Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) yesterday asked Federal Communications Commission Julius Genachowski to give Congress “ample time to review the conclusions and recommendations” in the National Broadband Plan.  In a letter sent to Chairman Genachowski yesterday, the Congressman said “given the plan’s comprehensive scope, its implementation may require action by not only the Commission, but also the Congress.” A scanned copy of the letter is attached to this e-mailed release.  The Congressman referenced the letter during his remarks at the National Association of Broadcasters 2010 State Leadership Conference Dinner last night.  Below is a portion of the Congressman’s remarks from the dinner:
 
“You’ve all come to Washington at quite an interesting time.  In addition to reforming healthcare and the nation’s energy policy, the Congress is also involved in all manner of issues important to broadcasters, such as retransmission consent and the public safety network.  I could speak for ages about a number of these issues, but for brevity’s sake, I’ll confine my remarks to three matters of importance.  

“First, I’d like to express my opposition to legislation imposing a performance tax on broadcasters.  I am concerned that such a tax would be of less benefit to recording artists than to record labels, many of which are based abroad.  Further, recording artists and record labels have profited handsomely for years from the free publicity they get from broadcasters, a mutually beneficial relationship that a performance tax will destroy.  Lastly, and perhaps most practically, it seems ridiculous to me to impose a new punitive fee on broadcasters during this time of recession, especially as broadcasters have seen their revenues decrease by up to 40 percent over the past several years.

“Second, I am concerned about plans circulating at the Federal Communications Commission to mandate the reallocation of broadcasters’ spectrum for mobile broadband use.  Broadcasters already surrendered a third of their spectrum during the digital television transition, and I remain unconvinced by arguments that broadcasters are using their remaining spectrum inefficiently.  It is my hope that the Congress and Commission can find a way to increase the spectrum available for the purposes of mobile broadband without threatening the availability of free, over-the-air broadcasting to the public.

“Third, and on a related note, I am anxious about the process for adopting the forthcoming National Broadband Plan’s recommendations.  While the plan is essential to improving the nation’s broadband infrastructure and access to it, I believe its implementation must proceed as a collaborative effort between the Congress and the Commission.  Premature rulemaking action by the Commission to implement the National Broadband Plan’s recommendations very well may be counterproductive to the goals I have just outlined, and as such, I have sent a letter to Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski urging him to coordinate with the Congress in implementing the plan.

“In closing, I would like to thank all of you for your dedication to serving the American public.  Your long-standing partnership with the federal government has yielded a world-class broadcasting system whose hallmark is free, over-the-air, local programming.  Although new technologies and business models are emerging steadily and changing the marketplace for audio and visual content, I hope broadcasters will continue to serve the public interest and local viewers, a commitment that has set you apart for the past 70 years.”