[opendtv] Dissed Broadcast Engineers Slam FCC

From: Albert Manfredi <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:23:31 -0400
Maybe true that MOST of the topics of discussion wouldn't benefit a lot from 
having broadcast engineers present, but one topic certainly would: the bit 
about so-called "cellular TV." I.e., SFNs as a way to make better use of 
spectrum.
 
Without competent broadcast engineers present, I'm afraid that topic will be 
covered by the usual clueless platitudes and half-truths.
 
Bert
 
-----------------------------
http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/102240
 
Dissed Broadcast Engineers Slam FCC
06.18.2010.

How can you have a broadcast engineering forum and not invite the Society of 
Broadcast Engineers?
 
That’s what the SBE is wondering. It has sent a blistering letter to Federal 
Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski, signed by the society’s 
president, Vinnie Lopez, expressing “dismay and serious concern” over the 
planned June 25 FCC Broadcast Engineering Forum.
 
The FCC set up that forum in support of possible rulemakings involving the 
broadcast television bands resulting from the National Broadband Plan’s 
reallocation of spectrum. At the time, the commission said it had “invited a 
number of broadcast industry engineers and technical experts in related fields” 
to meet.
 
“While the SBE does not summarily oppose discussion and resolution of a viable 
and reasonable plan to make broadband services more available,” the society now 
says in a press release distributed along with a copy of the letter, “the 
society is suspicious of the process that seems to have already made its own 
conclusions; as evidenced by the recent disclosure of the report ‘Spectrum 
Analysis: Options for Spectrum OBI Technical Paper No. 3.’
 
“There seems to be a thinly veiled purpose in this meeting,” the SBE continued, 
“to co-opt broadcast television ownership in the FCC's plan to reclaim and 
reallocate 120 MHz of free broadcast television spectrum for broadband services 
allocated by auction; likely exchanging over-the-air television reception which 
is free to the public for subscription-based services similar to those offered 
by cellular and telecom providers.”
 
In the open letter to Genachowski, Lopez wrote that it appears “the broadcast 
owners are being represented on this panel, but not broadcast engineers.” He 
also complained that the forum had been set up with little more than two weeks’ 
notice, and that the SBE was turned away when it sought to participate as an 
organization.
 
At best, the FCC staff didn’t handle the planning of the event well, Lopez 
said. “At worst, it appears that the participants in the panel were chosen in 
order to provide the commission with the appearance of an industry consensus, 
evidencing a predetermined outcome,” namely the reclamation of a big chunk of 
TV spectrum.
 
He further criticized the commission for not making public the working group 
sessions, finding that to be contrary to promises of openness and transparency 
that have been made by the Genachowski FCC and the Obama administration. 
“Candidly, we expected better,” he wrote.
 
Lopez urged the FCC to open the event to the public and/or postpone it. -- 
Radio World
                                          
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[opendtv] Dissed Broadcast Engineers Slam FCC

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