Digital TV and the Spectrum Grab of 1997

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The FCC has granted television station owners vast quantities of additional space on the valuable public airwaves,or "spectrum," and it has not yet required them to make any significant corresponding financial or public interest contributions in exchange.

Broadcasters want to use this spectrum to switch from their current "analog" transmission system to digital broadcasting, a technology that will permit them to provide several free, subscription, and pay-per-view channels, paging and other non-program services. This "spectrum grab" would limit diversity in the marketplace of ideas and permit broadcasters to use 70 billion dollars worth of publicly-owned spectrum for their own exclusive political and financial gain.

MAP and other public interest advocates would like to see the extra capacity provided by digital transmission used for free time for political candidates, increased children's educational programming, and "public spaces" for independent civic discourse.

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This page last modified 8/24/00.