The National Association of Broadcasters says there is a way to further the "worthy goal" of broadband deployment" without handicapping broadcasters' ability to survive and thrive in the digital age it has just transitioned to.
"Broadband deployment to unserved areas is a worthy goal, and broadcasters believe we can help the FCC accomplish its mission without stifling growth opportunities of free and local TV stations and the millions of viewers that we serve," said NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton.
He was responding to the FCC's release Wednesday of a request for comment on how broadcasters use their spectrum now and how they might be reconfigured to use less so it could be given over to wireless broadband use, which the commission has said will be crucial to universal broadband deployment.
"We would hope policymakers would remember that after spending $15 billion upgrading to the next generation of television, broadcasters just returned to the government more than a quarter of the spectrum used for free and local TV service," said Wharton.
