Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: FCC commissioner says time to nix regulations
From: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 20:10:39 -0400
--=====================_47128609==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 13:00:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com> ***** http://cgi.pathfinder.com/netly/afternoon/0,1012,1925,00.html time.com / The Netly News / Afternoon Line April 22, 1998 Medium Not-So-Rare Broadcasters and free-marketeers have long criticized the idea that the FCC may regulate the airwaves because the radio and TV spectrum is a scarce, limited resource. Today an FCC commissioner agreed with them. The FCC used scarcity to justify regulation "while simultaneously pursuing policies designed to ensure scarcity continues," Michael Powell (son of Colin) said at a luncheon speech to the Media Institute. "We must take the truth about the scarcity of broadcast media out of the closet rather than engage in continued denial," Powell said. The Supreme Court upheld these regulations in an influential 1969 case, Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, which concluded airwaves were still "a scarce resource" and thus subject to government "restraints." Powell said "advances in technology" like the Internet and digital convergence mean it's time to ditch Red Lion: "It will become impossible to separate broadcasting." What this could mean is an end to indecency regulations, radio and TV station ownership regs and children's programming requirements -- not to mention some proposals to regulate the Internet. But former FCC commissioner James Quello told us afterward that Powell may have a tough time convincing the more regulation-happy commissioners. Even with Harold Furchtgott-Roth's support, Quello said, any vote would be a close-but-not-enough 3-2. --By Declan McCullagh/Washington -------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- the moderated mailing list of politics and technology To subscribe: send a message to majordomo () vorlon mit edu with this text: subscribe politech More information is at http://www.well.com/~declan/politech/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --=====================_47128609==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" <font size=3>Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 13:00:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com> ***** <font size=3>http://cgi.pathfinder.com/netly/afternoon/0,1012,1925,00.html <font size=3>time.com / The Netly News / Afternoon Line April 22, 1998 Medium Not-So-Rare Broadcasters and free-marketeers have long criticized the idea that the FCC may regulate the airwaves because the radio and TV spectrum is a scarce, limited resource. Today an FCC commissioner agreed with them. The FCC used scarcity to justify regulation "while simultaneously pursuing policies designed to ensure scarcity continues," Michael Powell (son of Colin) said at a luncheon speech to the Media Institute. "We must take the truth about the scarcity of broadcast media out of the closet rather than engage in continued denial," Powell said. The Supreme Court upheld these regulations in an influential 1969 case, Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, which concluded airwaves were still "a scarce resource" and thus subject to government "restraints." Powell said "advances in technology" like the Internet and digital convergence mean it's time to ditch Red Lion: "It will become impossible to separate broadcasting." What this could mean is an end to indecency regulations, radio and TV station ownership regs and children's programming requirements -- not to mention some proposals to regulate the Internet. But former FCC commissioner James Quello told us afterward that Powell may have a tough time convincing the more regulation-happy commissioners. Even with Harold Furchtgott-Roth's support, Quello said, any vote would be a close-but-not-enough 3-2. --By Declan McCullagh/Washington -------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- the moderated mailing list of politics and technology To subscribe: send a message to majordomo () vorlon mit edu with this text: subscribe politech More information is at <font size=3>http://www.well.com/~declan/politech/ <font size=3>-------------------------------------------------------------------------- </font> --=====================_47128609==_.ALT--
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