In the October issue, EOM column author Anthony Gargano writes, "Is the broadcast community asleep at the switch? It certainly appears so. H-e-l-l-o-o?! Are you awake out there? Microsoft, Google, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry (CTIA) and what seems like a cast of thousands all seemingly being aided and abetted by the FCC are on a mission. They want to evict you from your frequency, taking away your most valuable asset: your spectrum!
It is dumbfounding to see the lack of any meaningful effort at engaging the public about this threat to the broadcast community."
This Broadcast Engineering reader agrees, and asks why broadcasters are quiet on the spectrum issue.
"Regarding Anthony Gargano's EOM column in the October, 2011 BE (sorry I'm a bit behind in my reading), he is absolutely correct! Here in the Washington, DC area radio spots have been running regularly on the primary news/info station extolling the virtues of "more spectrum for wireless broadband." These spots are sponsored by the CTIA and are nothing but rhetoric aimed at getting the public to call their representatives. The public is quite enamored with their wireless phones and internet devices. They have no concept of how "spectrum" is really used, or why, and they may not realize what will be lost if broadcasting is squeezed out.
Where are the competing spots from the broadcasting industry???"
Eric Wenocur
Washington, D.C.
