Political Quotes

“I rise today to address a provision in the reconciliation bill that deals with spectrum. In an ill-advised concession, the Senate accepted a partial waiver of the duopoly and newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership restrictions that will allow broadcasters and newspaper owners in cities with populations over 400,000 to bid for the returned ``analog'' spectrum in those markets. I believe this simply is bad policy. As plainly explained in the report, the Senate, like the House--that originally sought an even broader waiver--put revenue concerns first. First, and ahead of what I believe to be graver concerns for the intellectual wealth and benefits that accrue from a diversity of voices and opinions in a marketplace. Fortunately, although we have, in my view, compromised unacceptably, we have not done so unqualifiedly. The final bill provides for a waiver of the duopoly and newspaper-broadcaster cross ownership ban only in cases of cities of over 400,000. Moreover, the bill provides only a one-time waiver, only in large markets, which are likely to have more (and more diverse) media, and only under circumstances (the auction of ``duplicate'' spectrum) in which the number of broadcast voices could double.”