Spectrum Policy Gets "F" in Preparedness

The 9/11 Public Disclosure Project has given spectrum policy an F grade in emergency preparedness, which it will upgrade to a C+ if current DTV transition hard-date legislation passes. The project, made up of former members of the 9/11 Commission, recommends a 2007 hard date, saying 2009 is "too distant given the urgency of the threat." (See below a prediction that the date will become even more distant.) House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) countered saying that "the benefits of adopting a hard date for the digital television transition are numerous and significant. For years, our first responders have had to make do with antiquated radio equipment while waiting for the airwaves they were promised. Our digital-television transition bill will make it easier for these public servants to catch criminals, fight fires and save lives." The House bill provides $500 million for first-responder equipment, which Barton also pointed to. The Senate bill, however, would provide double that amount. In the same report, Ken Tomlinson's efforts at the Board for International Broadcasting got pretty high marks. The government got a B for international broadcasting operations to the Arab and Muslim world that were launched under Tomlinson, who chairs the Broadcasting Board of Governors. The report pointed to growing budgets and audience shares but added that "we need to move beyond audience size [and] expose listeners to new ideas and accurate information about the U.S. and its policies, and measure the impact and influence of these ideas."
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