[opendtv] Opinion: Free at Last?
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:08:07 -0400
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6360257.html
AIRTIME: Let Broadcasters Be Free
By James H. Quello -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/5/2006 7:46:00 AM
Let Broadcasters Be Free:
A Timely Telecommunications Perspective
Broadcasters need help. In the surging competitive multichannel and
computer-omnipresent world, the government must assure the future
maintenance of television and radio's expensive but vital emergency,
local-news and community services.
The broadcasting emphasis is motivated by the need, in the surging
competitive multichannel and computer-omnipresent world, for
additional government consideration to assure future maintenance of
television and radio's expensive but vital emergency, local news and
community services.
My lifetime experience that bears on this venturesome proposal
include 23? years as an FCC Commissioner/Chairman, founder of the
Michigan State University Quello Telecommunications Center for
Management and Law, 32 months WWII overseas combat veteran
(amphibious landings in Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany)
and 26 years as a former broadcaster.
Some may consider my newfound open marketplace and universal
deregulatory approach as heresy coming from a former four time
confirmed Democratic commissioner who enforced regulations and
staunchly advocated affirmative action.
However, telecommunications in America have drastically changed the
past five years. I wonder if the general public and government
officials appreciate how much it has advanced thus necessitating a
more practicable marketplace approach to government regulation and
legislation.
Foremost, the amazing converging influence of the Internetand its
universal omnipresence must be fully considered. Secondly, the
multichannel effect of the digital transition, especially for
broadcasting, also requires a revised regulatory outlook.
Particularly, the Internet is the super all-purpose communications
device of today.Its vital importance is highlighted by its
description as the ultimate microcosm of humanity.The convergence of
the Internet has already pre-empted the controversial media cross
ownership issues. Today all media is universally available on the net.
Internet usage is experiencing phenomenal growth.According to
published reports, over 50 million people used the net last year with
estimates of 100 million in another year.Published estimates also
reported 18 billion dollars in Internet advertising last year - - -
meaning that much less for TV, radio, newspaper, cable, satellite,
DSL and all other advertising forms. Also, practically all current
students in grade school, high school or college are computer
literate. More and more homes have computersthey are becoming staples
in every home.
With the Internet and the multichannel, multi-faceted communications
world of today, we are now in an era of programming super
abundance.In this era, "scarcity" once used to justify government
regulation of broadcasting no longer existsIn the new super abundant
era it is difficult to justify why TV and radio programming the prime
providers of essential emergency and local news-information services
should be singled out for detailed government
regulation.Particularly, with TV destined to eventually be viewed as
a channel on a giant computer screen or by wireless in a competitive
500 plus channel universe.
With multichannel programming superabundance replacing "scarcity",
the public interest government mandates imposed exclusively and
discriminately against over-the-air broadcasting will become outdated
relics of the bygone "scarce" era within 10 years or perhaps much
sooner.
Also with the dynamic and still surging increases in competitive
multichannel programming and with the increasing multitudes of
transmission means along with the universal omnipresence of the
Internet, there is no longer a practical FCC public interest need for
restricting the reach of TV or radio.All are universally available to
everyone on the Internet and even on third generation cell phones.
For example, radio today faces an overflow of multiple competitors
that didn't even exist in 1996. That includes XM and Sirius satellite
radio; iPods; Internet radio (30 million American listeners each week
and growing; wireless phones (capable of downloading music and
streaming satellite radio); podcasting (downloadable commercial free
audio programming) cable and DBS subscription music services (50
channels of commercial free music) Wi-Max (expected to deliver
internet radio to cars within 2 years).
In fact, today, with broadcasting, cable, satellite, DSL and the
Internet there is much more overall diversified programming, more
news, information, public affairs, educational and sports than ever
since the enactment of the now outdated 1996 Communications Act.
Every conceivable interest is now available to the public actually
with a diverse programming overload. Now hundreds of diverse TV and
radio programs plus publications are available to everyone on the
Internet along with two way communications access.
In this current competitive era, I believe an open competitive
marketplace would best serve the consumer and further energize
industries for investments and for more communications advancements
at reduced cost to the public.
Consumers can benefit from the multiple options and reduced prices in
a large competitive open telecommunications marketplace, just like
consumers today benefit from the economy of scale and lower prices of
larger supermarkets over local and individually owned smaller
grocery, drug or department stores. In fact big is beneficial to
consumer not bad, offering wider selection at competitive lower
prices.
Monopolies can be obviated by existing anti-trust laws.Also civil,
criminal and all existing laws apply to everyone and to all
industries.The need for another layer of laws specifically for
broadcasters is outdated and discriminatory for this prime programmer
of the all important emergency and local news-information.Proposals
that the government mandate local TV programming are as preposterous
as government mandating breathing for human beings.Localism is the
very lifeblood of broadcasting making it an essential consumer
priority over hundreds of other program offerings.
Also TV for years has been the most influential and pervasive of all
news media.As such it is entitled to full First Amendment rights.If
TV had existed in 1776, it would have been the prime beneficiary of
the constitutional rights of free speech and all the implications of
the freedom of the press.
My overall conclusive message: A constructive forward looking open
market approach will further telecommunications advancements,
encourage investments and generate essential innovative services in
the marketplace and better serve consumers.
This is particularly true with the many larger conglomerates
aggressively competing against one another for public acceptance in
the super abundant multichannel, multi-faceted communications world
of today and tomorrow.
It may be nearing the timethat Congress set a date certain to
establish a telecommunications open marketplace and eliminate the
established barriers between TV, radio, newspaper, cable, satellite,
DSL and phone services.Companies should be allowed to enter any field
in open competition.Remember, it is entrepreneurial industry, not
government regulation, that provides investments, jobs and innovative
consumer-serving technical advancements.
Admittedly, this universal communications open market proposal may be
a few years ahead of itself, but the progressive benefits to
consumers and industries plus the need to effectively compete in the
challenging, burgeoning, international marketplace makes it a future
imperative.
In a few years communications in America will be well served if you
hear formerly regulated communications companies shout "Free at
last", Thank God we are free at last."
Quello was a FCC Commissioner 23?years until 1997 and is founder of
theQuello Telecomunicaiton Cente for Management and Law at Michigan
State University. He is also an independent government relations
consultant
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