Group suggests killing OTA television

A think tank called the New America Foundation made a radical suggestion at a conference held at Google’s headquarters in California: kill over-the-air television.

…Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at the New America Foundation, said we should “take TV off the air” in a few years and replace it entirely with cable, satellite and Internet viewing.

“All channels should be available by broadband, with the government possibly subsidizing cable and satellite providers to deliver free Lifeline service,” Calabrese said.

The major networks and National Association of Broadcasters were not amused. They immediately wrote the FCC, urging them to “protect the public’s free, over-the-air broadcasting service.”

11 thoughts on “Group suggests killing OTA television”

  1. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! haha. Whatever, I’ll just become a lawyer…or worse, a politician. 🙂

  2. just another of the New World Order crowd’s ideas to make us totally subject to the totalitarian socialist one-world govt. they are planning.
    1984 is arriving, a little late, but those people are focused on the goal, not the clock. 

  3. The question is mute. Some telcoms will eventually create competing nationwide wireless Internet services, through which customers will be able to receive video and music entertainment. The FCC was supposed to approve low-level FM licenses for the purpose of letting people create small community stations. These same companies that whine to Congress to “protect the public’s free, over-the-air broadcasting service” from doing away with over-the-air are the same one’s whining that these low-power FM stations would take money out of their pockets.

  4. I like my free OTA HDTV signals, thank you very much.

    I don’t pay anything to cable.  Not one dime.  Never have either.

  5. When Obama is equated with socialism, a new definition of that word has emerged. Or the definition has been forgotten. Socialism means the state owns and controls creation and distribution of goods. Show me how Obama/Biden support such a plan.

  6. Doing away with OTA TV could only work in metro areas – there is no reliable Internet in rural areas save for dialup (remember that?) – DSL is limited by distance problems and cable by lack of profitability.

  7. The new, second tower would not in any way remblese the Gem Terrace building in East Peoria. good one The current owners are located out of state. Local ownership of the new Pere would be a boon to Peoria, as they would have more of a stake in supporting downtown businesses. this is a ridiculous political statement. Business is business. Whether the owner is out of state or just up the road, businesses have only one goal, to make money using whatever means possible.Has anybody thought that perhaps Caterpillar just doesn’t want to send their business to downtown Peoria? Honestly, what is so hip about downtown? The drunken Bradley students throwing up on the sidewalks as the bars close, the titty club that screams professionalism, or the gunshots heard from four blocks away? Maybe Cat would rather their associates NOT see that. What are Pere’s occupancy rates now? Simply put, if they’re full every night, maybe they need to expand. If the place is at 50% occupancy, not much reason to grow.

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