Kaplan: FCC Is Ignoring Consequences of Variable Plan

Rick Kaplan, EVP of strategic planning for the National Association of Broadcasters, said that the Federal Communications Commission staff is ignoring the interference consequences of their proposed variable band plan.

"The staff steadfastly refuses to study the issue with any rigor, model it or even ask a single question about it," he said in a blog posting. FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Ruth Milkman blogged last week that broadcasters are misrepresenting their own proposal as a consensus plan, and that variability is key to a successful auction. But Kaplan, himself a former FCC Wireless Bureau chief, suggests that the FCC is confusing unanimity with consensus. "Have we found unanimity? Of course not. To be clear; reaching consensus is not the same thing as unanimity," he says. "Certainly everyone doesn't have to agree for a general consensus to emerge. Our work has moved the ball far down the field on typically contentious issues. And we believe strongly that the Commission staff should have adopted, and should be adopting, a get in the room together’ approach so we can achieve an expeditious and successful conclusion to the pre-auction process." He says industry players have been filling the void left by the FCC's failure to drive consensus.