The New America Foundation has released a report by J. H. Snider with this title, but the subtitle, "America's $480 Billion Spectrum Giveaway, How it Happened, and How to Prevent it from Recurring," is more descriptive. Snider has written widely on spectrum issues, often for the NAF, where he is Research Director of its Wireless Future Program. His points frequently include the inefficiency of current spectrum allocations (television broadcasting being one of the biggest), that the public should receive compensation for use of the spectrum (which would incent efficient use), and the importance of allocating additional spectrum to wireless IP delivery. One might describe the effects of the first and third as moving spectrum from my mother to my children.
I generally admire the work of the NAF and have spoken at one of its events. While I think his writing is thoughtful and constructive, I've also been critical that he and other wireless advocates frequently low-ball the number of Americans who depend on over-the-air reception and that he presents an analysis of how spectrum should be allocated for broadcasting that misses the realities of consumer behavior and broadcast economics: paraphrasing -- they have one standard definition channel now, so they should be able to get by with one of their current six megahertz in the digital world.
I've only had a chance to skim the paper, but it will be important reading for broadcasters, if only to keep us from taking the public spectrum we occupy for granted. And you just might learn something.
Link: New America Foundation.
Update 21 July 2007:
If you're interested in the above, also check out: NAB: Back to the Paper Bag on this weblog. --Dennis
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