> The spectrum leaseholders should be free of any content restrictions (other > than the usual laws about fraud). That would create a market for the > highest and best social use of the spectrum. >
I was cheering you on upto here. Banning content restrictions (which I think is a decision that should somehow be made within the viewing area, not Washington) will lead to the most profitable use of the spectrum, but that is not necessarily the "highest and best social use." In fact, I think an excellent case could be made for either requiring the spectrum to be used for anything *but* television (best), or making television a government monopoly: in the latter case, with the higher boredom factor produced by bureaucratic management with no profit incentive (yes, it should fully subsidized by us longsuffering taxpayers), viewership would dwindle, much to the benefit of both individual ex-viewers and society at large. ~Alypius