FCC broadband plan threatens 'golden age of broadcasting,' Goodmon says

The National Broadband Plan raises a serious, unanswered question in the mind of Jim Goodmon, president and CEO of Capitol Broadcasting: Why target the broadcast industry for spectrum?

The plan, presented to Congress March 16, calls for recouping 120MHz of spectrum currently used for DTV transmission, which can be auctioned and repurposed to support projected future demand for wireless broadband Internet service. Doing so will prevent broadcasters, who have toiled through a lengthy digital television transition, from fulfilling their highest potential, he said.

"I think we are right now at our best," Goodmon said. "We've never before been able to do so much, and I have no idea why [the FCC] have abandoned us. Of all the spectrum out there, you want to pick the spectrum that provides free local news to people?"

"I would say that the FCC — the chairman [Julius Genachowski] and his advisors — no longer support the idea of free over-the-air television," Goodmon said. "They can obviously expand broadband and take care of their whole broadband plan and never touch broadcast spectrum."