HDTV Amendment defeated by the Internet

[David Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

Date: Sat, 5 Mar 94 00:28:54 -0500
From: rjs@farnsworth.mit.edu (Richard Jay Solomon)


To HRS list:


As some of you probably know by now, thanks to some fancy Internet footwork
by our friends, Rep. Tauzin withdrew his amendment to HR3636 under pressure
from Rep. Dingell yesterday, and the broadcasters' attempt to grab a big
chunk of UHF for anything-but-HDTV has been temporarily defeated.


However, this little exercise makes it clear that U.S. TV broadcasters are
not happy with the Grand Alliance HDTV system as it stands. I expect that
the NAB will be back later this year with more ideas on how to finagle the
UHF spectrum. It is important to realize that the origins of the FCC
Advanced TVprocess was about spectrum, and it will end up a battle over
spectrum, not pixels. There are more "taboo" channels than most people
realize, and new technologies have put them within reach for the first
time.


Nothing like a little last-minute reality-checking among the Washington
agenda settees to wake up the inner Beltway crowd. Those off the net didn't
know what hit them this week, and probably still don't!


This is the 2d time within a month that an attempt to blindside the public
was shortcircuited by the Internet. Amazing how email is rapidly changing
the political process. Ithiel Pool was right about the "Technologies of
Freedom."


Richard