At 3:09 PM -0400 9/18/08, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
First I want to say, I'm *very* glad to see that the FCC acknowledges that OTA users want access to adjacent markets. Seems to me that Wilmington NC and Gainsesville FL are similar, in that neither has the "full complement" of OTA networks available to them. But at least, Wilmington was able to get some channels from Raleigh.
BertWe do not have access to adjacent market signals, unless you want to put up a 50 foot tower and pray that you can get enough margin for digital reception of the stations in Jacksonville and Orlando.
We get these stations via CABLE.We get these stations because stations in other markets are willing to pay to get them to the cable head ends in Gainesville and Ocala, primarily via dedicated microwave links.
Personally, I think that the FCC is WRONG to be concerned about the ability to receive out of market stations; why have a market based system if you are going to help out-of-market stations compete with in-market stations.
In reality, what the FCC is trying to protect is the LEGACY of market-into-market "interference." They are protecting historic limitations of the analog broadcast system and the coverage quirks that came along with a broadcast infrastructure that radiates out-of-market signals into adjacent markets.
It seems inconsistent that they should protect some out-of-market competition, but prohibit it (and protect broadcasters in most markets). Sure its nice to get secondary services - you are a huge beneficiary of this coverage quirk. But this just points to the inconsistency of the legacy service and the decision NOT to fix this with the transition to digital.
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