Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) has told the FCC it needs to do more outreach to broadcasters about the benefits of participating in the broadcast spectrum incentive auctions.
In a letter to FCC acting chairwoman Mignon Clyburn, Eshoo, ranking member of the House Communications Subcommittee, praised the outreach to date via webinars and workshops in the FCC's LEARN outreach program. But she said that given the complexity of the auction, more needs to be done to reach "as many broadcasters as possible" about how they "may be able to serve their community" by sharing channels, moving from UHF to VHF or opting for cable- or satellite- or internet-only delivery.
The letter came the same day the FCC was holding a workshop on what it will cost broadcasters to move or share channels in repacking. There could also be costs for broadcasters who don't participate in the auction as the FCC rejiggers and repacks broadcasters into less spectrum.
Eshoo represents the 18th district of California, which includes Palo Alto, the birthplace of Silicon Valley and home to Google, Facebook, and other Internet/tech firms that want the FCC to collect as much spectrum from broadcasters as possible.
