The focus on a lack of digital TV converter discount coupons obscures a more important story. The grabbing of the digital spectrum by the broadcast lobby as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. There is no business model for terrestrial broadcasting—what happened was a spectrum grab–so broadcasters could gain for free public airwaves worth billions. Ironically, now taxpayers are footing the bill for the converters as well–another subsidy in a way to the National Association of Broadcaster lobby.
The debate should be on how the digital airwaves giveway to the broadcast lobby should be a lesson learned.
