Rep Dingell Slams FCC on Spectrum Policy, Sides with NAB

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) took the Federal Communications Commission to task for what he sees as a failure to fully answer his questions about spectrum policy. In a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Rep Dingell said he is "disturbed" that the FCC has not answered his spectrum questions "in a substantive manner."

Rep Dingell originally wrote to Chairman Genachowski in June with a list of detailed questions about the potential impact of the agency's spectrum proposals. In a response dated August 3, Chairman Genachowski responded to some aspects of the letter, but in Dingell's view, he was evasive on some key points. Chairman Genachowski appeared, in Dingell's view, to skirt one question in particular about the potential structure of incentive auctions, a proposal that would offer compensation to TV broadcasters to sell off their airwaves to mobile companies. The FCC wants Congress to approve such auctions. Rep Dingell and other members of Congress are concerned that broadcasters could be harmed by the proposal. "With respect to voluntary incentive auctions, it is imperative that Members of Congress know what effect they will have on the broadcast industry and their constituents' ability to receive free, over-the-air local programming," the congressman wrote. Rep Dingell suggested it might be necessary for members of Congress to file Freedom of Information Act requests if it wants to get real answers about the FCC. Rep Dingell also sided with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in his letter. NAB says the FCC's proposals could harm TV stations. Genachowski's "failure" to respond more fully "leaves me no alternative but to conclude that the NAB's analysis is probably more correct than not."