March 3rd, 2009
Broadcasters challenge white space directive
Two broadcasters’ associations have sued the FCC over its recent approval of white spaces (the unused spectrum between broadcast frequency) for Internet.
Broadcasters, wireless mic makers and musicians (both country and rock) vigorously opposed the proposal, driven in large part by Google.
According to Ars Technica, the National Association of Broadcasters and Association for Maximum Service Television (MSTV) have quietly filed in the D.C. Circuit Court a petition for review (PDF) of the FCC decsion.
[White spaces] “will allow harmful interference with … broadcast signals.
Legally speaking, the broadcasters assert the FCC decision was “abritrary, capricious and otherwise not in accordance with law.”
For the other side we turn to Jake Ward of the Wireless Innovation Alliance:
For decades, [the broadcasters'] policy has been to stifle innovation at all costs and ask questions later and this is no different. White Space technology works, it is safe, and the Federal Communications Commission knows better than anyone the steps that must be taken to ensure that continues to be the case. A legal challenge to the process and the Commission’s expertise in this area is just another in a long list of ill advised and futile delay tactics.
