Spectrum: Broadcasters Reluctant on Auctions

Despite the recent White House Summit on "Spectrum Auctions: Unlocking the Innovative Potential of Wireless Broadband" held last Wednesday, April 6th, many industry voices are still calling for better clarification on the scope of proposed 700 MHZ broadband systems.  Television broadcasters skipped the summit, according to the National Journal article, and reportedly fear a forced hand by the FCC to give up spectrum, if the Commission encounters a shortage in the face of the broadband boom.  They have already reluctantly agreed to participate in voluntary auctions reallocating part of their spectrum to wireless carriers.

In attendance to the summit were Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Austan Goolsbee, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Jason Furman.  Experts from Stanford, Duke, Columbia and Google were also in attendance.

Broadcasters were addressed April 6th at NAB Show 2011 in Las Vegas, NV by Chairman Genachowski, regarding the future of their industry.  He congratulated the victories of broadcasters meeting the challenges of today's television environment, noting that the world has become multi-platform.  The "three screens" (television, internet, and mobile) have shifted the climate in a different direction.  His main focus was on understanding the changing media environment, and encouraging broadcasters to adapt using market-based solutions to continue their businesses.  He re-iterated the need for broadband:


"The U.S. needs a vibrant, robust and open broadband ecosystem. We need it for our economy and for our global competitiveness. We need it so that all creators of content have access to a world-class broadband infrastructure -- mobile as well as fixed -- one that protects intellectual property, and one that enable content creators to deliver their product to consumers when, where, and how consumers want it."

How does this talk affect Public Safety?  Broadcasters have been encouraged to participate in incentive-driven voluntary auctions, in order to free up spectrum and make buildout possible of a nationwide broadband network.  The recent push for broadband affects the efficiency of which agencies communicate, and the broadcasting industry might be one more challenge to overcome on the path to building a strong first-responder network.  As they cling to the spectrum they have, they stunt growth that will come with the use of this "under-utilized" spectrum.  For now the incentive auctions have been voluntary, but if necessary for growth, it is not out of the scope of possibility for auctions to become legislation, considering all the current support for spectrum reallocation.