[opendtv] Re: More on Verizon & Google

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 07:54:13 -0400

At 5:11 PM -0500 8/13/10, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
Because they occasionally overstep their bounds, Craig. Thank goodness we don't have a system in which overly-activist unelected bureaucrats are allowed to define public policy.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what we have today. This was not intended, but it is what the Federal Government has become, be it out of control bureaucrats, activist judges, or elected representatives who are beholden to special interests rather than the people.


Nothing demonstrates this more clearly that this FCC's approach to developing a broadband plan.

They are to be the managers of the resource, not the owners. Managing the use of a resource means going to the owners of the resource and asking for their intentions. It does not mean the manager imposing its intentions on the owners.

I completely agree with you and Dale on this.

I would point out however, that it was never intended that broadcasters would be the owners of the spectrum. It belongs to people, not the government nor the public and corporate interests who are ALLOWED to use it for "the public good." Of course you could make the same argument about private property rights that are being trampled by the government on a daily basis.

With respect to the development of the ATSC standard, however, the FCC did little to manage the process. Instead they let the special interests who would benefit from the new standard control the process, then mandated that the public buy receivers, even if they had no intention of using them.

Sound familiar? This is exactly what they are trying to do with health care.

The FCC created the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Services, and appointed a former FCC Chairman, Richard Wiley to run it. Who could be concerned about the fact that Wiley was a partner in one of the largest K Street telecommunications lobbying firms in DC, or that his firm represented almost all of the companies vying for a piece of the standard, and many of the CE companies that would benefit from building the mandated receivers?

This was not management, nor was it imposing intentions on the broadcasters that the FCC regulates. It was simply a case of special interests using the power of government to place mandates on consumers and generate ongoing royalty streams.

Regards
Craig



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