they said in a joint letter to Genachowski.
So while they applauded the FCC’s efforts to stimulate wireless communications with new spectrum, they warned against any moves which would degrade or decrease television service to minority communities.
“Given the dependence that our communities place on broadcast television, including Class A and LPTV, maintaining a robust free and local broadcasting system must remain a priority for the FCC,” the lawmakers insisted.
Comments (3)
Ellen Samrock says:
September 25, 2012 at 5:08 pm
The FCC has a real juggling act (or is it a magic act) on its hands trying to confiscate 120MHz of spectrum from broadcasters while being instructed by Congress to preserve all of the different types of broadcast television services. No wonder they can’t come up with an AOM.
Kimberly Gari-Luff says:
September 25, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Gee, mainstream America must really suck and I just never noticed. I’m content in the middle of it, while so many people express the need to avoid it.
Not sure how it is now, but there was one Oriental station that was wall-to-wall martial arts movies, 40 years old, fuzzy B&W with two or three sets of subtitles. If that’s important ethnic culture, please feed me to the lions, now.
Gregg Palermo says:
September 27, 2012 at 3:28 pm
The answer is simple. Identify the 8 percent of homes that can’t/won’t afford cable or satellite and subsidize them with the signals of cultural programs, national or local. That way they get the minority-interest programs without squandering bandwidth for a channel with a handful of over-the-air viewers. No, people would not get free cable or satellite of all channels, just the local signals plus narrow cultural channels. Using spectrum to reach a tiny handful of people is a stupid policy if there is another alternative..