What Congress Should Do Now To Advance Civil Rights In The Digital Age

[Commentary] The Minority Media and Telecommunications Council calls upon Congress to channel the civil rights spirit of the 1964-1968 Congress and “act rapidly and comprehensively to adopt spectrum auctions. By doing so, Congress will deliver the nation a civil rights victory of profound magnitude, at a time when the nation badly needs one.”

The solution is congressional approval of spectrum incentive auctions, which would enable broadcasters to tender their spectrum to the government in exchange for some of the cash generated when it is auctioned to wireless providers. MMTC and organizations as diverse as the National Urban League, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Communications Workers of America, the U.S. Telecom Association and the National Association of Broadcasters have endorsed spectrum incentive auctions. Congress should establish clear, comprehensive and unambiguous ground rules for:

• who should be permitted to bid – including how to protect minority entrepreneurship;
• how broadcasters should be fairly compensated for their spectrum; and
• how to preserve diversity of voices as some broadcasters elect to relinquish spectrum.