CEA Says: Americans Support Spectrum Reclamation

NAB dismisses survey as bogus, misinformation campaign

By John Eggerton -- TWICE, 4/11/2011

Washington - On the eve of a House Communications Subcommittee hearing on spectrum issues, the Consumer Electronics Association has released a CEA-commissioned Zogby poll that found that given an either-or choice, 60% of Americans surveyed would rather give up "more local, over-the-air broadcast TV choices" than "better and faster wireless Internet."
 
That is according to a copy of the survey, conducted among 2,138 people April 5-7. The survey did select for Internet users, however, since it was an online poll. But the survey also found that even when broadcasters were characterized as "underutilizing" their spectrum in the question--a point they do not concede--fewer than half the respondents said the spectrum should be auctioned off rather than kept in broadcaster hands, though most of the others either said neither of they didn't know.

To continue reading please visit TWICE's sister publication Broadcasting & Cable.