FCC's Genachowski at CES

In a wide-ranging one-on-one keynote interview with Consumer Electronics Association chief Gary Shapiro at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Jan. 8, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski described broadband as an "engine for economic growth" and emphasized that providing wireless broadband access will be an important component of the national broadband plan the Commission is currently formulating. While the FCC will explore using the spectrum more efficiently, such as through secondary licensing, he said it is clear the FCC needs to find more spectrum to achieve its goal of universal broadband access. The two most likely sources are broadcasters and government users of spectrum. But Chairman Genachowski did acknowledge the importance of stations' existing DTV broadcasts.