Commissioner Clyburn Not Sold on FCC Spectrum Recommendations

Federal Communications Commission member Mignon Clyburn was supportive of the National Broadband Plan, but raised concerns about spectrum reclamation which could "further decimate the prospects for women and minority owners" of broadcast outlets.

She is also concerned about the potential impact on news and information and minority and smaller-market broadcasters. "While the plan acknowledges the current public interest mandates and goals of broadcast spectrum, it does not contain a rigorous analysis of the practical implications of its proposed actions on the public interest," Commissioner Clyburn said. "This is a serious concern given that the broadcast spectrum is the lone spectrum through which our nation's public interest goals are effectuated. Likewise, the plan does not study the impact that a spectrum sell-off would have on women and minority-owned broadcast television stations. It is certainly possible, if not likely, that the stations most amenable to accept the buyout would be those few owners. It is no mystery how poorly these groups are represented among the media ownership ranks...In my view, we may be doing the country a disservice if our actions left Americans relying on over-the-air television with only the major networks at the expense of smaller stations serving niche audiences who rely on them for their news and information."